The La Plata High School girls’ basketball team has a new head coach: Mr. Swann. Swann is head of the custodial staff at La Plata High School. You can often find him strolling through our halls with an infectious smile posted on his face, greeting and meeting new people regularly. Swann decided to take the position of head coach because he “thought it would be a fun challenge” for himself.
Swann is very familiar with basketball. He plays the game in an adult league, averaging about 12 points and 8 rebounds per game, and he used to coach boys’ basketball for both Thomas Stone High School and Westlake High School. He also enjoys playing in the Teachers vs. Students basketball game, in which he has been an avid participant year in and year out.
Swann is very passionate and energetic about the game and wants to teach his players to not only play with that passion, but learn basketball as well. “I want to have fun and hopefully teach the girls about the game. Sportsmanship is key,” Swann said. When asked if coaching girls would be different from coaching boys, he replied, “There won’t be a big difference at all; basketball is basketball whether it’s girls or boys playing.”
One thing was very clear when I was talking to Mr. Swann, and that was that he is really looking forward to teaching the fundamentals of the game. He is very keen on sportsmanship, respect, and having a good time while playing. He describes himself as an “easy-going guy, fun, not very demanding but has high expectations.”
Though he is currently very concerned about the lack of members on the team, Swann hopes to bring big improvements to the girls’ basketball team this year, and he seems to be the man for the job. He is patient, understanding, and willing to teach the game to anyone who wants to learn it. If you ever want to talk to him, he encourages you to feel free to say hello whenever you see him.
No Comments