WPIAL Coaches Corner – Tim McConnell

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, February 26, 2017 | 12:38 PM

In this feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts.

This week highlights Chartiers Valley boys basketball coach Tim McConnell. Coach McConnell is in his 24^th season as head coach of the Colts, posting 20+ win seasons in 20 of his previous 23 years. He is closing in on 550 career wins as a coach and he has led Chartiers Valley to 6 WPIAL championships, including titles with each of his sons: TJ and Matty. Let’s take a look inside Coach McConnell’s corner:
 

1. What are some of your pet peeves?

When I see someone do something wrong with my own eyes and they deny it to my face. Also when players shoot air balls, and bad drivers.

2. What was your dream job when you were young?

To be a pro athlete.

3. Who was your favorite sports player growing up and why?

I loved Roberto Clemente because he was so fun to watch and he always did something spectacular.

4. How often do you get to watch your son TJ play for the Philadelphia 76ers?

Not as much during my season, but around 15 times a year. I watch all of his games on NBA league pass.

5. What are some of your hobbies in the offseason?

Running, doing personal workouts with young players.

6. If you were not a basketball coach, what do you think you would be?

I am not sure I always knew I wanted to coach but, I wish I got my teaching certificate.

7. What is the most important thing you try to preach to your players every year?

Playing hard and playing together. Getting better each day we take the floor.

8. Now in your 24^th season as the coach of Chartiers Valley, you are approaching 550 career wins. Your teams have won at least 20 games in 20 of your past 23 seasons. How do you continually produce amazing success year in and year out?

The dedication of our players and the hard work that they put in during the off season.

9. What is your proudest moment as a high school basketball coach?

Winning the WPIAL Championships. Playing Neumann Goretti in the state championship in 2010, we were supposed to lose by 30 but had a shot at the buzzer to try and win the game. Even though we lost it was one of my proudest moments as a coach.

10. You have won three WPIAL championships in 3-A and three WPIAL championships in 4-A. This year, your team is in the hunt in 5-A. Tell me about the transition back and forth from classification to classification.

We really don’t worry about what classification we are in, we approach each year with the same goals and expectations.

11. What was your most embarrassing moment as a high school basketball coach?

A few years back I was coaching a game and went to scream at a kid on the floor and as I did a silent fart snuck out and I blamed one of the kids on the bench because it smelled really bad. I think they knew it was me.

12. Talk about the feeling of winning WPIAL championships with both of your sons (TJ and Matty).

All my WPIAL championships were special but I can’t lie, the 2 with my sons were a little more special because of all the time we put into together paid off.

13. How did you decide you wanted to coach basketball?

I loved playing this great game but knew I wasn’t good enough to play after college so, I wanted to be able to give back to this great game by coaching young men to be better players and people.

14. Including your sons, you have coached 15 players that have hit the 1,000-point mark in their high school careers. Does their individual success contribute to the overall team success you have consistently had over the years?

Yes, it does because younger players see their success and want emulate them. Make no mistake these 1000 point scorers did it with in the team concept.

15. How important has your family been throughout your coaching career?

My family has played a tremendous rule in my coaching career. My mother and father are my biggest supporters. My wife makes many sacrifices to enable me to coach by taking care of the family responsibilities so I can concentrate on coaching. My brother Tommy also has been very influential in my coaching career.

Tags: Chartiers Valley