Detroit area coaches receive tips

Basketball coaches like Pierre Brooks of Detroit King, Gary Fralick of Troy and Bobby Thompson of River Rouge couldn’t help but be impressed with the speeches given by six college coaches on Friday at the MGM Grand Casino Hotel ballroom.

The Horatio Williams Foundation once again presented a coaches forum designed to offer high school coaches, for boys and girls, an opportunity listen to and interact with coaches at the next level. There was an increase in the number of high school coaches this year over last but there were still some empty seats. The three hours or so coaches in attendance took out of their busy schedules was well spent.

Where else could you learn a new term for over-bearing parents – helicopter parents (they hover)?

That was compliments of Michigan State assistant and Detroit Cody graduate Mike Garland whose speech on how to prepare student/athletes for college life was outstanding. Garland had his audience in the palm of  his hands.

Michigan assistant Bacari Alexander gave another one of his inspiring speeches. The topic this time was, ‘how to get the most out of your players’.

Other speakers included Ferndale graduate and Iowa State Cornell Mann, former Piston and Tuskegee University head coach Leon Douglass and Western Michigan head coach Steve Hawkins.

All were entertaining and informative.

The night’s theme was relationships and the importance of high school student/athletes to establish and maintain relationships.

Other topics touched on were texting and social media outlets like twitter.

The keynote speaker was Providence College men’s head coach Ed Cooley. An east coast guy, Cooley made himself at home and quickly warmed up to his audience.