Richmond High's last Provincial Championship came in 1998 where the Colts defeated Vancouver College 77-66. Here Coach Disbrow and 1998 AAA MVP Pasha Bains celebrate the title at the PNE Agrodome.
"Words can't describe the impact Bill had on my game and on my development as a person. He cared so much about our development as well rounded players and people. He instilled values that we will all carry with us for the rest of our lives. I was just very fortunate to have been
coached and mentored by Bill, I think everyone has people who change and shape their lives, for me that person was Bill."
Pasha Bains, DRIVE Head Coach, Richmond Colt 1996-1998.
(1998 AAA Provincial MVP)
(Pictured:Karlo Villanueva, Current UBC All-Star Guard, Richmond Colt 1998-2001.)
"Technically, I learned so many basketball concepts from Bill, but what he did differently was that he taught me them through gameplay. He felt that the more you played, you'd learn the technical side of the game as situations on the court happened, and as a player you had to learn and adjust to them. So, Bill opened the gym for us every morning to play, including weekends, to get us better, as he firmly believed that if we played more than everybody we'd be better than everybody. Simple concept but it's been his recipe for success and it's worked."
"Bill helped my game in so many ways. The biggest way he helped, though, was just by letting me play my game. Some coaches try to alter their player's games but Bill just had faith in my abilities and let me play. Therefore, I got better and developed as a player playing "my" own game."
"Game-wise, I've applied so much of what Bill's taught me. I'll never forget that he always stressed playing every possession in a game, whether it being a championship game or just a pick-up run. And I guess this kind of mentality I've applied to life in general. Basically, BIll taught me to work hard all the time in everything I do, as success can and will only come as a result of it."
Karlo Villanueva, Current UBC All-Star Guard, Richmond Colt 1998-2001.
(1st Team All Star 2000 AAA Provincials)
(Pictured: Chad Clifford takes a pull-up jumper during NEC action.)
"Richmond High open gym was more than just your typical open 'run'. It was more like a who's who of basketball around B.C. at the time. Kyle (Wilson) and I used to come all the way from White Rock to play, and Coach Disbrow was always there to help us out anyway he could. Coach Disbrow even called Universities to let them know about me, Richmond High is one of those storied programs you will always hear about."
Chad Clifford, DRIVE Head Coach, White Rock Christian 1997-1999.
(1999 AAA Provincial MVP)
"I think I got a passion to Coach from Coach Disbrow..He taught me the true meaning of teamwork..As well as a proper work ethic he showed that to achieve, sacrifices have to be made and these have assisted myself throughout my career and in my approach at coaching other athletes."
Eric Ens, Head Coach, Mc.Math Wildcats.
"Bill
is a lot of things; he's not just a coach..He's somebody you can trust and know he'll always be there for you. He teaches you about life."
Atnas Maeko, B.C. Lions, Richmond Colt 1997-1999.
(1st Team All Star 1999 AAA Provincials)
"Most of the players at the national team level have heard of the program at Richmond..I'd say for many years in the 1980s and 1990s few would dispute that Bill's program was the best in Canada and one of the best globally which was Bill's goal from day one."
Ron Putzi, Former NCAA Division I, Canadian National Team, Richmond Colt 1986-1988.
(1988 AAA Provincial MVP)
(Pictured:Gil Cheung, Assistant Coach, Brandon University. Richmond Colt, 1996-1998)
"Playing for Bill was a once in a lifetime experience. He essentially taught me basketball and the essence of competing and being on a team. Bill gave me the 'zest' for the game, he is the reason why I continue to be around the game today and have got into Coaching. Listening to Bill's wisdom taught me more than just x's and o's, Bill taught me how to react to different situations and how to carry myself on and off the floor. I didnt realize how much impact he had and continues to have on my life until I have gotten older, if it wasn't for him, I don't know where the game would have taken me."
