Top Five Coaches

With such a bounty of basketball coaching in the area, I thought I'd try to pick my top 5.

Feel free to disagree and give your own list.

*Note: I limited my list to Class 4A. I wasn't sure where to rank Steve Scott or Rainy Crisp.

Also, I didn't try to rank Aztec girls coach Tom Shields. Not that he would make my top 5, but he's got perhaps the best resume of any coach in the area. I haven't seen enough of their program yet to make a conclusive analysis.

5. Charles Kromer, Kirtland Central

Kromer takes a hit in the perception department because of his age and penchant for relying on his assistant to handle the in-game instruction at times. Plus, the Lady Broncos are in the midst of one of their biggest state championship droughts.

He knows the game of basketball and has the maturity and wisdom to handle the pressure at KC. Plus, if you've ever seen him coach his girls in practice, he's actively involved in their instruction.

4. Kevin Holman, Farmington

Holman allows his emotions to seep into his style. He's an old-school, smaller college in Illinois type of hard-nosed coach that wins with defense and execution. That style bores or puts off some people, but he's gotten good mileage out of his rosters and won three of the last four district championships.

Still, the Scorpions haven't done much at the state level, but that's not a big knock on Holman.

3. Brian Shock, Piedra Vista

Shock is the old standby, a guy that's been involved in the area's hoops as long as any, since his playing days. He isn't above high school basketball, yet he doesn't take it so seriously that he wears and grinds on his players.

He demands a lot of focus and passion but gives the same of himself. His postgame quotes this year have become cookie cutter not in their blandness but in his ability to find things PV could do better.

He's revamped the Panthers in one year without any experience on the roster after coming from Aztec, where he got plenty out of the Lady Tigers.

2. Brady Rivers, Shiprock

Rivers has shown the ability to adapt with his new phsophy on involving more of his bench, the ability to withstand the pressure at Shiprock and the ability to have fun and keep his team loose.

Those aren't always easy tasks coaching the Lady Chieftains. Rivers' defensive ideaology is as solid as any in the area and he knows how to get his girls to play hyper aggressive without fouling.

A state championship would help his resume, but his team currently is ranked No. 1.

1. Mike Christie, Piedra Vista

Christie won KC's last state championship while coaching the Lady Broncos and now has turned Piedra Vista's girls into contenders in District 1-4A after two seasons.

The tall, affable coaches' life centers around basketball, where he is the best at analysis and turning that analysis into understandable, concise instruction. He puts things into perspective well without concealing the fact that he cares very much about the outcome. He's self-depreciating at times.

Most of all, he knows how to improve a program and turn it into a winner.

*****

Stay true and keep pounding,
Christopher