RICH GOULET
Recently, Drive had the opportunity to sit down with the legendary coach Rich Goulet. Coach Goulet has played an integral part in developing the local high school hoop scene. For the last 30 years, his love and passion for the game has had a tremendous impact on basketball in BC. He has been the head coach of 9 provincial teams, demonstrating his commitment to developing young talent. Coach Goulet has been a positive influence on so many players, teaching them how to play the game the right way. Drive wishes Coach Goulet and his Pitt Meadow squad the best of luck this upcoming season.
DRIVE: Where did your illustrious coaching career begin?
RG: I was at St. Thomas More for 10 years (1969-1979) and coached the Sr. Team for 9 years before I left. We went to AA BC 's in 1973, 75 & 76 and we went to the AAA in 1974 and 1978 where we made it to the Final Four both times. I have been at Pitt since 1979. We made the AA BC’s in 1982, 83, 84, 85, 86 and then for a year in 1997. We won in 83 and came 2nd in 86 then went AAA. 1997 was a momentary lapse back to the AA, we place 5th. We should have kept our team in AAA. We have made it to the AAA tourney in 89, 91, 92, 94, 2000 and 2004. We have been in the finals in 4 of those tourneys. We have placed in every AAA tourney I have been involved in.
DRIVE: How many provincial championships have you won?
RG: I’ve been fortunate enough to win 3 AA, 2 AAA, and 1 Gr. 8 provincials. I’ve also coached in the Finals of 4AA, 4AAA and 2 Jr. BC's.
DRIVE: What is your greatest moment throughout your coaching career?
RG: There have been many great moments for me in my coaching career. Winning my first game as a grade 7 boys coach was big for me in 1966-67. I was 19 coaching Our Lady of Lourdes in Maillardville while I was attending school at UBC. It took a while for the boys to finally win their first game but everything went uphill from there.
Winning BC championships always have their great moments. Winning my first AA BC 's in 1975 hosted at STM was great...the fans at STM could really blow the roof off the gym back then.
Winning the first AAA tourney in 1989 was awesome. That tourney had many great moments for me. I thought Pitt basketball had reached its pinnacle when we squashed Richmond in the 2nd game. Richmond was favoured for the 3-peat. But then winning the whole thing in a great final against arch-rivals Maple Ridge by one point was so-sweet...it’s a lifelong memory. Another great moment was our win in 2000. Coming from behind 10 with the best and biggest player (Aaron Christiansen) on your team fouling out with 4 and a half minutes remaining, putting it into OT and blowing our archrivals Terry Fox off the court holds a special memory for me.
I have two other top moments in coaching. My last team at STM in 1979 was very average but what a great group. That team defeated #5 Steveston in a backdoor playoff to go to the Lower Mainland finals. STM had a new low-key principal that year and fan support was bad. But these boys persevered through it all and had one of the greatest games I coached. That was my last year at STM.
DRIVE: Can you have a perfect season with your team and not win the BC's?
RG: The other top moment for me in coaching came with my 1992 team who finished 2nd to Steve Nash's SMU team. They never complained and they were hard working. From day 1 until the last day, when we played in the BC final, this team was cohesive, made every practice and game and fought hard to the very end. It was the perfect season.
DRIVE: You have had so much coaching experience through your career, how has the game changed over the years? Is it for the better or the worse?
RG: The game has always improved. The athletes are bigger, stronger and more determined than ever. I never believe the people who always say it was better back in 1960, they have short memories.
Last year's BC finals:
Argyle: 6'11, 6'7, 6'5, 6'4, 6'3. Pitt Meadows: 6'8, 6'8, 6'8, 6' and 5'9.
Can it get any bigger and better than this? What the problem today is though is that players are not being developed in as many schools and in the same way as 10-20 years ago. There is no more investment in the sport of basketball in public schools in BC. The programs exist because of dedicated coaches working long hours against the odds. This time has been replaced by outfits like yours (DRIVE), Basketball BC, 3D and others who are making up for the lost instruction players used to get in their high schools. The players and the game are not changing. There are kids who love this game and want to play. The way the game is being delivered to BC kids is changing a lot.
