Having both longevity and success coaching in high school sports these days isn’t an easy thing to do.
However, long-time Beaver County high school basketball coach Brandon Ambrose has been able to that and on Sunday, he achieved a big career milestone.
If you follow high school basketball in the area, you’re probably familiar with Coach Ambrose, who’s a current resident of Hopewell. Ambrose is the long-time head coach at Central Valley along with being an assistant coach at the youth level of travel basketball in Hopewell with Coach Dave Gigliotti.
Yesterday, Ambrose and Central Valley defeated Highlands, 63-29 in the PBC Hall of Fame Classic game. With that victory, Ambrose picked up career win No. 200.
Vikings Sports Now had the chance to catch up this morning with Ambrose to talk about this milestone and more about his 21-year coaching career.
“Normally, milestones in coaching mean that you’re old,” Ambrose tells VSN. “I think we have been able to build a culture there because we have good players who are tough kids, a great administration that’s been extremely supportive and I’ve had outstanding assistant coaches. I’m most proud of the way our kids respond to coaching and that they come back to visit after they graduate and that we continue to stay in touch over the years.”
“We had a bunch of former players from our 2014 team at the house over Christmas and it was one of the best nights I’ve had in a long time. Those things are so much more important to me.”
Let’s be honest, it’s a lot different and quite frankly more difficult to coach high school athletics in today’s environment. But Ambrose has withstood that test of time with one program. I asked him how he’s been able to do that. Not surprisingly as is often the case in life, a successful man is influenced greatly by a strong and incredible wife and that’s the case with Ambrose.
“I think being honest with kids and yet supportive is huge,” said Ambrose. When I first started coaching, the only thing that mattered was getting the team ready for the game, what we were doing schematically and whether we won or lost. I’ve had so many incredible people on influences on my coaching philosophy. Coach Blundo at New Castle probably taught me the most about investing in players, making sure that they know you care about them and helping to provide support in their lives.”
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“My wife knows nothing about basketball. But her consistent message about being kind and generous with time and sometimes resources has helped me immensely with my relationship with players. She has without even knowing it, changed my coaching career by simply being the kindest person I know. I think kids will give you their best when they feel you care about them.”
The personal relationship with his players is just one of the reasons for the success Ambrose has enjoyed over the years. A coach at any level, whether it be professional, college or high school demand certain principles and philosophies of their players. Ambrose shared with us what he asks of his players.
“I have a philosophy of 10 core ideas that I have developed over the years,” said Ambrose. “Some of them came from a former teacher that I had in grad school at Westminster, who happened to be a football coach, Dar Huey, he’s a legend. I have been fortunate to be able to find coaches who also believe in those things. I can’t say enough about the guys like Ryan Nohe, Dennis Vaughn, Mark Miller, Brian O’Neil and what they have done for me. And that’s just to name a few. Miller has been with me for over ten years now. Anyone close to our program knows how incredible he is, and we would not have had success without him.”
As mentioned earlier, Ambrose is a resident of Hopewell and when he’s not coaching Central Valley High School, he’s been very active in the Youth Basketball scene in Hopewell. Aside from hosting summer camps for local kids, Ambrose has been the assistant coach on the local travel basketball teams. Along with getting the chance to help and develop many players, Ambrose feels blessed to have the chance to help coach one of his sons, Michael at the same time.
“Being able to coach my son and spend time with him and his friends has been an incredible experience,” said Ambrose. “I’m tired a lot from double practices every day, but I know I would never get those years back. I feel truly blessed that my son’s friends and their parents are quality humans that care about the group. I’m really happy they allow me to be a part of it.”
And the Hopewell basketball community feels the same about you being involved in attempting to make these kids better players and people.
Thanks Coach Ambrose and best of luck the rest of the season!