Due to the current coronavirus situation with all sports being shut down, there are a lot of coaches who had their chance to coach their senior athletes one last time cut short. ENC Sports Review would like to highlight some of these coaches since their season has hanged so dramatically. Today, we will highlight Rocky Mount High School’s Mike Gainey. We thank Mike for taking the time to sit down with ENC Sports Review and answer these questions for us. We had fun learning more about him and we hope you will too.
How long have you been coaching sports?
Since my high school days. I started coaching at my local parks and recreation center. (Birdsongs Parks and Recreation in Suffolk, Virginia)
What sports have you coached?
Football, softball, track, basketball and drove the golf cart for girls’ golf.
Out of all the sports you have coached, which one do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy coaching basketball the most.
Has an athlete impacted you in an important way or taught you something that has helped shape you as a coach?
They all have taught me something and I continue to learn something each and every day. “Adaptation” is a hard thing to do especially when you have been coached under the rule of “my way or the highway.”
What is your favorite memory of coaching and what is your least favorite?
My favorite memory was the 2010 State Champions basketball game in Chapel Hill. I believe the entire city of Rocky Mount was there. We were in the Carolina Blue land, but that Navy blue and Gold showed up and showed out!The least favorite memory is when we we up by 10 against South Central in the 1st round of the NCHSAA Regional in Fayetteville and ended up losing. We were scheduled to play Hunt for the Regional Championship.
If you could change one thing in your coaching career, what would it be and why?
I would switch a defensive assignment against Isaiah Hicks. I should have done that due to weight and height.
Who is someone you look up to and why?
I look up to my dad. To adopt a little boy and raise him as his own knowing that he is not his blood will always be my hero and a blessed man!
If you could go back 5 years and tell yourself something that you know now, what would it be?
Good question….. I really don’t have anything on that.
If someone wants to follow in your footsteps, what advice would you give them?
Be patient, understand that you are in a glass house and as Maya Angelou has graciously stated “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
After the Coronoavirus pandemic is over, what is the first thing you are looking forward to that you can’t do now?
Once this virus is over, I look forward to being with my players and students.
Thank you again, Mike Gainey, for taking time to be one of our 2020 coach spotlights. We hope you learned something that you did not know about Mike today. Be sure to check out our other coach spotlights and senior spotlights for more fun Q&A content.
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