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IT’S ALWAYS WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE!
Larry Blunt
Assistant Coach
Oklahoma State University
My role is to do everything in my power to assist our head coach in any way possible.
In addition, I try to serve our players and help them reach their potential both on and off the court.
As a staff, we split up the scouting responsibilities, and work as a group to identify, and attract the best student-athletes possible that will represent our University.
Our jobs as assistants are ever-changing, and there is no task too big or too small.
But at the end of the day, it is about using the game of basketball to transform the lives of young people.
Serving, and using our game to enhance the lives of young people!
Seeing the growth of young people both on and off the court is my favorite part of coaching!
The Good Lord works in mysterious ways, and I was blessed with the privilege of coaching the Oshawa Power. For me, the opportunity to be a head coach was what attracted me to the National Basketball League of Canada.
Little did I know, I ended up meeting my wife, helped start a prep school, and was blessed to be a part of the journey of 30 Division One student-athletes, and six NBA players.
I would not be where I am not without the generosity and kindness of so many Canadians. I am forever grateful!
As I mentioned above, I am incredibly humbled.
I say it all the time, I would not be in my current position without them taking a chance on our program, and giving our staff the privilege of coaching them! I hope that I was able to give them things that they will carry with them both on and off the court!
Most importantly the type of people that they all are has been a major takeaway.
Most people know about their basketball success, but I can say without reservation, that they are even better human beings and men!
The growth of the game is unreal.
I can speak to my first year coaching the Oshawa Power. When the season ended, and the NCAA tournament started, there was no way to be able to watch the games.
Fast forward, now most Canadian cable and satellite companies show the entire tournament. Also, it is cool to see the growth of the professional leagues, and the infrastructure at the high school and grassroots, and even Canadian College and University level continues to grow at an incredible rate.
So excited that so many families and young people are able to benefit from this game that we all love!
I think if I had to limit it to three things I would say:
I think the biggest difference is when I was the head coach at Orangeville I could lose every game, but as long as we got all of our student-athletes to the next level, we had success.
At this level, there is much greater pressure that is placed on winning. I have been fortunate to work with great bosses, that have balance and always keep what is in the best interest of the student at the forefront, but that is not always the case at the College/University level.
Secondly, the pressure at the level is significantly different. The fan bases, are extremely passionate, and most want success right away. The Cowboy fan base is amazing, and I am grateful to be a part of it. Being at a place that has had success shows that it can be done, and it is our desire to continue to add to the already rich tradition and track record of success
Thirdly, I’d say our resources. Our staff is bigger, our travel budget is bigger, and we are blessed to be in a position where the student-athletes will have an experience that they will never forget.
At Orangeville, our players had an incredible experience, and thanks to the generosity of The Tipping family, Nike, and a few generous sponsors, our guys were fortunate to have an experience that they will never forget. In fact, most guys had better resources at AI, than what they had or will have at their respective Colleges or Universities.
First — IT’S ALWAYS WHAT’S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE! This is always number 1A for me.
Secondly, continue to learn the craft. The more proficient you are, the better you will be equipped to serve young people.
Lastly, do what you say you are going to do when you say you are going to do it. You have to understand that the reality is, there are more qualified individuals than there are jobs.
You need more friends than enemies. You can have 99 people singling your praises. But the single enemy you created can be the person that prevents you from getting your dream opportunity.
Coach Larry Blunt is the very definition of a player’s coach. It is hard to match the passion that Oklahoma State University Assistant has for his job. Born and raised in Virginia, Coach Larry shared how a head coaching opportunity north of the border in 2012 changed his life for the better. A year later, he helped start one of the best high school programs in Canada, Orangeville Prep. In his three years at the Mono, Ontario-based school, Coach Larry mentored 30 NCAA D-1 athletes, as well as future NBA talents like Jamal Murray and Thon Maker. Current players should take the long-time coach’s word for what separates a great athlete from a good one, while aspiring coaches should heed the valuable advice he offered.
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