There is a lot more to coaching than simply Xs and Os.
Steubenville basketball coach Mike Haney is currently in the process of trying to help not only his players, but all area players have an opportunity to play college basketball should they desire.
Haney is organizing and spearheading the inaugural Ohio Valley Basketball Coaches Association Recruiting Night, which will be held on Wednesday, May 11 at Generations Pub in Wheeling.
"We're just trying to get kids' names out there," Haney said. "We want to help these kids as much as we can with the recruiting process. If they're getting some mail from these colleges, it may make kids think more about going to school to play and put more time into the sport, too."
Haney and now retired Weir High head coach Mike Granato actually began kicking around this idea some three years ago. But, it was slowed down by COVID-19.
"We had a coaches clinic in the Fall of 2019 before COVID hit at Franciscan University and we had about 70 coaches attend," Haney recalled. "Then we started about branching out into a recruiting night, COVID hit."
So, because of the questions that surrounded the virus and state of winter sports through the 2020-21 season, the clinic idea was tabled once again.
"People just weren't sure about things even last year, so we just figured we should wait it out," Haney explained.
With both Ohio and West Virginia working on normal playing calendars and COVID-19 issues becoming fewer and farther between, the event will be held.
According to Haney, the event is open to boys and girls coaches throughout the OVAC. Actually, he's inviting all prep coaches in the eastern portion of Ohio and throughout much of West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania.
All Division II and III colleges in the tri-state area will also be invited.
Coaches attending are encouraged to bring information such as grade point average, ACT/SAT scores as well as the player's statistics and any information on who they are playing for during the spring travel circuit.
Haney, a former assistant football coach at Steubenville, has modeled this event after the football coaches association recruiting night, which is scheduled for April 27th at Generations at 6 p.m.
"I talked to Coach (Reno) Saccoccia about what they do at their event and it'll be very similar," Haney said. "I just believe a lot of kids are missing the opportunity to play basketball at the college level and hopeful this will help to get their names out."