King is new coach at Hubbard
The former Western Reserve High star is the fourth Eagles coach in four years.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HUBBARD -- Tom King is the fourth boys coach at Hubbard in four years following the departure of Bernie Tarr, Brian Hamilton and Scott Grover.
"He's very organized, very enthusiastic and has been an assistant in a quality program at Amherst Steele for five years," Hubbard athletic director Paul Andraso said of the 27-year-old.
King, originally from Berlin Center and Western Reserve High where his father, Tim, was a longtime coach. He also played four years at Hiram.
He'll teach social studies at Hubbard, where the Eagles were 9-12 last season.
"He wants to be competitive," Andraso said. "We have to be competitive in our league and go from there. The program he's in charge of will reach down to the third-grade level."
Stability needed
The A.D. stressed that stability is Hubbard's priority.
"We need someone who is going to be here for more than year at a time. He sounds committed to that."
King has been at Amherst since 1997. Its boys basketball team went 14-8 this past season. The Comets play in the Southwestern Conference that includes Olmsted Falls, Rocky River and Avon Lake.
"I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and coach. I got the bug from my father and great uncle [Richard King] who was basketball coach at Centerburg [Ohio] for a long time."
"Dave Zvara taught me a lot of basketball and organizational stuff," King said of his first three years at Steele.
Mitch Gillam Jr. was coach the last two years.
"I learned a lot from him because his father was a coach like mine was. When the Hubbard job opened up, it seemed like the right fit for me."
Stability is important to him, too.
"There's nothing I wouldn't do to help them become better students and better basketball players. I think kids at Hubbard want to work hard and do the right things."
Played at Hiram
At Hiram, King had three coaches in four years so he knows what it's like.
"There were 14 kids who came in my [freshman] class and I was only one who finished. But it may have been a blessing in disguise because I saw three different ways of doing things."
At Hubbard, he's trying to determine what types of offense and defense best fit the skill level.
"The Trumbull Conference is going to be a struggle, but I think the kids will work hard. We'll go out and give our best effort."
King's presence in the building helps.
"That's the direction they wanted to go. That's going to do nothing but help them out."