Aaron Windler, shown here coaching Chaparral in the 2010 state tournament, is the new head coach at Mountain Pointe.
Photo by James Conrad
Three Southeast Valley boys basketball jobs have been vacated and filled in recent weeks.
As we sit here six months away from the start of preseason practice, each hire looks like the right choice, but of course it is hard to tell how each coach will work out.
No one will know for sure until the games are played but each school –
Mountain Pointe (Phoenix),
Westwood (Mesa) and
Basha (Chandler) – felt their man met the criteria.
Mountain Pointe went with Aaron Windler, the top candidate from the start, after an impressive resume and letter of recommendation from Arizona State coach Herb Sendek. Once the administration received the explanation it wanted to hear about Windler's oddly timed resignation from Chaparral (Scottsdale) before the start of last season, it was going to be hard to beat out the 37-year-old Kansas native.
Windler, who has an 85-60 career record after stops at Coronado (Scottsdale) and Chaparral, took the year to see the game from every angle – visiting high school, Grand Canyon University and Arizona State practices – and going to random games throughout the season. While it might not have been healthy at first — trying to fill a void left by not having a practice of his own to run — in the long run it accelerated his drive to coach again.
"It was a difficult first couple of months. I spent a tremendous amount of time viewing the game from every angle," Windler said. "I couldn't tell you how many of coach Sendek's practices I've been to. They probably wished I found something else to do."
Windler has made the playoffs every year he has coached, including making the Final Four once and the state title game twice.
"It was how he was able to express his confidence and his ability to articulate his coaching philosophy," Mountain Pointe Athletic Director Ian Moses said. "He was successful at two schools that on paper are quite different in diversity, size and population."
One of the finalists for the Mountain Pointe position was the school's junior varsity coach Hosea Graham, who found a nice landing spot as the new man at Westwood.
Graham, whose last head coaching stop was at Seton Catholic (Chandler), appears to be a good fit at Westwood with his leadership and mentoring abilities.
"I think the expectations are in line with what I bring to the table," he said. "When I was listening to the (interview) panel and the type of coach and man they wanted, it was all of my philosophy and coaching ideals perfectly.
"I didn't want to be pushy but I wanted to say I am the perfect man for the job."
They thought so too, as he brings his up-tempo and pressure style to a once-proud program.
"It's a melting pot of kids from all social classes," he said. "With my experience I think I can appeal to them, motivate them and build relationships. I want to bring the best out of what they can be."
And he feels like the school will provide the right athletes to make the program successful again.
"I am here as long as they want me to be because I am not looking at this as a stepping stone for another job," he said. "We can get this program back to where it once was. Athletes make a world of difference when you are playing the style that I want to.
"We will never lay back. We might give up some easy layups but for the most part we will be creating enough havoc that it will be hard for them to set up their offense."
The final hiring was announced this week as Basha chose John Burns, who has coached at Highland and Mesquite since 2001.
Burns takes over a program he hopes will stay intact, as there have been numerous reports that Basha's big three – juniors
Jaron Hopkins,
Torren Jones and
Maurice Kirby – were deciding on whether or not to stay based on who was hired.
Whether they stay or go, Burns brings one of the state's best coaching minds to a school district overflowing in athleticism and has shown the ability to get the best out of the talent in front of him.
"I think the biggest thing, it's a championship style of play," Burns told the Arizona Republic. "I have a proven track record."
Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic and current Ahwatukee Foothill News staff writer, is a 15-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com or 480-272-2449.
