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Lessons learned on court help in real life, says long-time coach

Brad MacNeil has been coaching basketball at Patrick Fogarty for 26 years; 'Brad's approach and coaching style gave me a real appreciation for the game'

Long-time basketball coach Brad MacNeil has inspired many players at Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary (PF) over his 26-year coaching career.

Curtis Columbus, who now teaches math and the basketball leadership course at PF, is one of those players who was impacted by MacNeil when he played for the Flames in 1996. 

“Brad’s approach and coaching style gave me a real appreciation for the game of basketball which is something I really hadn’t experienced before. That, combined with the success we had, really gave me something to latch onto,” Columbus reflected.

The ’96 senior boys’ Flames team was a talented group that finished in fourth place at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) senior boys' basketball tournament.

“I’m still in contact with some of the guys on that team which kind of speaks to the impact that Brad had,” the now 42-year-old Columbus said.

Columbus didn’t play a huge role with that successful Flames team as he was mainly a bench player, however, the experience of being part of the team led by MacNeil had a lasting effect.

“It was really kind of the grip I needed and now I’m really involved, I’ve served on the executive board with the Lakers, I coach multiple girls’ basketball teams, and I attribute it all to the opportunity Brad gave me years ago.If I hadn’t made that team I probably would have moved on from basketball,” Columbus explains.

“There is a lot that basketball has given me and it all comes back to the appreciation of the game that Brad instilled in us.”

MacNeil,a Cape Breton Island native, says his coaching style has always been about more than just the X’s and O’s of the game.

“You must always remember that you are dealing with people. It’s not really about the wins and the losses. It's more about remembering who they are, and if you treat them as a person, first, they will respect that and work hard for you,” he said.

The 50-year-old coach who is a guidance counselor at PF teaches with the goal of having his players learn lessons from the game that they can apply to their everyday life.

“I really still believe that the game of basketball or any sport for that matter can teach you a lot about life," MacNeil said. "There are a lot of important skills you can obtain from playing a sport, especially a team sport, and that’s something you can transfer into life."

After coaching basketball for 26 years - both boys' and girls' teams - MacNeil has seen and experienced it all, the highs of advancing to OFSAA and lows of a team that gets stuck in the bottom of the standings.

Believe it or not, it’s the challenging times that make coaching worth all the time and energy for MacNeil.

“I think that any time you are working together to persevere through challenges, I think it’s a rewarding experience. You learn about each other, you develop some very strong bonds and relationships with the kids you're working with. Those are the key takeaways for me,” he said.

The veteran coach is currently in one of the most challenging times of his career, trying to keep new players buying into his system.  

“That is becoming more and more challenging. Kids want to see what effort you are going to put in as a coach, and then they follow your lead, so it’s important as a coach to lead by example and put the time and effort into coaching,” he explains.

One of MacNeil’s biggest challenges in his coaching career was also one of his most gratifying experiences.

“I had the good fortune of coaching my son Joe who graduated two years ago and my daughter Emily who graduated four years ago. I had that special experience with both of my kids and certainty that will be one of my highlights looking back at my 26 years,” MacNeil reflected.

“The challenge is making sure you maintain your role as coach and leave the parenting part of it out until you are at home. It might sound easy, but it can be tough at times.”

Outside of PF, MacNeil has also spent time coaching with the Orillia Lakers Youth Basketball Club. However, he has stepped aside to allow the next and younger wave of local coaches step up and put their stamp on the game, which is something MacNeil eventually plans on doing at PF as well.

“There is a certain amount of energy that is required to coach, and I think that every year you feel like it’s a little bit tougher to bring that same energy as you used to, so certainty now that I am in my 50’s, I see this as the twilight of my coaching career," said MacNeil.

"So, I’m just trying to savour every last moment and make every season as good as I can,” he said.


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Tyler Evans

About the Author: Tyler Evans

Tyler Evans got his start in the news business when he was just 15-years-old and now serves as a video producer and reporter with OrilliaMatters
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