Murray State University Athletics
Cronin Cooking Up Family Atmosphere
11/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Murray State head basketball coach Mick Cronin is fond of saying that while good teams have good players, great teams have great teammates. The question is, how do you create an atmosphere that produces great teammates?
Cronin learned the answer at his father, Hep Cronin's side, watching how the elder Cronin built a program that produced 27 consecutive winning seasons.
"I had the luxury of becoming friends with a lot of guys who played for my father," he noted "They respected him because he told them the truth and took time to care about them."
This approach to coaching has far reaching effects, impacting even the kind of house Cronin purchased here in Murray.
"One reason I chose the house I bought was that it has a huge living room area," he said. "That way I can have the team, the staff and their wives over. We get together once every couple of weeks. We've had four cookouts so far."
Cronin is convinced that this family atmosphere will play dividends both on and off the court.
"Its easy to be a good friend or good teammate when things are going well," he said. "But when we've lost two in a row and we're on the road and down 10, that's when we'll be tested. Having a coach and players who care about each other can make all the difference."
Of course, when recruits come to visit they see all this first hand. They see that Cronin's players know how to find his house, and how to work the remote for big-screen TV when they get there.
He has already met with each of the seniors to discuss their life after basketball. And he's always available to parents who call.
"We talk about the musketeer philosophy, all for one, one for all," Cronin said. "The guys laugh, but it gets the point across. The most fulfilling thing about coaching basketball is the relationship you have with your players."