Gil Cheung, Assistant Coach, Brandon University. Richmond Colt, 1996-1998 (1st Team All Star 1998 AAA Provincials)
(Pictured: Coach Disbrow has been coaching at Richmond High for over 30 years. Here he sits with the 2004-2005 team at a recent trip to Mexico. Over the years, Richmond High has travelled all over the world including Mexico and Cuba)
We are proud to debut our latest "Coach's Corner" with one of the greatest coaches in the history of B.C. Basketball, Bill Disbrow. Coach Disbrow has extensive experience in coaching having led the Richmod Colts basketball program for the past 30 years. During his time at Richmond, Coach Disbrow has won a record five BC AAA Provincial Championships. He has coached numerous players who have gone on to play University basketball and played for the Canadian National Team. He has coached five AAA Provincial MVP's and 25 AAA Provincial tournamant all-stars. For many years, Richmond High was considered the most dominant program in B.C. Basketball and continually produced BC Provincial Team players. There are currently many past Colts players playing University or Professional basketball, and the last two CIS Players of the Year (Kyle Russell, Pasha Bains 2003/2004) were both coached by Mr.Disbrow. DRIVE would like to thank Coach Disbrow, a true legend in BC basketball, for sharing his wonderful thoughts in the latest edition of "Coach's Corner".
DRIVE: Richmond has had a tradition of having talented and versatile wing players. What do you think makes a wing player effective?
BD: We try not to differentiate too much amongst our players. It is our goal to give them all excellent perimeter skills. I think an often overlooked aspect of becoming an efficient wing player would lie in an understanding of how important it is to read what is happening in the key. A wing player must understand that if post play is effective, then his job will be much easier. Establish good post play and wings will find their own effectiveness goes way up. Most offences begin with an entry to the wing, so it is important that the wing be able to make the intelligent, most effective play from there. That means squaring up and being a threat first. Effective passing comes much more easily to a player the defence believes to be a threat to score. As with all players, it is crucial to see through the key to the far corner. Any effective action will take place within your field of vision.
Of course, then, it is important to have the ability to hit that outside shot, so the defence will react to your shot threat. Spend individual practice time working from the areas you will spend most of your game time in. Next up, is the ability to put the ball on the floor going both ways and reading the defence's reaction to your penetration. Come at them fully intending to score and go all the way to the hole, but keep your hips down, be square with your head up, and be able to make the smart play. That may be a pull-up jumper, or it may be a dish to an open team-mate. Know that, while you want to be a scorer, so do your teammates. Understand what the team is trying to accomplish with its offensive set or pattern and reward those who do a good job of getting open. If your teammates know you are unselfish, you will find that they work hard while you have the ball and the team will prosper. So will you. They will look for you in return. They will try just a little harder to get the ball to you, to try to get you open, etc. Never stop being a threat. The defence only reacts to what they believe is a threat to score, but you do not have to shoot it every time to make them believe. Look like a scorer-by being in a stance ready to take a shot and by constantly letting them know, with your body language, that you want to score-now, but never stop seeing the key and corner. That's where your team will get its best chances. Those opportunities can't come and not be noticed by a player with his head down.
Know how to deliver a pass into the post area. A bounce pass directly into your post's body is very effective, but one across his body will be hard to handle. Read the offside defenders before attempting a lob to a fronted post. Sometimes the best thing is to get the ball a better angle by passing it to someone on the high side, and letting them finish the play to the post.
Know that you can almost always get the ball to a post who is defended by only one defender. Even if he is well defended, a good passer can make that delivery.
Throw the ball to the spot furthest from the lone defender and on the line between the defender's mid-chest and that of your post. The defender would have to run through your post to get to it. Passes coming from out of the post to the wing are some of the highest percentage shots a wing will get. They just feel good, so know there are also personal rewards for getting the ball to a post. If you read help coming on the post, be able to take advantage of that. Someone is now likely to be available. Find that guy and burn the defence for cheating to the post.
DRIVE: Richmond as a city seems to be declining on the Provincial scale. Teams like Richmond, McNair and Steveston were traditionally among the top teams in the Province, what has happened to teams in Richmond? Has the talent level dropped off in recent years?
BD: You're right, far fewer teams are provincially competitive in Richmond today than a few years ago. It was a huge fall. For 17 of 20 seasons, our school alone was ranked number one at some time during every season. McNair and Steveston were regularly near the top as well. One year, we were ranked 1,2,3 in B.C. Exciting times. The B.C. final at the Agrodome one year pitted Richmond vs. Steveston and drew 7000-easily the biggest crowd in Agrodome history.
