Morgan Gates
Published: October 26, 2005
PJC’s gym in the Lou Ross Center held this year’s annual Pensacola Basketball Coaches Clinic sponsored by the Andrews Institute on Oct. 13th.
Each coach that attended the event donated $10 to United Way’s Hurricane Relief Effort Funds, in lieu of a fee.
The event was hosted by PJC’s Men’s Head Basketball Coach Paul Swanson where seven coaches, Chanda Rigby, Joy Lee McNeils, the Andrews Institute Panel, David Felix, Mike Gillespie, and Paul Swanson traded their basketball secrets.
The first group of speakers were the women’s head coaches, Rigby and McNeils.
Rigby showed the coaches of Pensacola how she exercises the word “accountability” in the lady Pirates’ practices and in their lifestyles.
McNeils, the Women’s Head Coach of the University of Southern Mississippi, touched on the topic of transition offense, and she also stressed the importance of conditioning with weights.
The next group of speakers was the Andrews Orthopedic Clinic Panel of Specialists, Dr. Rodger Ostrander, Dr. Alec Kessler, Dr. Joshua Hackle, and Alex Lincoln. These health care providers discussed how to treat and prevent athletic injuries.
The last group of speakers were the head men’s basketball coaches Felix, Gillespie, and Swanson. Felix, as the Associate Head Coach of Troy State University, covered the topic of match-up zone defense. Next, Florida A&M University’s Head Coach Gillespie took over the floor where he enthusiastically went on and on about offense in special situations. He effectively used the Pirates to point out each aspect of player movement to the coaches.
Finally, Swanson wrapped up the clinic with an exhibition on the topic of pressure attack.
Both the men’s and women’s teams assisted the speakers by demonstrating offense and defense moves or practice drills to the audience.
Rigby said, “I’ve been to tons of these clinics, and what I learn from them mainly comes from the socializing that goes on among the coaches before, in-between, and after the actual clinic itself.”
Unfortunately, Swanson said the turn out of this year’s clinic was not as good as he had hoped for.
“I was disappointed because only 12 coaches attended. The numbers of participants wasn’t where I wanted it to be. I anticipated for around 30 coaches to come.”