A few months back we wrote in our Word On The Street column about the Delaware Hawks program. Some people reading the article could have taken it as the total program was gone. That was far from the truth and we sincerely apologize for our wording at that time.
Speaking of the Delaware Hawks I got a chance to talk to the Team Director Bashir Bradley and he gave me the real insight while setting the record straight about their program. Here’s the exclusive interview:
BS: Please explain the situation that transpired with that former Delaware Hawk team that finished ranked in the country.
BB: Well Mike It was a situation where the parents and some of the coaching staff felt their kids weren’t getting treated fair by the then head coach. Thus they decided that they wanted to find a better situation for their kids and also felt they could build a powerhouse squad for the upcoming season.
BS: What was your initial reaction?
BB: Well my reaction was that anytime someone feels they’re not getting what they need with us and make up their mind to leave I wish them the best and hope everything works out. I’m truly not concerned with having a superstar team or all those other accolades. I want to teach some kids how to play and turn them into good young men for society.
BS: How did this affect your program?
BB: The only real affect it had on the program is that we have to add more players to that 13U team and that situation gave people a misconception about our program. We are still here and good as ever.
BS: Speaking of that what’s the current status of your program.
BB: Like I said we are alive and well but since I coach high school basketball I haven’t been able to get things rolling yet. In the past we would have started by now and even played in a few tournaments already.
BS: So what does the future hold for the Delaware Hawks?
BB: The program future is being a positive force in the community. We still have a few teams that can compete on the national level (14U and 15U). So I feel that we have a bright future for our program.
BS: What have you learned from this situation?
BB: The biggest thing I can take from this situation is that I must pay closer attention to what’s going on with my teams and address minor issues early on.
BS: Bashir Thanks for setting the record straight.
BB: Anytime Mike
