NCAA Basketball: Explaining the incredible longevity of head coaches
By John Willkom
In an era that glorifies the new, young, NCAA head coach, several of the best in the country are proving that age is just a number.
What do NCAA Basketball head coaches Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Leonard Hamilton, and Jim Larranaga have in common? Sure, they’re all ACC head coaches and very good ones at that. All four have won more than 500 games as head coaches and sent multiple players to the NBA. And yet, their longevity may be the most under-appreciated factor that binds them. All four coaches are in their 70’s, a remarkable statistic given the pressure & stress associated with division one college basketball.
Why do college basketball coaches not only coach so long, but live so long? John Wooden, the legendary UCLA coach, lived until he was 99. John Chaney, the former Temple coach, has the record for the oldest man to coach a Division 1 game at 74. He’s now 87. Jim Boeheim will turn 75 on November 17, and God-willing, not only break Chaney’s record but far surpass it (Boeheim has indicated that he’d like to coach his son through his time at Syracuse. Buddy Boeheim is currently a sophomore, meaning that Jim Boeheim will be 77 during Buddy’s senior season).
As a former college basketball player myself, I’ve seen first-hand the stress that surrounds these coaches. Early mornings and late nights, meals on the road, and emotional swings that can go from the happiest of times to anger-filled outbursts. Mix in the burden of balancing a staff, players, administration, fans, and the media, and most coaches admittedly have different personalities depending on who they’re in front of.
Despite all of this, though, there is something to be said for the intense passion that has to burn within each of these men’s hearts. It’s that passion, that undeniable love for the game that has to overshadow everything I listed off in the previous paragraph. Otherwise, I truly believe these men wouldn’t live so long.
Jim Valvano died at 47 but had a terminal illness. Rick Majerus was 64 when he passed but had experienced health problems for several years leading up to that. Skip Prosser is the only coach I can think of that died of “a sudden heart attack” at the age of 56.
Next. Ranking top CBB programs of the 2010s. dark
Does doing what you’re passionate about help you live longer? I’m not a doctor, but in my opinion, yes. These men clearly love what they do, and the mentality of “being your best” certainly spills over into their personal lives. As the season begins, I’d like to salute all of the coaches out there whose longevity should be appreciated. Maybe “getting old” isn’t so bad after all.