Coach Dillon Parsons

As a product of a small-town basketball program, I simply value the same principles that were emphasized to me growing up as a player: playing hard, smart, and together. As a teacher, my beliefs about coaching are parallel to my beliefs about teaching. The foundation of any successful student or athlete is built upon the same foundational pillars: consistency, communication, accountability, and dedication. I believe that emphasizing these principles to the kids we coach allows them to flourish not only into amazing players, but more importantly into kind, responsible, and successful people as well. I place a heavy focus on collective responsibility, leadership, and pride within the teams that I coach. This way, when it comes to developing skills and learning systems, the players are approaching every drill with the intent to leave the gym better than they came, rather than simply going through the motions. My coaching style could be considered demanding, but only in an effort to allow young players to reveal their true potential as basketball players and more importantly as members of a team. Many parents, kids, and coaches will ask, “what is more important in youth basketball: winning games or having fun?” My answer to this question is that both can be done at the same time when the common goal is to be the best possible team we can be, every single time we set foot on the court. Playing hard, playing to learn, and playing to grow is the most fun way to play the game, and it inevitably leads to winning games, too.