I’D LIKE TO THANK ERIC FUNDALEWICZ WHO IS THE HEAD COACH FOR THE EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY EAGLES IN PRESCOTT, ARIZONA IN THE CAL-PAC IN NAIA FOR SHARING ADVICE WITH THE CANNON NETWORK. HE SHARED, “MY BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR YOUNG COACHES IS TO STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR STUDENT-ATHLETES – YOUR BASKETBALL FAMILY.  YOU WILL ENCOUNTER MANY PEOPLE IN YOUR COACHING CAREER AND THE WEB THAT THE COACHING WORLD COVERS IS HUGE.  BE WHO YOU ARE AND BE LOYAL TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE THAT COACHING WEB WILL TAKE YOU ALONG YOUR CAREER. BEING A PART OF THE COACHING WORLD IS RARE.  THERE AREN’T A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES AS YOU CLIMB THE LADDER.  THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU BUILD WITH YOUR STUDENT-ATHLETES, THE COACHES YOU WORK WITH, AND COMPETE AGAINST, WILL ONLY ADD TO THE LEGACY YOU CHOOSE TO LEAVE BEHIND YOU WHEN YOUR CAREER IS FINISHED. ENJOY WHAT YOU ARE DOING ALONG THE WAY.  THERE ARE MANY PEAKS AND VALLEYS THROUGHOUT A SEASON AND IN A LIFETIME OF COACHING SO EACH EXPERIENCE SHOULD ONLY HELP TO IMPROVE YOURSELF AS A PERSON AND A COACH IF YOU LOOK AND LEARN FROM EACH EXPERIENCE THE RIGHT WAY.  AS NELSON MANDELA ONCE SAID, “I NEVER LOSE, I EITHER WIN OR LEARN.”