Show Page X March 9 1995 Features tribute to a coach who leaves CEU after nine successful seasons A using In Sail Like Community College in ihe first round of the Region I X basketball tournament in Twin Falls Idaho seemed hleak last w eek forCEU's Golden Eagles But the loss was overshadowed this week when nine-yehead coach Ronnie Sluhhs announced Ins resignation as head coach from Ihe I ar perennial powerhouse program "It seems like I have been affiliated in haskethall my whole life cither as a player or as a coach" Stuhhs said Born in New York lie played his haskethall at Morningside High School in California and was recruited to play at Clil by head haskethall coach Curt Jenson as a point guard He averaged ! eight points per game and added six assists He spent his next two years at Southern I hah University where his I’lXi and assists were the same I le left Si'll with a bachelor's degree in psychology Coaches at Notre Dame I le relumed to lrice where he taught hasand health coached history plus kethall at Notre Dame Jr High School from 19X0-8"We won the area cham4 pionship my first year something that rarely happens for that small of a school" he quipped Sluhhs was proud of Ins team and fondly remembers the ecstasy lie fell "I remember some players Irom that team including Mike Beacco Don Dunbar Prank Kraync Jr Tim Pecuh Mike Rena and Mark Batlavinick They were a great hunch or kids" I le served two years under Jenson "I learned a helluva lot during those years" he said Sluhhs never really thought about being a head coach until it was offered to him in the middle of a lackluster Eagle season "I always tried to do my best with the top talent I could recruit" 9 CEU Reflecting on his record Sluhhs liked the feeling of fear his teams pul on opponents and their coaches "We were always in the hallgamc and other players and coaches knew we had the talent and heart to 164-10- win" Heating CSI was the best Although he always liked to win his finest victory came at the hands of the his first College of Southern Idaho It was the year of time by two points Antoine Davison Kris Hill Maurice Frasier Shamhrie Williams and Jermaine I lalihurton "We always have to heal CSI because they will always he in the championship every team CSI to has to get through get to the nationals It's always been a fact" he added Sluhhs hated to name some of his favorite players during his career I liked them all he added However he mentioned a lew "Nicknamed 'the Breadtruck since he was a kid' Kris Hill was always just a fun person to be around I le was not only a great athlete hut was always a good person who talked to everyone in school and in the town lie's now playing professional hall in Spain" he smiled (lalihurton and Frasier are more of his favorites "I lalihurton was one of the hardest workers I have ever coached while Frasier was a great student hard worker and good person" Game preparation Stuhhs usually dissected opposing team films in prcparutionof every game "We usually looked for their weaknesses and planned our defense and ol tense around it If we hud already played them we would look lor their number one mistake and what we had to do to heat them" Known for his immaculate wardrobe he was not superstitious about what he wore to the games "I chose my suits by Ihe mood I was in the day of the game If I was in a somber quiet mood I chose a dark suit hut if I was in a great mood I pul together some 'bright' colors" Being superstitous admits he does have one superstition and has since lie was a kid "I cannot split a pole If there are six people we all have to walk on the same side of the pole no one can split the pole by walking on one side of it while (Ik others walk on the other side I could he half way down the block and realize that I was the one who split the pole so I would have to run back down the block and pass on the same side as my friends Admired coaches Stuhhs has several coaches he has admired during his coaching years "I have always liked Rick Majcrus University of Utah coach lie is a great coach that gels his kids to play together lie knows their limitations and their rolls" Rick Patino the University of Kentucky coach was another of his favorite coaches "I liked his coaching style because it was basically the same as I use: the fast hreakprcssurc defense Night in and night out he gets his kids to play hard I I is former high school coach who is at the University of California at Lis Angeles Jim Herrick was one of his greatest role models "My attitude about being in a job and expected to win came from him I was listening to coach Herrick in an interview the other night and Ik talked about all the coaches who have come to UCLA and left because of the pressure of playing and coaching in the shadow of John Wooden His personal challenge is to not pul other's expectations above what he expects I le from himself" Coach Jenson was on his list of great coaches "lie is very quiet calm and under control at all times lie iKver showed that much emotion in turn left which his players calm poised and focused on the game The game could be a one-poi- game we nt would win at the buzer and he still never really showed that much emotion Hopefully I took that attitude from him" Kudos to Ihe coach cverone respected His calm coaching ability is re- flected by letters CEU President Michael Petersen received throughout Stubbs' tenure The most recent one came from a Dixie College fan Gary Rink who wrote: "Last Saturday f” ' 5 j ¥ vA jf Vv ’' 1 t vvi v‘- j - f- night Feb 18 I went to the Dixie College vs CEU men's basketball game in St George The game was very exciting and although Dixie led most of the game your school pulled out a win with some clutch plays at Ihe end of the game "The reason I am writing this letter is that I want to compliment your men's basketball coach I have never been more impressed with the court conduct of your coach I did not see him yell once at the referees or his players which is almost unbelievable in this day and age This same conduct seemed to carry over to the players and a couple of limes I noticed your coach tell his players to not complain to the referees "I also remember your coach's demeanor in last year's tournament at Dixie College and I was equally impressed with him at that lime If I remember correctly that team also played better than Ihe talent of the players "I believe the Dixie College men's basketball team has much more talent than CEU's team so it is quite a compliment to your couch and players to have beaten Dixie College in both conference games" Stubbs positive couching ability was - a y?x ft 'Jyf 41' - vt r w f 0r i' !A-- v v - - y Jf v $ - - f gi-- y Coach Ronnla Stubbs written about jn last week's Sun Advth vale prior to his resignation Scott Nicndorf sports editor wrote: "Sportsmanship is not only about losing gracefully and with pride but also about winning with class "Recently Ihe Colorado Northwestern Spartan men's basketball team winless in SWAC play this season was losing big to CEU Golden Eagles in Price Coach Ronnie Stubbs showing some class pulled his starters and let his bench play when the game was no longer in doubt "Dixie College on the other hand the night after getting spanked by CEU in Price went to Rangely Colo and whipped the hapless Spanans 127-5- 2 "In an obvious attempt to keep the Dixie team's scoring average above the mark per game Ihe Rebel conch decided to push Ihe margin of victory beyond reason Referees are not always a coaches favorite public conversational pieces Stubbs could name a few referees and calls that left his spine tingling hut preferred to accept their calls because regardless of what he said about the 100-poi- U v U j call a referee was not going to change Ihe call "I prefer to focus on things in the game that I can control" Discussing Region 18 basketball Stubbs felt the conference will continue to get stronger "With Proposition 42 and athletes required to achieve minimum ACT or SAT scores many universities will be sending great players to junior colleges You will see some of the best players in the country playing at colleges" Some of Ihe best coaches got their start in this region he added CSI's Fred Trinkle is head coach at San Diego State Snow's Larry Anderson is an assistant at San Diego State and Salt two-ye- ar Lake Community College's Jeff Menday is head at Maryland Eastland Shore Stubbs said he will miss CEU especially the cheerleaders faculty staff and local fans who always supplied his program I le doesn't know what he wunts to do in Ihe immediate future but does see himself in 20 years sitting in a cabin high up in the Colorado mountains "just enjoying life" |