By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

OREGON CITY, Ore.—His booming voice still echoes on the basketball court, though it’s been a while after he traded in his Jordan’s for a suit-and-tie and a spot on the bench.

But for one Joe White, through the feeling of still wanting to play, coaching at Tacoma Community College has opened his eyes elsewhere about the sport that he fell in love with a long time ago.

“It feels great; it puts the game in a whole different perspective.  You get to see it from a different view,” said White on coaching.  “Granite there’s still a lot of times where I wish I could physically be out on the court to help these guys both emotionally and physically.

“But I love coaching. It’s my calling and I look forward to every single day that I’m able to step foot on the hardwood with these guys, and help them become the best men they can be.”

The journey for White to Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, Washington as the head assistant coach is an interesting one.

Let’s rewind a few years ago, he graduated from Thurston High School in 2008 in Springfield, Oregon before going to Southern Oregon University as a guard for the Red Raiders under longtime head coach Brian McDermott.

In 2010, he spent some time in the National Basketball League in South America before returning to Ashland and to the Southern Oregon University team.

He remembers the life lessons that Coach McDermott, or ‘Coach Mac’ as he’s known around the Ashland, Oregon campus and amongst his team, about how to approach certain situations.

“Coach Mac really taught me a lot of lessons while I was there, on and off the court,” said White.  “So I have the upmost respect for that as well.

“As for playing for Coach Mac, he taught me how really to battle through adversity.  Through thick and thin, just continue to battle and I give him a lot of credit for that.”

Through his years playing, and the help of coaches like Coach Mac along the way, White knows now why these life lessons were important as he transitions into coaching.

“Every life lesson that I learned as a player I see now as a coach,” White described. “I’m able to relate to them at the daily basis and kind of putting it into perspective for them and being able to explain to them my previous situations so they can respect what it is I’m informing them of coaching.”

The decision to go to Tacoma Community College came two years ago when friend TJ Caughell got the head coaching job and asked White to join his staff as the Head Assistant Coach.

White accepted, citing that his dream of coaching at the college level was one of the reasons why he went up there.

The reasons are a few, like coaching with his friends and coaching at the collegiately, what attracted White to TCC was another reason behind the decision.

The high quality and the overwhelming respect of the drew White to the program.

“To be in such a quality program where such deep roots that are highly respected,  that really had it’s hands on quality athletes,” started White.  “So many quality players that have went on to play at four-year institutions, hat have gone on to play professionally.”

Not to mention the focus on academics with the program as well drew him to the Washington school.

“(Tacoma Community College) also high (has) academics as well,” said White.  “So being in a place that works so hard on their academics and on their basketball program is kind of a no brainer for me.

“I’m really looking forward to getting us back to the top and staying at the top.”

As his Tacoma team battled versus fellow Northwest Athletic Conference, NWAC, opposition in Clackamas Community College in Oregon City to start the CCC Holiday Invitational, White looked like a seasoned veteran of 12 years instead of two.

Directing players with a booming confidence, coaching them up on the bench, so on and so forth.  The 26-year-old looks like a fish in water, a fish that is familiar with its surroundings and is confident of what the future brings.