Sherman’s Swanson Always One Step Ahead

By now his success as a girls basketball coach has been more than well-documented.

Sherman coach Mel Swanson has logged 495 wins in his illustrious 31-year career and has reached the new York Public High School Athletic Association Final Four in Troy on two occasions, including last month when the lady Wildcats endured a heartbreaking loss in the state championship game.

The loss still lingers, and understandably so.

But next year’s roster is already hungry to return and Sherman faithful can bet Swanson will put in a 365-day work year to do everything he can to make that happen.

That’s why his players love him – well, sort of.

“He is tough on his kids. It’s not all fun and games,” said Jamestown Community College girls basketball coach Keith Martin. “They’re not always happy about it, but the enjoyment of winning goes a long way.”

Sometimes it takes a few months or even longer for Swanson’s graduates to realize how great it was playing under his regime.

“They don’t always realize it right away, but I know Mel’s kids will be doing great things after basketball and they’ll appreciate it down the road,” Martin added.

Division 3 first team selections Beth Gribble and Rachel Ottaway have already committed to playing for the Lady Jayhawks next season. Bringing Sherman’s winning attitude to JCC is something Martin has heavily recruited.

“They average 18 wins a year by being intense and by having the will to win,” Martin said. “It’s similar to how I coach, so he is teaching things they already know by the time they get to me.”

When playoff time came around this year, Swanson had his team prepared, ready and focused to go deep into the playoffs.

After breezing through Section 6 and knocking off previously undefeated Clymer, the Lady Wildcats ran into what was advertised as a trouble spot in their trip to states with Jasper-Troupsberg of Section 5.

Swanson had that team scouted perfectly.

It took the head coach merely two possessions to realize that when their senior point guard Katie Wyant called out “two” while dribbling the ball down the court, that she wanted to run an isolation play and take the ball to the basket.

Gribble merely neutralized the play. Wyant wasn’t a factor all game and Sherman coasted to a 31-point win.

“His preparation all year long made it easy against the teams in the playoffs,” Martin said. “He prepared all year to win at ECC in the Far West Regional.”

But his game preparation goes a step further.

“It’s his use of his personnel against certain players and in certain situations,” Martin explained.

“He played Clymer twice and learned from each game. The the third time he pushed all the right buttons.”

It’s all the little things, behind the scenes, in the locker room and on the practice court that makes Swanson special.

Sure, he teaches fundamentals and intensity – everyone can see that by watching his team play.

Swanson affects more than just the play on the basketball court. As the athletic director at Sherman he influences every one of its sports programs.

He even takes it one step further.

“He does the same thing in the classroom and that’s one reason why Sherman is one of the top schools educationally in the county,” Martin added.

Mel Swanson is a great coach, a great teacher and an even better person. That is why he is the 2009 Post-Journal Coach of the Year.