Post by TEAM FALCON on Feb 9, 2006 18:49:36 GMT 3
Way to play last night.
Keep it up!
2 more wins!!!
Good Luck.
Los Fresnos’ Shawn Jones doesn’t measure his success solely in terms of wins and losses, even though he easily could.
He’s directed a state championship team and led successful programs throughout his brief and aston-ishingly fruitful time as a basketball coach. Heading into today’s 7 p.m. game against Rivera, Jones has amassed 197 wins in his high school coaching career.
Coincidentally, it will be the first of three more regular season games for the Falcons this season and, with dwindling playoff hopes, possibly the year’s last chance to make it to win No. 200.
And while accomplishing such a feat would provide some gratification, things like that have never really interested Jones.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say it would be huge,” Jones said. “But I don’t look for that. I’m looking for our kids to play hard, win or lose. That milestone is going to take of itself, like the other 197 have. I never got into this profession to win games for me. I enjoy watching kids achieve things that they didn’t think was possible.”
Defying impossibility has been a hallmark of Jones since he picked up his first clipboard as a head coach. His career started in 1995 at a high school in Del Norte, a small town in southwestern Colorado. The 3A program had never enjoyed any real success prior to his arrival.
“They had never won, but they bought into an excitement early,” Jones said.
That excitement translated into four-straight regional appearances and two trips to the state final four in Jones’ four years as coach.
His next stop was to the Rio Grande Valley, where he took the reigns at the Harlingen Marine Military Academy, a program on the rise. The Leathernecks had built a 73-18 record in the three years prior to his arrival.
Jones was able to take them one step further and deliver the first basketball state championship in school history in 2001, an experience he’ll never forget.
“I wish every athlete could feel what it’s like to hear the buzzer go off and know you won,” Jones said. “On that day, you were the best team in your classification and to hold that gold ball, it was unbelievable.”
While the important shots and big games stick out in his mind, like the state title or the buzzer-beater that advanced Del Norte into the state tournament, there have been games since he took over at Los Fresnos two years ago that have been equally as rewarding.
One in particular was this season’s game against district-leading Harlingen High. The Cardinals had beaten the Falcons in the District 32-5A opener to tip off what would be a disastrous start to the district season for Los Fresnos. But the Falcons played as a team and punished Harlingen the second time, de-feating the Cardinals 55-39.
“We have been struggling this year and to watch our kids finally play a complete game and play to-gether and have fun, that game probably meant as much to me as any of the big, pinnacle games in my career,” Jones said.
He can place the same value on any game because the result is simply not his primary concern.
“I’ve never heard him one time tell me what his total wins were,” said Doug Dahlberg, who has served as Jones’ assistant coach at Los Fresnos for the past two years. “I wasn’t aware (of his win total), and I’m sure a lot of people here aren’t aware of that. That’s not what he’s about. He’s got a passion for basketball and just loves to teach young men who are willing to learn.”
Over the course of this season his Falcons seem to have begun to grasp his winning philosophy and al-though they sit two games behind Porter for the district’s final playoff spot, the Falcons are playing some of their best basketball.
“At the beginning of the season we were playing good, but we didn’t have that chemistry,” said Falcons’ point guard Bobby Williams. “Now we’re actually playing as a team. Now we depend on each other more.”
And with three games left to give their leader a nice notch on his coaching revolver and themselves a shot at the playoffs, the Falcons are eager to finish the season with three wins.
“We just want to play hard as a team and win theses three games for coach,” said Los Fresnos guard Joe Leija.
The playoffs? 200 wins? Those things are nice. But for a passionate coach, the players and their effort will always mean a great deal more.
“In all honesty, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart, numbers have never meant a thing to me,” Jones said. “Do I look back and say ‘Wow 200 wins!’ No. I never do. I don’t even think about the last sea-son. Victories are so fleeting and so short-lived.
“Honestly the most important thing to me is our relationships and to know that we gave our best, that we can be proud of what we’ve done,” Jones added. “If they learn to work hard and give everything they have and that the game is fun, that’s worth more than a win. That’s more than any 200 milestone could ever mean to me.”
