Recently, Jason Gardner was named the eighth coach in the history of the IUPUI men’s basketball program. He took some time out from his hectic schedule to talk about his new job and the challenges it represents, and his goals regarding coaching the Jaguars.
Recorder: Coach, we’ll start off with an underhanded lob. How pumped are you about coming home to Indianapolis to head up this program?
Gardner: I feel both excited and grateful for this big time opportunity. Indiana is my home and it is certainly great to be back here.
As the 1999 Indiana Mr. Basketball, you know full well how important it is to recruit in this state. How will you approach that?
Well, we will certainly focus on the great crop of talent right here in Indiana. We plan to be aggressive and attract great talent.
It will always be competitive in terms of the recruiting process, but we have a great situation for young men to be a part of.
The Jaguars will compete this season in the newly renovated State Fairgrounds Coliseum. How important is that for your returning players and potential recruits?
It is extremely important to have great facilities. I recently looked around at the Coliseum and was impressed. Obviously we are excited about the 2014-2015 season being played there.
Talk a little about George Hill and what it means to have him locally as someone who relates to the program and is supportive?
It is a tremendous plus to have George as a colleague and an example to our players as to what one can establish with hard work. His career at IUPUI was phenomenal and he has continued that in the NBA. We are lucky to have him in our basketball family.
Do you think your previous stints as an assistant at Loyola and Memphis have prepared you to be a head coach?
Absolutely. I had the opportunity to work with bright people and learn from them as well. That is crucial for any coach.
Having a great staff of assistants is clearly a prerequisite for any head coach. Talk about that process.
Yes, I have been working a lot on that and I am looking for guys like myself who are enthused about the game and willing to work the long hours it takes to be successful at this level. It is important we share the same goals and objectives.
What are realistic goals for your first year at the helm?
To make responsible student athletes. That is where it all begins. To work hard daily, and to compete every second we are on the floor.
Danny Bridges can be reached at (317) 578-1780, or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
Danny Bridges is an award-winning journalist and a longtime sports columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder. He covers college, professional sports and especially all things IndyCar racing. He can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
