By Gabrielle Martin, News Editor.
Saginaw native Carlos McMath has a BA in communication from Wayne State University, his Juris Doctrine from Michigan State College of Law, and has coached high school basketball as well as various Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) programs. Now, McMath, 28, has another thing to add to that list – men’s head basketball coach for Delta College.
“I just can’t wait to get started,” he says. Last season, McMath was the assistant coach for Delta’s men’s basketball team. Kyle Blackbourn resigned as head coach in August and on Sept. 24, McMath accepted an offer to fill the position.
McMath may be new to being head coach; but, he is by no means new to basketball. He served as assistant coach for six seasons at Arthur Hill high school in Saginaw under his father, Greg McMath.
In addition, he’s coached the Saginaw Underdawgs AAU program, and Team Detroit AAU. He now coaches Greenwood Elite AAU, which is owned and operated by Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and LaMarr Woodley of the Arizona Cardinals.
For McMath, coaching isn’t just a job. “Growing up in Saginaw, most of my well-known mentors were coaches,” he says. “I think that’s my biggest joy in coaching – just helping other young men develop as much as possible.”
In fact, that’s the only thing he’s nervous about as head coach – not the aspect of coaching the game, but of coaching his team.
“There’s no set blueprint for how to take over a program or how you can lead the men in a program; but, that’s the only thing I’m nervous about – making sure I stay true to and be a man of my word and be a good example for them so they can follow me… basketball is easy; it’s keeping them in line that’s the tough part,” he says.
Of the team that McMath will coach this year, there is only one returning player. “It makes me a little bit more comfortable to have new faces in, being able to mold them,” says McMath.
One thing McMath is hoping to do this year with the team is give them more opportunities for media exposure so that “our young men have the same opportunities as anyone else to get to the next level.” He would like to have more of an open-door policy for college coaches to come recruit Delta’s players as well as an open-door for high school coaches to come see what Delta can offer theirs.
Of course, winning is also on his mind. “The biggest thing is trying to develop a consistent tradition of winning. We have a tradition of winning but it hasn’t been consistent,” he explains.
