Behind every great coach, there is a great assistant coach. Clarkston’s Eric Chambers has been along the sidelines with head basketball coach Dan Fife for the past 12 years, utilizing his patience and personality to make as large a contribution to the team as he can.
Chambers, who turned 36 this week, grew up in Clarkston and graduated from Clarkston High School in 1989.
He moved to the area from Ohio while he was in junior high school, and actually had a much shorter stay in mind.
He began attending Clarkston basketball games as a student. In Ohio, football was much more of a popular sport. He recalled attending a basketball game in1986 that changed his perspective on roundball.
Chambers returned to Clarkston as a student teacher while attending Eastern Michigan University. The teaching stint was originally destined for another locale, but Chambers had a friend with connections.
‘I was going to have to student teach in Belleville because they thought I was going to live in Ypsilanti,? he said.
After talking with former CHS Principal Brent Cooley, Chambers landed a spot student teaching at Clarkston.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from EMU in 1994 and always planned on using his psychological background to be a teacher of sorts.
‘I got into psychology, I really like talking to people about their feelings and behaviors and why you act a certain way in a certain situation,? Chambers said.
‘There’s not too many jobs in psychology as a teacher, so I thought I was going to be a guidance counselor.
‘But when I was subbing here with the autistic program here, I really enjoyed working with the kids.?
Chambers had a love of basketball and attended many Clarkston basketball practices, similar to his days as a student. In 1994, Coach Dan Fife asked the Clarkston alum to join the team, but Chambers was initially hesitant.
‘I was worried because I didn’t play here, they wouldn’t embrace me.?
However, the new assistant fit right in and bonded with the players.
‘That first-year group of kids taught me what basketball was all about.
‘Those guys took me under their wing,? Chambers said.
Soon thereafter, he began what is now one of his favorite parts of coaching, the off-season condition.
‘Jeremy (Fife) really wanted to go to a Division I college and he asked me to work out with him. We probably spent six days a week together doing something with basketball.
‘That’s how I really came to enjoy the summer and working with the kids, because that’s what I really like to do.?
Chambers said coach Fife has a very similar personality to his father and he’s happy to be a part of the team.
‘I think Dan (Fife) took a chance on me. To walk into a varsity position, I’m thankful every day. Other than my parents, he’s always been the biggest influence in my life,? Chambers said.
In 1999, after earning his master’s degree from Oakland University in special education, Chambers took a position as a special education teacher at Holly High School.
‘I worked a lot with the autistic program (while substitute teaching at CHS). In basketball, a lot of our managers are autistic or cognitively impaired and I really enjoyed that setting,? Chambers said.
‘I’m pretty patient and I celebrate small successes and I really don’t get too stressful about situations. It could be difficult working with a student and the steps are very small in progress, but at least we’re moving forward and that’s the exciting part for me as a teacher.?
‘I take a lot of basketball into the classroom. I talk about taking steps forward, not backward and moving on from a situation and handling adversity when it strikes.
‘I challenge my kids’if you come with a great work ethic, people can’t challenge that.?
In his interview with Holly principal David Nuss, the two quickly saw eye to eye.
‘In my interview, he didn’t ask me about teaching as much as he asked me how I take my coaching philosophy into the classroom,? Chambers said.
‘That question sold me on Holly.?
Chambers and Nuss came to an agreement that Chambers could continue to coach with Clarkston while teaching as a Broncho.
‘I want you to coach in Holly one day, but I understand you care about those kids and you’re passionate and you shouldn’t stop,? he told him.