Straight Shooters

Nick and Bryan McConnell, Woodruff Star Basketball Player and Wolverines Coach Share a Special Bond on and off the Court

By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com

Nick McConnell was always given a choice.

Woodruff’s senior basketball star and son of Wolverines coach Bryan McConnell was always allowed to choose for himself which sports he liked and whether to play them.

But the allure of the roundball and hardwood was always too strong to keep him off the court. Nick, who has played varsity basketball for his dad since he was a freshman, is now in his final season for Woodruff and putting a cap on one of the most prolific careers in school history.

“Both my mom and my dad always let me have the choice for myself,” said Nick. “I always wanted to be around the guys and around his teams when I was little. Being in the gym and being around older players growing up just made me fall in love with it.”

Bryan McConnell has coached in Woodruff for 25 years and has been the Wolverines’ head varsity basketball coach since 2014. Though he has been immersed in sports, particularly basketball, his entire life, the elder McConnell admits that his son is more of a sports guru than he is.“

Nick is a sports guy, and probably more of a sports guy than I am,” Coach McConnell said. “We talk about sports in general, but then obviously about our game. After games, I try not to harp on it. I want him to have time to think on his own. But hours later, maybe the next day, we will talk about the game and about the little things.”

Nick has a great understanding of the game. Typical for a coach’s kid. But his evolution as a player, from a pure shooter to a multi-faceted star, has never come as a surprise to his father.

“What’s been special about Nick is, from day one, he has always been coachable,” said the elder McConnell. “Anytime I give instruction, he has always taken that to heart. I have always let it be on Nick. When we’re at home, he would have to come ask me, Dad, do you want to shoot? I always wanted it to be him, and he has loved it from day one.”

Having the opportunity to play for his dad, says Nick, is an irreplaceable blessing, but he knows that there is a line between their relationship as father and son and coach and player. There is always time for those more intimate talks about a game, but at practice and on game days, both are all business.

“It can be a burden at times because there’s always outside voices that pick at you or doubt that you are as good as you are because your dad’s the coach, but it’s been a blessing being able to play for him for so many years,” he said. “We have a great relationship on and off the court so it’s been great.”

Coach McConnell reiterated that sentiment while admitting that creating that separation has always been difficult for him. First and foremost, he is a dad and always will be.

“As a coach, that’s how I take my approach, and I tell my staff, you want to coach like you’re a father,” Bryan said. “As a father, you always want to show love and discipline, and I always try to coach that way. So, in that, with Nick coming along and playing, it is a little bit different when it’s your own. You try your best to keep it as equal as you can, and if anything, (Nick) gets the hard end of it. As far as separating father and coach, it’s really not a separation for me because I’m always going to be dad first. I know it probably should be, but I’m going to be dad first always.”

Nick was a natural right from the jump. Fundamentally sound and always a prolific scorer, he has become one of the greatest three-point shooters in school history. He is chasing down the record long held by Darrell Parks and is on the precipice of holding the career mark. Not interested in individual awards; however, Nick wants to win whether he scores two points or 30.

“In my mind, winning always comes first, but after I graduate and look back, it will definitely be something I can hold onto for sure,” admits Nick.

He has become an all-around player, too. Purely a spot shooter during his ninth and tenth-grade seasons, Nick is now the Wolverines’ point guard and primary ball handler. He still leads Woodruff in scoring and three-pointers, but he also has the most assists of any player on the squad.

“Nick has really improved his game,” explained Bryan. “He started out as a pure shooter and ended up a true basketball player and point guard with a chance to play in college.

While there are still almost two months left in his senior season, Nick admits that he is paying closer attention to time than he ever has before. He knows that soon, the days of playing for his dad will be over, and he will move on to college and a new chapter of his basketball career. It is not something he dwells on, but an inevitability that is always in the back of his mind.

“When you take a step back and think about it, it is definitely sad that it’s coming to an end, but at the same time, it makes me want to win even more this year,” said Nick.

Likewise, his dad cherishes every moment of watching his son play and continuing to teach him more about the game that has bound them together since the day Nick was born. Time is fleeting, and both father and son know it.

“It’s been a blessing,” added Bryan.

There is still work to be done this season, however. Woodruff is enjoying a great start to the campaign with one of its deepest and most talented rosters in recent memory. One of the favorites to possibly win a region championship for the boys’ program for the first time in over 40 years, Nick has a lot of goals he still wants to accomplish as a Wolverine.

“This is a great team, and it’s been awesome to grow up with these guys,” stated Nick. “Through RISE, middle school, and to have a great team now that is so deep, we definitely want a region championship this year. We have every shot at that. Who knows? I want to make a run in the playoffs. We made it to the third round my freshman year and lost there, so hopefully, we can go even further than that.”

As for the future, his dad thinks Nick might one day have the inclination to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“You aren’t automatically a coach being a coach’s son, but by all means, Nick could be a coach one day,” added Coach McConnell. “He has developed into that leader on the court, and he says he wants to (coach).”

Like father, like son.