Keep it up!
2 more wins!!!
Good Luck.
Los Fresnos’ Shawn Jones doesn’t measure his success solely in terms of wins and losses, even though he easily could.
He’s directed a state championship team and led successful programs throughout his brief and aston-ishingly fruitful time as a basketball coach. Heading into today’s 7 p.m. game against Rivera, Jones has amassed 197 wins in his high school coaching career.
Coincidentally, it will be the first of three more regular season games for the Falcons this season and, with dwindling playoff hopes, possibly the year’s last chance to make it to win No. 200.
And while accomplishing such a feat would provide some gratification, things like that have never really interested Jones.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say it would be huge,” Jones said. “But I don’t look for that. I’m looking for our kids to play hard, win or lose. That milestone is going to take of itself, like the other 197 have. I never got into this profession to win games for me. I enjoy watching kids achieve things that they didn’t think was possible.”
Defying impossibility has been a hallmark of Jones since he picked up his first clipboard as a head coach. His career started in 1995 at a high school in Del Norte, a small town in southwestern Colorado. The 3A program had never enjoyed any real success prior to his arrival.
“They had never won, but they bought into an excitement early,” Jones said.
That excitement translated into four-straight regional appearances and two trips to the state final four in Jones’ four years as coach.
His next stop was to the Rio Grande Valley, where he took the reigns at the Harlingen Marine Military Academy, a program on the rise. The Leathernecks had built a 73-18 record in the three years prior to his arrival.
Jones was able to take them one step further and deliver the first basketball state championship in school history in 2001, an experience he’ll never forget.
“I wish every athlete could feel what it’s like to hear the buzzer go off and know you won,” Jones said. “On that day, you were the best team in your classification and to hold that gold ball, it was unbelievable.”
While the important shots and big games stick out in his mind, like the state title or the buzzer-beater that advanced Del Norte into the state tournament, there have been games since he took over at Los Fresnos two years ago that have been equally as rewarding.
One in particular was this season’s game against district-leading Harlingen High. The Cardinals had beaten the Falcons in the District 32-5A opener to tip off what would be a disastrous start to the district season for Los Fresnos. But the Falcons played as a team and punished Harlingen the second time, de-feating the Cardinals 55-39.
“We have been struggling this year and to watch our kids finally play a complete game and play to-gether and have fun, that game probably meant as much to me as any of the big, pinnacle games in my career,” Jones said.
He can place the same value on any game because the result is simply not his primary concern.
“I’ve never heard him one time tell me what his total wins were,” said Doug Dahlberg, who has served as Jones’ assistant coach at Los Fresnos for the past two years. “I wasn’t aware (of his win total), and I’m sure a lot of people here aren’t aware of that. That’s not what he’s about. He’s got a passion for basketball and just loves to teach young men who are willing to learn.”
Over the course of this season his Falcons seem to have begun to grasp his winning philosophy and al-though they sit two games behind Porter for the district’s final playoff spot, the Falcons are playing some of their best basketball.
“At the beginning of the season we were playing good, but we didn’t have that chemistry,” said Falcons’ point guard Bobby Williams. “Now we’re actually playing as a team. Now we depend on each other more.”
And with three games left to give their leader a nice notch on his coaching revolver and themselves a shot at the playoffs, the Falcons are eager to finish the season with three wins.
“We just want to play hard as a team and win theses three games for coach,” said Los Fresnos guard Joe Leija.
The playoffs? 200 wins? Those things are nice. But for a passionate coach, the players and their effort will always mean a great deal more.
“In all honesty, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart, numbers have never meant a thing to me,” Jones said. “Do I look back and say ‘Wow 200 wins!’ No. I never do. I don’t even think about the last sea-son. Victories are so fleeting and so short-lived.
“Honestly the most important thing to me is our relationships and to know that we gave our best, that we can be proud of what we’ve done,” Jones added. “If they learn to work hard and give everything they have and that the game is fun, that’s worth more than a win. That’s more than any 200 milestone could ever mean to me.”