1.Dilution of talent. From 3 high schools with 2 grades each, to 10 with 5 grades each, means far fewer boys to choose from. We went from 5-600 boys in Grades 11 and 12 to about 200.
2.Demographics. There was a very large influx of people from Asia at the same time as the switch to 8-12. Culturally, their families are less likely to value playing on a school sports team that takes a lot of time. Studies are hugely important and there often isn't enough time for a team sport like basketball.
We have, then, not only fewer boys, but a much lower percentage who might even think of playing on a team. Most years now, we don't even have enough boys try out to make more than a few cuts at the senior level.
It seems a lot try out at the young grades, but by Grade 10-11, in our school, academics become a huge focus.
Our school is about 90% Asian and that also means that we are unlikely to have any size. Our average player is in the 5'7 or 5'8 range. We have had one player 6'3 in four years. He played only in Grade 12. This year, our most effective post is 5'10. We have been the shortest of the short teams for four years.
3. Coaching consistency. We don't have any. The turnover of coaches in our district is amazing. I think, after me, the longest serving senior coach is three years, and most seem to last only one.
Do we still have good players in Richmond?
Definitely. There just aren't enough to go around. There are maybe enough to give two or three teams a shot provincially, but they are spread over ten teams.
My feeling was that we would have had a shot at doing very well provincially each of the last three years, if we had one 6'4 guy who could play in the post effectively. You need to get at least one rebound every couple of games!!!
DRIVE: You have had a very storied and illustrious career, where did it all begin?
BD: I was a first-year university student and my neighbour's kids were in Grade 10. They were trying out for the Junior team at Burnaby Central, my old school. I went to watch, and the Senior coach told me they had decided not to have a Junior team. There was no one to coach them. I offered to do it and spent two years as the coach at that level. I moved on to Richmond when I saw an ad at UBC saying they were looking for a Senior Boys' coach.
DRIVE: You have had many successes as a coach, what are some of your greatest moments coaching?
BD: So many I can't really pick any favourites. Winning Championships was always a nice way to finish a season, and our three undefeated years were very special, but every team has had special characters and brought great times. It has always been one of our goals to have more fun than any other team, and while we can't judge whether that is true, we have really had a lot of bright spots. I guess that I knew we had really made it when we started having to cancel our last practices of the season. For a few years, our kids would start to cry as that final practice ran down and, while it was wonderful to know it meant that much to them, it was hard to deal with for me. The year that made me start cancelling, we went undefeated, but that last practice saw our kids laying on the floor crying for 45 minutes. It had obviously meant a lot to them. I was always shaken by that and, being a wimp, as the last practice prior to the B.C.'s came upon us, I would cancel it at the last minute. We always, as do all who enjoy success, faced a ton of criticism, but things like that helped me know we were doing alright by our kids and that was what mattered. It certainly made me proud.
A great moment came when we hosted the number two ranked team in the U.S., the Dematha Stags. They were a legendary high school program which had seen every senior for the previous 28 years receive a college basketball scholarship. We played in front of a sell-out crowd at UBC and the game went down to the last minute, before we lost. Their coach told U.S.A. Today that we were the best team they played all year and their schedule included several other nationally ranked teams. I think it was a real high-water mark for basketball in B.C. I think everyone thought we would get blitzed, but it brought the realization that basketball is played very well in our high schools. Many people tell me that was the greatest high school game they ever saw. Their coach was written up in Sport Magazine as the best basketball coach at any level in history, and he is now the head of the McDonald's All-America game, so we felt pretty good with our result and how we had represented B.C. basketball.
We did the same about ten years ago, hosting St. Anthony's, of New Jersey, when they were ranked number two in the nation. Again, it was a great game, but we fell just short in the last minute. Another sell-out crowd-this time at Capilano College.