DRIVE: You've coached many players that have gone on to have great careers at the next level, what are some of the attributes that they have that separates them for others?
RG: A summer with Steve Nash has shown me how unique he was and is. The majority of our young good players are way too selfish and not as motivated as they think they are when compared to Steve. The spring before I coached Steve I saw him outrun all the National team members in the beep test. He went for 15.5
Guys like Aaron Christensen (SFU) and Bryson Kool (UBC) were great people to coach. They were excellent students in school and they were leaders by example as well as by their play on the floor. They were coachable and yet kept a measure of their creativity. They were good team members and sought out the good in everyone on their team. We need a lot more of these kinds of people in our game in this province.
DRIVE: You’ve coached many great players such as Steve Nash, could you list the top 5 things a point guard needs to be able to do to be successful.
RG: 1. The point guard has to represent the coach on the floor. He/She has to know exactly what the coach wants in terms of running the team, play selection etc. The word LEADER has special significance here; he has to be there for the coach but he has to also supply leadership for the other players. This is one of the most key positions in the game of basketball. If you don't believe it, try playing without a leader guard who possesses these attributes.
2. The guard has to be a great ball handler, one who can scope the floor from any angle.
3. Great leader guards can pass to players and can make them look great by finding them at their best moments.
4. Shooting. The point guard must have a 3 point range and must contribute to the team's scoring.
5. Speed and quickness are a must. The leader guard must be able to beat his man....any man, anywhere, anytime. Otherwise, he will be compromised and will be running his offence from the center line.
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.: RETRO MVP: AARON CHRISTENSEN
.: TEAM SPOTLIGHT: ST. GEORGES
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JACOB DOERKSEN
.: COACHES CORNER: TOM NEWELL
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: H. BRADFORD
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: CHARLIE SPURR
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: BRENT MALISH
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: AYMEN NURHUISEN
.: NEW BALANCE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
.: COACHES CORNER: BILL DISBROW
.: PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JERON DILLON
.: 2004-05 AAA RANKINGS
.: TOP UNDERCLASSMEN: JR | SO | FR
.: 2004-05 PRE-SEASON ALL-BC TEAMS
.: PLAYER DIARY: TYRELL MARA
.: ARCHIVED PAST ARTICLES
"A summer with Steve Nash has shown me how unique he was and is. The majority of our young good players are way too selfish and not as motivated as they think they are when compared to Steve."
-Rich Goulet
"Playing for Coach Goulet was a great experience. Travelling to big time tournaments in high school in the States and across Western Canada exposed our team to different styles and cultures in basketball. With his hard-nosed, no flack coaching attitude he pushed me to where I am today. He's been around the game a long time and his reputation reflects that. His dedication to the game and commitment helped me realize what I needed to do to get to the next level."
-Bryson Kool, UBC basketball team
"The other top moment for me in coaching came with my 1992 team who finished 2nd to Steve Nash's SMU team. They never complained and they were hard working. From day 1 until the last day, when we played in the BC final, this team was cohesive, made every practice and game and fought hard to the very end. It was the perfect season."
-Rich Goulet
Coach Goulet's Tips on Point Guard Play
1. The point guard has to represent the coach on the floor. He/She has to know exactly what the coach wants in terms of running the team, play selection etc. The word LEADER has special significance here; he has to be there for the coach but he has to also supply leadership for the other players. This is one of the most key positions in the game of basketball. If you don't believe it, try playing without a leader guard who possesses these attributes.
2. The guard has to be a great ball handler, one who can scope the floor from any angle.
3. Great lead guards can pass to players and can make them look great by finding them at their best moments.
4. Shooting. The point guard must have a 3 point range and must contribute to the team's scoring.
5. Speed and quickness are a must. The leader guard must be able to beat his man....any man, anywhere, anytime. Otherwise, he will be compromised and will be running his offence from the center line.