In this series from Gregg Rosenberg, we'll take a look at how some of the state's prep basketball coaches philosophies around building a program.
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The first coach in the 'Building a Program' series: Gilbert's Jay Caserio.
When did you start in the game of basketball?
'I was fortunate enough to play for Mike Williams in high school who is now the head coach for Grand Valley State University in Michigan. Coach Williams played with Terry Porter and for Dick Bennett at Wisconsin Green Bay. I learned a lot in high school as far as on how to play the game.'
Who started you on this path of becoming a coach?
'I moved to Arizona in 2000 and started watching games at Gilbert High as current NAU Head Coach, Shane Burcar, was an assistant under legendary Coach Tom Bennett then. My first game I attended was at Gilbert versus Saint Mary's with Channing Frey and the Fontenet twins. Wow, talk about good basketball. Shane and I went to high school together in a small town in Upper Michigan. He introduced me to Coach Bennett. I started going on scouting trips with them and then Coach Bennett needed a freshman coach and I was hired for the 2002-03 season where the Tigers won a state championship. Coach Bennett coached at Gilbert for one more season, then I was the JV coach at Gilbert under David Loutzenheiser for his three years before I was lucky enough to get hired as the head coach'.
Have you taken some principles or guidelines from some former coaches that you use today ?
'My high school coach, Mike Williams and Tom Bennett have very similar coaching philosophies so that worked well. Also, I've tried to steal as much as I could watching and coaching in Arizona as I believe the coaching here is very good. With that said, most of what I've learned as far as coaching Xs and Os and running a basketball program has come from Tom Bennett.'
Is there a phrase or statement that you consistently repeat over and over again to your players during the season?
'I'm not huge on phrases, sayings, stuff like that, especially on t-shirts, but there is one that is a tradition at Gilbert. 'We Can: We Will.' That applies to on and off the court, in the classroom and within the community.'
What is your style of coaching ?
'Not sure. Might be a better question for our players. As far as basketball goes though, defending, rebounding and sharing the basketball are a must. Might as well not even try out if those aren't somewhere near the top of your priorities as a Tiger.'
Is their that one assistant coach on your staff or an outsider that you ever reach out to when the going gets tough?
'Yes, two. My assistant Scott Newendyke. He is always calm, very positive and a great in-game coach. I will usually get a call the morning after a tough night that the sun did in fact rise. The other is Tom Bennett of course. There isn't a situation that he hasn't seen or dealt with where he can give me great advice on how to deal with it.'
Is their that one player or group of players that you are proud of how incredible he/they developed from freshman year to senior year?
'I've been blessed with unreal players and families at Gilbert, but I'd be lying if I didn't say the 2018-19 class of Doc Self, Carson Towt, Adonia Kabash and Jake Ehmann. We got lucky with Jake moving in as a senior, but I remember many coaches raving about that class when they were freshmen and then most transferred or quit, but Doc, Carson and Adonai stuck with it and it worked out well for them.'
Favorite memory in your career so far?
'Being a part of a program that was able to bring state championships to Gilbert HS in 2002-03 and 2018-19.'
Their are many new young head coaches starting out their careers. Is their one piece of advice you can share with them on how to build a program?
'1. Work for Dan Haasch. (Dan is our current AD and I can't imagine too many others being better than him.)
2. Can't and won't make everyone happy.
.3. You don't need many assistants, just the right ones.
4. Be involved with the community. It's not all about your program.
5. Get good players!'
You always have ready made freshman in your program. Is that from a middle school feeder program?
'We have been blessed with very good players from very good families. Some years it's from our feeder programs, some not. 11 of our 13 players from our state championship team were from out of Gilbert's boundaries. I think our summer camp program that Coach Tom Bennett started in 1999 has had a tremendous effect on this too. Finally, our assistants are very involved with youth basketball, which has helped attract players.'
Many of your players seem to progress their skill level from start to finish. Is that from an off season program?
'Their development is due to many of our players having tremendous drive and work ethic to get better and for the most part I think our players are excited to see their teammates improve. With that said, we are working pretty much 11 months of the year except in July where most are then playing club.'
How many wins have you earned so far at Gilbert?
'Doesn't matter, sorry.'
If we do end up having a HS season, how do the Tigers look for the upcoming season in 5A?
'We have graduated a lot of talent and some of the most driven players that I've coached in the last two seasons. With that said we really like our younger players who will be getting their first chance on varsity and we have good leadership too with our senior class and Tampa Scott as our lead guard.'
Rosenberg's take: Coach Jay Caserio built his program up with very confident assistant coaches and are very professional from freshman up to the varsity level. Players want to come to Gilbert now and although they lost their entire starting-5 and some role players, they don't rebuild, they reload. Most of their depth will be juniors, but don't count them out this year, they'll be right near the top like always. And in two years they could have another title run.