For a long time, open gym at Richmond High was amazingly good, and a huge contributor to our players' development. Steve Nash played there while a pro, Luke Ridnour of the Seattle Sonics did, too, and they faced lots of competition from any of our five provincial MVP's and multiple all-stars. It was a super training ground.
Wow-what great times we've had!!!!
DRIVE: You have coached through different era's of basketball. How do you see the game changing, is it developing for the better or worse?
BD: I read Coach Goulet's comments as to where the game is heading and must say that I echo his sentiments. I don't think as many high schools are doing the job that they used to in development of players, but programs outside of school are doing a good job. Summer programs and opportunites have blossomed and player skills are improving all the time. Kids are bigger and more athletic than ever, but I think the excitement of the high school scene has diminished a little. It saddens me to hear the attendance numbers for the B.C. finals. It's still a very good event, but it was truly amazing just a few years ago. I hope that excitement and fan interest can be rekindled. Last year's paid attendance for the Championship final, I was told, was 2800. Remember we had 7000 to see us play cross-town rivals, Steveston, in the Agrodome final. Standing room only for sure!!!
It truly has the potential to be a huge event. Let's hope we get some people who really know how to promote involved and get it back bigger than ever. The kids deserve it.
DRIVE: You have helped develop some great players in your year's at Richmond High. What do you think makes a player great, and what seperated the great players that you coached from the rest?
BD: We truly were fortunate to have had some of the greatest players in B.C. history. We tried very hard to develop our kids as players rather than as pieces of a machine. That meant individual skills were our focus and it paid off. Kids love that style of coaching and it leads to the kind of love of the game that encourages a commitment to success in it. I have purposely not given individual names. I would hate to have missed anyone and there have been so many great people and players.
We had five MVP's, a long list of Provincial all-Stars, and about twenty kids who went on to play University ball in Canada. A couple of years ago, we had 8 kids playing at that level at the same time. The last two players of the year in Canadian university ball were from Richmond High. Eight of our kids received Division One scholarships to the U.S. We had guys make the National team and several played at least one year of pro. Our greatest stat, however is that over 80 of our kids went on to coach for at least one year. I hope their experience with us was a reason for that.
I also was privileged to get to know many other great players over the years.
A couple of things set all the great ones apart:
Number one was the willingness to put in the hours it takes to reach your potential. All of our stars came to the gym every morning of the school year. Most came back at night. They never missed an open gym. They certainly never missed a practice. They searched out the best competition they could find and would travel to get it.
They also had a degree of competitiveness that most don't have. They truly hated not doing well and would do whatever it took to turn that around.
That carried over to practice and those guys all went hard every day.
Lots of guys have the physical attributes to be great players. Only a few have the toughness required from the mental side. That desire to challenge themselves to get better, to listen, to put in incredible hours.
We would all like to have success. Only a few will work hard enough to guarantee it.
DRIVE: What advice would you give young player's growing up in B.C.?
BD: I would tell any young player who truly wants success that it isn't going to come easily. I would tell them about the guys who I have known and all the hours they put in. They need to understand what can be done and what has been done. You can't make a normal commitment and expect abnormal results.
I would tell them to try to play in a competitive environment every chance they get.
I would avoid setting goals like "I want to be a starter", or "I want to be an all-star"(See DRIVE Athlete Lifeskills Series: Goal Setting) Those things will be decided by other people. Control what you can control. Giving a great effort is up to you and no one else. Being committed to skill development is something you are in charge of. No one else. Competing fiercely in all situations: your choice. Michael Jordan says he never tried to be the best player in the world. He just committed to hard work, doing everything at top speed and competing like his life depended on it. The things he could control.
If basketball is huge in their lives, I hope they will find themselves in a program that matches their desire. More than ever, some high school programs seem more suited to the casual player.
The committed player with the dream needs to find better. You only get one chance. They should also be prepared for the Canadian reaction to successful people. It will, more often than they can imagine, be resented by others. Criticism will come their way as often as praise. "Sure, he can shoot, but he has no life-all he does is practice" will be typical. Of course the answer to that is " Thank you. I do work hard and it does pay off". A pretty nice compliment if you look at it the right way, but remember that the majority are average. They all want success, but few will work for it. Too many will resent yours.
