Known for his ferocity on the court as a Division I basketball player at Georgetown University under legendary coach John Thompson, Boubacar Aw has made the transformation from star player to head of the Hoggard girls basketball program.
Named head coach in 2012, Aw, who played for the Hoyas from 1994 to 1998, said it has been an incredible learning experience from his rookie season until today, with the Vikings now sitting at 15-4 overall and one game back from the top spot in the Mideastern Conference at 6-1 in league play.
“There’s no question it’s between night and day from playing at Georgetown under scholarship to learning how to become a coach,” Aw said. “Once you become a coach you need to become a teacher and try to lose the mindset as a player. At times I still think that you can show them how to do things and they will execute.
“That’s not how it works. I realized that after my first year that I need to be a teacher, and with a lot of experience and knowledge of the game, I’ve learned to share that.
Some of the nuances of being a head coach at the high school level can often times be a struggle, from getting kids to understand the importance of developing a good work ethic and dedication to teammates, to making sure the student-athletes recognize their role as a representative of their schools, Aw said.
“One thing you need to have at any level is discipline,” he said. “From getting to practice early, being on the floor ready to work, to changing the mindset on how you approach the game. For two hours we’re going to be here let’s be about business and let’s get better.”
Aw credits playing under Thompson, as well as serving as the Hoyas’ captain his senior year with helping him adjust his mindset to make sure he’s getting the most out of his players.
“One of the biggest things I took from my time at Georgetown was that sense of family,” Aw said. “That was one of my goals when I came here was to create an environment where we all felt comfortable around each other, will put everything on the line for each other and work as a family and unit.
“It’s never personal on the basketball court, and I look at it a lot like being a father figure. When you mess up I’m going to try to help guide you to not make the same mistakes. To this day I’m still reminding the girls that we’re family and I care for them and want them to be the best they can be.”
While others can only see the conversion of the Hoggard girls basketball team over the last few seasons from the outside and through their record, his players have developed a hardworking, team-oriented mindset that has brought them closer together, Aw said.
Aw has fashioned a career coaching mark that has improved each year from 10-14 in 2012, to 11 games above .500 during the 2014-15 campaign.
“We definitely have a better work ethic, [are] really committed to the team and all have the same goals in mind,” said senior Julia Buehler, a three-year starter under Aw. “I think he’s really instilled that in us. Overall, he motivates us to want to get better. And we know that as long as we work hard in practice, good things will come in the game.
“We definitely take our practice time a lot more seriously. It’s a mindset and he’s helped us reach that. You have to practice the way you play. We’ve figured out what he expects without him having to say it.”
Looking ahead, Aw continues to lay the groundwork for what he hopes will be a successful basketball program in the years to come.
“I’ve been blessed to be around some great support at Hoggard,” Aw said. “Before I took over the basketball team I worked and continue to work as a defensive line coach under Coach [Scott] Braswell on the football team. He’s been a great mentor to me and I admire what he’s done. The first few months under him I learned so much about myself and coaching young men.
“This is a process. When I was first interviewed for the job they asked what my goals were. I told them I wanted to create a sustainable girls basketball program. We have a great program in football under Coach Braswell, a successful boys basketball team under Coach [Brett] Queen, why not a great female basketball team?
“Teaching the girls the proper way to play is the most important thing to me. We’re not going to win every game, but I know if we’re playing the game the right way we’re going to win a lot more than lose and the girls have started to understand that.”
Joe Catenacci is a sports writer for Port City Daily and host of The Sports Connection on Port City Radio. Reach him at [email protected].
