4 minute read
Formula for a Successful Life
Jim Casciano’s love for coaching basketball
BY » Renee Roberson PHOTOGRAPHY BY » Jon Beyerle
Huntersville resident Jim Casciano played basketball in high school and college and went on to have a successful coaching career with colleges in Virginia, New Jersey, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Maine. In 2018, thought he was ready for retirement from a career coaching basketball. But, after taking a year off to regroup and decompress from the hectic schedule of travel and recruiting at the college level, he found he missed coaching.
He’s excited for the new opportunity to join Woodlawn School, a private independent school serving grades K-12 in Mooresville, as the head boys’ basketball coach. We caught up with Casciano to learn more about the trajectory of his career, his coaching philosophy, and why he has no desire to leave the sport of basketball any time soon.
LIMITLESS: How did you and your wife Daphne end up in the Lake Norman area?
Jim: I was coaching at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and came here to take a head coaching job at Johnson & Wales University. To be honest, it was really the weather that brought us here! We’d had about 190 inches of snow that year, with thirty days being below freezing.
LIMITLESS: What made you decide to retire from coaching basketball in 2018?
Jim: I retired after 40 years because it seemed like a good number. I was starting to get tired of the travel and the year-round recruiting, and my energy levels were waning. I would advise anyone who is retiring that they should have a plan, though, because I didn’t have hobbies.
LIMITLESS: You served as an assistant basketball coach for two seasons at Lake Norman Charter in Huntersville. How did you hear about the position at Woodlawn School?
Jim: I was Lake Norman Charter for two years . . . The people over there are great. But I learned though that once you’re a head coach you’re always a head coach. This past spring, I interviewed for head coaching jobs but three of them went to coaches who were also teachers. In CMS you can’t coach football or basketball if you’re not a teacher. When I met Shellee Young [Athletic Director at Woodlawn School], we hit it off immediately. She’s very positive. I think she’s going to do some great things. I’m part of that big picture. I hope I can upgrade and improve the basketball program to coincide with her vision.
LIMITLESS: We have to ask, when it comes to college basketball and the NBA, where do your loyalties lie?
Jim: For college basketball, the University of North Carolina. The highlight of my college coaching career was when Dean Smith and Bill Guthridge took me to lunch many years ago. And I’m a Philadelphia Sixers fan, but sometimes I’ll shift my allegiance. I would love to see the Lakers win another championship with LeBron James.
Jim Casciano’s Coaching Philosophy
Casciano was coaching at Kings College in Wilkes-Barre, Penn. when he created the first draft of “The Total Program.” “It’s been adjusted to refer more to high school versus college,” he says. “It’s who I am. This is what I believe. This is what I want to see for our players. I hand this out to every parent and every player so they can see it.”
He believes this program goes beyond basketball, encompassing attributes such as dedication, commitment, discipline, respect, and love of learning. It consists of four cornerstones:
Teaching Values-Discipline should be a way of life, providing the ability to focus, organize, and set priorities.
Building Dreams-This consists of creating a positive culture, building tradition, earning campus and community support, helping players get to all the next levels of winning games, championships, and state tournaments.
Formula for Success-Casciano believes this formula extends beyond the standard basketball season.
Head Coach-The coach serves also as a mentor, teacher, and positive role model.
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