| All About Balance - David Zimroth |
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A conversation with former Division I basketball coach and On Court Grassroots Advisor David ZimrothBy Michael J. PallerinoHaving a keen eye for talent has served David Zimroth well in both the coaching and recruiting arenas. For more than 25 years, he has coached on the high school, AAU, junior college and Division I levels. Among the players he has coached and recruited over the years, 13 of them were NBA players, including seven first-round draft picks: Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks), Vern Fleming (Indiana Pacers), George McCloud (Pacers), Doug Edwards (Hawks), Sam Cassell (Houston Rockets), Charlie Ward (New York Knicks) and Bobby Sura (Cleveland Cavaliers).
His coaching stops have included three Division I schools: Georgia (1981-82), Florida State (1986-96) and South Florida (1996-2003). He also spent four years at Miami Dade North Junior College, where the program was ranked No. 1 in the country (1983-84). Today, he is re-entering the basketball world to help make an impact at the grassroots level. For the past four years, he has been a college basketball analyst for 1010am radio and ABC Action News/Sports Zone in the Tampa Bay market. On Court caught up with Zimroth to get his thoughts on the youth basketball game and what today’s coaches and players should know to be successful. Following is what he had to say. David Zimroth: As a former teacher and coach, I have always felt you must provide an environment where a young person can learn while having fun. I truly believe it’s difficult for a youngster to have fun if they’re not experiencing a certain level of success. The youth basketball level is a perfect audience for this, as they are eager to learn, want to have fun and have an abundance of energy. Zimroth: I think if a player is fundamentally sound he can utilize that skill set for the rest of his life. To become skilled in the fundamentals of the game, you must have a high level of discipline; you must be a self-starter; you must set goals; and you must persevere through tough times. These are traits that can transition well in many other arenas as you mature and move forward. Zimroth: If you concentrate and take the game seriously (love it), it will teach you to be prepared, work hard, be a team player, take criticism, learn from your mistakes, put others first, how to compete and cherish the opportunity and privilege to play. This is important because too many young players feel it is their right to play and don’t understand the sacrifice that has to made on and off the court. When I speak to young people, I talk in terms of thanking those who provided them with this opportunity and gift of playing. I tell them that working as hard as you can, respecting others and listening to the coaches is their gift back to those people. Zimroth: The parent-coach should be very objective, especially if he has a child on the team. This is important. You shouldn’t show favoritism or put your child in an awkward position. Strive to be a mentor and coach, which would entail learning the game (to a certain degree) as well as being patient with your players. My father coached youth league basketball, and due to his taking the time to learn how to teach the game and be a role model, his players benefited greatly. On Court: Do you have a favorite story that sums up your coaching experience? Zimroth: The signing of Douglas Edwards out of Miami High to come to Florida State had the biggest impact because we were not favored to get him. I knew if we could convince him to be part of what we were doing we would win at a high level. He provided our program with that winning attitude, and more importantly, the knowledge of how to win. We had not won an NCAA Tournament game before his arrival and would win six during his career, along with appearances in the Sweet “16” and Elite “8.” He is also the reason we were able to convince Sam Cassell to join our program. Edwards and Cassell, along with Charlie Ward and Bobby Sura, formed one of the greatest line-ups in ACC history. Helping to put that group together was extremely fulfilling. The Bobby Sura story was a good one, as the person who first told us about him, Ed Donohue, was adamant about how good he was. During one of my talks with Ed I asked him if Bobby was good enough to start. His reply was – remove the “t” – and he was right, the kid became a STAR.
Zimroth: Provide your players with the tools to be a success when the ball stops bouncing. Do not have your ego tied up in just being a basketball coach. Have balance, be a good husband/wife, father/mother, friend, son or daughter. It will help you to be a better coach. I know it worked for me. Be prepared. The players are smart and will realize if you are not knowledgeable and ready to teach. Put players in a position to be successful and utilize their abilities. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
