New Brandon varsity boys basketball coach Tim Donnan has taken on a new challenge each year he’s been with the Brandon program.
Two years ago, Donnan coached the freshman team, and last year, he coached the junior varsity team. Now, he takes the helm of the varsity team in his third year with the program, replacing former coach Denny Butcher.
‘It makes the transition a little easier,? Donnan said. ‘I’ve coached this year’s junior class for two years. The players are familiar with each other, and I think it will help develop consistency in the program.?
Before coming to Brandon, Donnan was an assistant varsity basketball coach at Royal Oak Shrine for one year and the freshman basketball coach at Brother Rice High School for two years.
He also worked as an assistant under Coach Jim Goodwin at Libertyville (Ill.) High School. Donnan played his high school basketball at Southfield Christian, and one year of college basketball at Trinity College in Deerfield, Ill.
Donnan cited Goodwin as one of his two main coaching influences. ‘He was an excellent coach,? Donnan said. ‘He helped me to see the game better and teach the players to see the game better.?
The other person who has influenced his coaching style is Central Michigan University men’s basketball coach Jay Smith.
‘I worked several camps for him,? Donnan said. ‘He’s an excellent teaching coach ? he’s very intense, he teaches the fundamentals of the game, and he gets guys motivated.?
Donnan hopes to apply those lessons with the varsity team, and will get a chance to do so shortly after school starts.
‘For those guys not playing a fall sport, we’ll start after Labor Day,? he said. ‘We’ll have three-man workouts with the upperclassmen, and teach them some of the things they need to know.?
Donnan and his staff face a tough challenge in turning around a team that went 7-14 last season, but he said he has high expectations for the team.
‘I’d like to see the number of kids involved with the program get better,? he said. ‘We want to improve our overall conditioning and develop a championship-type attitude, competing every night and practice ? getting after it, make it something we hunger for. That’s a big part of what we’re doing this year.?