Basketball Coaches Dazzle Kids
17 college basketball coaches take time out to talk to elementary school kids

What little kid, especially little boy, doesn’t love basketball, and dream of playing for the NBA?  On Tuesday, April 14th, 17 college basketball coaches visited 19 elementary schools around Chicago in order to talk with the students.  Not only did these coaches talk about their basketball experiences both on and off the court, but also spoke about the importance of education, even for those planning to be NBA basketball players.

Mike Krzyzewski, the head coach of Duke University, was the highlight of the event as he spoke to two schools, Reavis Elementary and Ariel Elementary Community Academy.  At Ariel, not only was the auditorium full but the parents, teachers, and guests lined the walls in order to hear Coach Krzyzewski speak.

Coach Krzyzewski has coached 29 seasons with Duke University, and is the most successful coach the university has ever seen.  In 2005 Coach Krzyzewski was named the head coach of the 2008 Men’s Olympic Basketball team, a team that took home the gold medal for the United States.  While Coach Krzyzewski has accomplished so much and is such a well known figure in the basketball world, his true passion is that of an ambassador of education in promoting his program, Ticket to Reading Rewards.

“It is very important for the youth of our country to read,” Coach Krzyzewski said.  “When you open that book you become a part of that book.  You step out of the moment.”

Coach Krzyzewski continued to talk about how reading not only gives kids an escape from every day life, but an education, and thus a chance to achieve their dreams.  He talked about how even famous, big-time, college basketball players have to study and get good grades in order to keep playing and succeed in life.

“A lot of times you can use sports to tie kids in and get them headed in the right direction,” agreed Coach Jim Boeheim of Syracuse University and assistant coach to the 2008 Men’s Olympic basketball team.  “When [kids] find out that college [players] have to study and do the things that they have to do, it’s a good lesson for young kids to learn.”

Both Coach Krzyzewski and Coach Boeheim were able to go to the 2008 summer Olympic Games in Beijing as the coaches for the team.  Coach Krzyzewski even divulged that playing for his country at the Olympic Games was the dream of Kobe Bryant.  When Bryant was shown his Olympic jersey for the first time, with USA written on it in red, white, and blue, “[he] looked at that jersey and he started to cry.”
 
Both coaches lit up when talking about the Olympic experience and how it was truly one of the highlights of their careers.

“It was unbelievable,” Coach Boeheim said.  “Just to represent your country is a great thing, but to have a great team and a great group of guys to work with is just even better.  It was three years I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
Both coaches are also hopeful that the Olympics will come to Chicago.  Coach Krzyzewski grew up in Chicago, attending Weber High School, and has very close ties to the city.

“There is no city in the world better to host the Olympics than Chicago, with its beauty of culture,” Coach Krzyzewski said.  “We celebrate that culture everyday and would love to celebrate it with the world.  Everyone is sharing and hugging and talking, it’s the way the world should be.”