Continuing our attempt to highlight OUR coaches in Louisiana we caught up Coach Shyne from Huntington. Coach Shyne has coached at two of the top programs in the state the past few years after spending some time in the college ranks. He continued the tradition at North Caddo bringing another state championship to the program before "coming home" to a school where he played himself and grew up just down the road. Coach Shyne lead Huntington, his alma mater, to the Top 28 last year and they look to build off that success this year and bring home the programs first state championship! Below is our Q&A:
Reflecting back on your time as a player and now coaching at your alma mater how much does Huntington and your time there mean to you?
Man there is no place like the H, everyday I walk through the campus I stroll down memory lane reflecting on how much I love Huntington High School. I took pride in wearing the jersey as a player, and the pride that I have now coaching the Lady Raiders is indescribable. Huntington has truly been a part of molding me into the man that I am today. My time here is beyond valuable. I am blessed to be able to invest in our youth in a way that supersedes basketball on many levels.
Last year your team won 20+ games and took steps in the right direction advancing to the top 28. Bringing back the bulk of your team how do you take that next step and compete for the programs first state championship?
We will continue to keep God first in everything that we do. We will trust the process while focusing more on executing defensively. We will continue to work hard while building strong and determined ladies that will impact our community in a positive way
Your team and teams you’ve coached have been one of the best 4A teams and will be one for the next several years. What do you feel are the reasons for your team's success?
Without God none of this is possible. I believe one of the biggest components of our success is the concept of family. We love each other and do almost everything together. Basketball is not always on our agenda. We focus more so on uplifting, building, and impacting our youth in a way that allows basketball to be one of their many outlets. Here at Huntington we have amazing players that work extremely hard to be the absolute best at what they do which makes it easy to be successful as a team.
What led you to choose teaching and coaching as your profession? Who are some mentors that have help you become the coach you are today?
Coaching is my passion I love to help others, I started coaching and teaching at a young age and I knew then that I wanted to impact our youth in a positive way for as long as I could. My dad, mom, and my sister Andrea are by far the best mentors I’ve ever had in my life. In the Women’s Coach basketball game Coach Nikki Fargas, Coach Tasha Butts, Coach Thomas-Swinson, Coach Carlos Funchess, and Coach Sandy Pugh have all made major impacts on my life.
You’ve coached in college and now at a couple of high schools do you have any advice to a younger coach in terms of what makes a good coach?
Be consistent, be compassionate, be open minded. Good coaches build strong relationships with their players. Players don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. John Wooden said it best “A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.” Focus on changing the lives of your players and everything else will fall in line.
I ask this question to all the coaches I interview. What do you feel are some ways that Louisiana can improve the girls basketball moving forward? What do you feel really works and made you glad to be a coach in Louisiana?
We need to allow more opportunities for the best of the best to compete against each other. I like the exposure and social media presence that has been growing lately regarding girls basketball in the state of Louisiana. I am excited about the direction we are headed in as a whole, I’m glad to be a Coach in the state of Louisiana.
What would you like to see implemented to assist young girls develop prior to high school? What are things middle school kids need to know or should be working on to prepare for the high school level?
Man fundamentals are essential to the growth of our girls, we need strong middle school coaches that will teach basic basketball principles and lay the foundation our girls will need to excel in the sport of basketball. Middle school kids need to know man to man and basic zone principles. They should be working on proper shooting and lay-up techniques, they also need to work on footwork, speed, and agility.
What are things that can take US, Louisiana girls basketball to another level?
Unity, Exposure, Elite Competition
What is something you hope your kids carry on with them throughout their lives after leaving your program?
I want my kids to carry the concept of love, unity, and togetherness with them. I want them to carry the concepts and principles of hard work with them everywhere that they go.