DEI Spotlight: embRACE Us Member Marlon Guild

Marlon Guild is an assistant coach at Rider University and a member of embRACE Us.

 

1.    Why did you get into coaching?

I got into coaching because of my love of the game of basketball. Through the game we are able to teach so many lessons that we can use on the playing field and in life.

 

2. How many years have you been coaching?

I have been coaching for 14 years at the collegiate level.

 

3. Who has been your biggest influence in coaching and why?

The biggest influence for me in coaching would be my 4th grade coach, Mr. Bussey. He introduced me to the game during my elementary school days and allowed me to imagine all the places a round, orange ball could take me if I took care of the right way. Almost 30 years later I often think about what listening to him do for me as I have been fortunate to coach the game I love. As a result of Mr. Bussey's influence on me since 4th grade, I have made it my duty to pay the same knowledge forward to those coming up after me.

 

4. What do you enjoy most about coaching and why?

I enjoy the relationships that are built. Often times we get young men and women who have no idea what life is about and through the game of basketball we all able to mold them into not only better players, but better people. While wins, make me feel happy, nothing makes me feel fulfilled than getting a phone call or a text message from a former player telling you how much you impacted their lives. If it's not that, maybe it's just a text saying Happy Holidays or Coach, I'm getting married, send me your address. All those things are what I enjoy about coaching.

 

5. What has been one of the greatest lessons you have learned about life through coaching? Please explain. 

The biggest lesson I have learned about life through coaching is being patient. The game of basketball can have so many ebbs and flows on a day to day basis, that you can get flustered if things aren't going the way you want it to go, so having patience has been key for me. Think about a typical game that we have to coach. You may be up five and in a great mood and then all of a seven you're down seven and trying not to lose your mind. I think that is where patience comes into play and understanding that like life there will be plenty of ups and downs, but the more patient we are the better off we will be.

 

6. What is your ultimate goal in coaching?

My ultimate goal in coaching is to become a head coach and be able to lead my own program.

 

7. What has been your greatest lesson as a coach during the pandemic?

My greatest lesson as a coach during this pandemic has been to not take things for granted, because it can be taken away from you very quickly.

 

8. What has been one of the toughest lessons you have learned through coaching. Please explain. 

The toughest lesson I have learned through coaching is that your players won't always see the game the way you see it. And with that being the case you as the coach have to find a way to get the player to see what it is you're seeing. Now that may not always be easy and like I stated earlier that's where the patience piece comes into play, because you have to find a way to get them there. I go through that a lot with my current team as they are primarily freshmen or first year guys at the Division 1 level. As a result of that teaching in important and I have to understand that sometimes things in practice will take awhile longer than expected and that we may have to go off script of our practice plan. Having a new team I can't be upset with the fact that they may not pick up on things at the rate we as a staff may want them to, so we have to find a solution.

 

9. As a minority coach, what do you feel has been the biggest challenge for minority coaches in the profession?

The biggest challenge minority coaches face in the profession in the perception that we can't put game plans together or be good with X's and O's and we are just people who can relate to the players. I have a hard time with that because I know personally I've worked very hard to be able to do both, but am often overlooked.

 

10. Tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised to know about you.

I am a former journalist and avid reader.