Jim Calhoun has coached for 40 years. In his outstanding coaching career he has won 873 games and three National Championships. Calhoun’s life experiences had a huge impact on his coaching style. At the age of 15 Jim lost his father. Jim knew that he had to take up the role of being the man of the house when his father passed away. During that time he learned the values of hard work and sacrifice. As a coach he taught all of those values to his players. Calhoun’s success doesn’t just show up in the college game, but the professional level as well. Twenty-six of Calhoun’s players from UConn have played in the NBA.
Jim and his wife Pat are setting an example off the court too. They host the annual Calhoun Classic Weekend features a Celebrity Charity Basketball All-Star Game and Celebrity Classic Golf Tournament with proceeds benefiting the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn. The Calhoun Classic has raised millions that support various organizations. Calhoun also hosts the Jim Calhoun Cancer Challenge Ride and Walk to benefit the organizations who research ways to beat cancer.
Jim has two sons and six grandkids. I was able to chat with Jim about college hoops, fatherhood, and why being a grandpa is so cool.
Art Eddy: This year everyone’s brackets were destroyed in Round 2 of the tournament. For me it was Michigan State losing early. Usually we don’t see all these upsets in the tournament. There are some here and there, but it seemed like this year there were more than usual. What is your take on this year’s tournament?
Jim Calhoun: Working for ESPN this year I saw something like 45 teams. There were a lot of good teams, but there weren’t great teams. Therefore that tells me upset. The closest thing to a great team is probably North Carolina. Everyone else though has incredible strengths and also some flaws. They all can get by them because there is not one strong team in the field.
That makes it exciting. I think it is great. I think it makes it great for basketball. I think it is great for everyone expect for the coaches who get upset. (Both laugh.) It has been an open field because of the one and dones and so many kids are transferring. There is so much movement in college basketball that you don’t have truly great teams that have been around together for four years.
AE: I have heard you and other college coaches talk about more of an emphasis on preparing your guys to be men in life more than preparing them for basketball. What is your thoughts on that?
JC: Winning games is very hard. We have won 17 Big East Championships and three National Championships. All of those things were very difficult, but winning the game of life is a lot more difficult. A lot more unexpected thing happen. Every day you face challenges. I am guessing every day in your life you face challenges.
For coaches the more that we can prepare you, not necessarily to solve every problem, but to face every problem. Face it head on and make the adjustments that are needed is the most important thing that you can do. We all have problems. That happens in life. Someone once said to me that they had all these great plans until life got in the way. (Laughs.) There is a great deal of truth in that.
AE: You have coached many players that went on to play in the NBA. What is one of the major things that you tell those players who are fortunate to play in the NBA?
JC: I tell them to be more prepared physically so practice is not very difficult for you. It will be difficult, but if you are the most prepared it will be less difficult for you. Secondly make sure that you are the first guy there and the last guy to leave. Make sure they know how hungry you are.
Third, whatever team or organization you are on make sure you become part of it. The rest will take care of itself. Your jump shots and all those other things. If you are the first guy there and the last guy to leave, if you are the guy that is truly a good and positive influence on the locker room, if you try to understand all sides from your teammates to the coaches, those are the small things that we are talking about. Those things aren’t really small. They are incredibly large.
AE: Switching to fatherhood now, what are some of the core values you looked to instill in your kids as they were growing up?
Jim Calhoun with his team.
JC: Every day that I went to the university I never went to work because I loved what I did. I wanted them to see that. I think it was very important that I loved what I did. The greatest thing that I ever did was have two sons. My wife and I talk a lot about that. Hopefully I have become everything to them. Be a dad. Be a coach. Be whoever they need.
I think the most important thing is to not tell them what to do, but show them what to do. All of us talk a lot, but most importantly what are we showing them? What do we show them as a father? What kind of role model are we on an everyday basis? How do we maintain ourselves every single day as we face life? When I say face life it is not an overwhelming challenge. It is an incredible opportunity every single day to do something special. My kids might say life is tough. I say yeah, that is what makes it so special. I truly believe that. Every single day is an opportunity.
AE: You are also a grandfather. What is one cool thing about being a grandfather?
JC: As a father what I had to do is take care of them if they got sick, ate too much candy or whatever the case may be. Now I can cause all the problems and leave. (Both laugh.) I am able to get my two sons back for all the headaches they gave me.
My sons are incredibly close to me along with my wife. With my six grandkids it is like getting a mulligan. You get another chance to start all over again.
AE: What advice do you have for new dads out there?
JC: Share every moment. It goes by too quickly. Not only do I have two great sons and six great grandkids, but I have teams every single year who are my kids. Share every moment and treasure them. They are very special. Don’t take anything for granted. It is too much of a wonderful time.
Life of Dad Quick Five
AE: What is your favorite family movie that you guys like to watch together?
JC: For my sons it was Caddyshack and Johnny Dangerously. In those very funny films there is a great deal of meaning to them. We would always share them because we had a great time watching them together.
AE: Did you guys have a favorite song that you all like to dance to?
JC: We didn’t necessarily have a favorite song, but my kids all sing. Even now with our six grandkids, five girls and one boy, we get together and do karaoke. Whether you like it or not we are still going to do karaoke. I can coach a little bit. I can hit a golf ball. I am not a bad singer. That might shock you, but that is a hidden talent.
AE: Describe the perfect family vacation.
JC: We just took the kids to Disney. To watch their faces was just very special.
AE: Was one of the three championships sweeter than the other two?
JC: I think the first one was very special because it was so many years in the making. It was coaching a young high school team to getting to coach a college team. It was a very special moment in time.
AE: What was the first thing that popped into your head when you get inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame?
JC: When I got it I just couldn’t believe it. I went to school in Springfield both undergraduate and graduate degrees. I walked by the old Hall of Fame looking at people and I thought I would never be there. It was just very special. I thanked all the people that are in my life from the players on down.