I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ANDREW ALHADEFF WHO IS THE HEAD COACH FOR THE CYPRESS COLLEGE CHARGERS IN CYPRESS, CALIFORNIA IN THE ORANGE EMPIRE CONFERENCE IN CCCAA IN JUCO BASKETBALL FOR SHARING ADVICE FOR YOUNG COACHES WITH THE CANNON NETWORK. HE SHARED, “MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOUNG COACHES OUT THERE, IS TO SIMPLY BE AVAILABLE. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE COACHING YOUR FULL-TIME CAREER, YOU HAVE TO START OUT BY GRINDING IN EVERY ASPECT OF A PROGRAM. I REMEMBER CLEANING TOILETS FOR GYM RENTALS WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT. YOU CAN’T BE TOO PROUD, OR TOO GOOD TO PERFORM SIMPLE TASKS THAT ARE NEEDED. YOU NEED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR STUDENT-ATHLETES, WHETHER THAT IS HELPING THEM GET BETTER IN THE GYM, OR HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND A PROJECT IN THE CLASSROOM. THE TIME AND RELATIONSHIPS YOU BUILD WITH YOUR PLAYERS IS PARAMOUNT. LASTLY, YOU NEED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR HEAD COACH. FOR ME, THE MORE I SEE MY ASSISTANTS AROUND, THE MORE RESPONSIBILITY I GIVE THEM. WHETHER THAT RESPONSIBILITY IS INSTALLING NEW BASELINE OUT-OF-BOUNDS PLAYS, RUNNING THE DEFENSIVE PORTION OF OUR PRACTICE, OR SETTING UP A TRAVEL ITINERARY FOR AN UPCOMING ROAD TRIP. THERE IS NO BETTER WAY FOR PREPARING TO BECOME A HEAD COACH THAN BEING HANDS-ON, IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE PROGRAM. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YOUNG ASSISTANTS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEY WILL NOT GET RICH BY BEING AN ASSISTANT COACH. SO YOU MUST BE WILLING TO SACRIFICE, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE END GOAL OF BECOMING A HEAD COACH.”