Toga grad Hopkins takes over at Muhlenberg
ALLENTOWN, P.A. » Saratoga Springs 2004 graduate Kevin Hopkins achieved a dream recently, getting a head coaching job in basketball.
Muhlenberg College is his new destination, with Hopkins taking over as head coach, his first time head coaching, after being an assistant at Amherst College.
Hopkins said he is excited to join Muhlenberg.
“It was a really great opportunity that the athletic director Corey Goff gave me to take over as the head coach at Muhlenberg,” Hopkins said. “It is a really exciting opportunity to be able to be at such a good academic institution that plays in a really competitive basketball league. I think the sentinel conference is one of the top leagues in all of division III, so to have the opportunity to become a head coach was something that was really exciting for me and just with my experience at Amherst, being at a liberal arts school that offers a good education and quality basketball. It seemed liked it was the right place at the right time with the right people.”
Hopkins plan with the team is to make sure the Mules are ready to compete and get better every day.
In his first season, Hopkins said he just wants his team to keep improving throughout the season.
“The biggest things for me, that I have been talking to our guys about, is just having a consistent work ethic, being a good teammate, controlling the things you can control, whether that is how you are as a leader or how you are as a teammate and that kind of stuff,” Hopkins said. “I want them to focus on those things and let the results workout themselves. I know some coaches talk about wanting to win conference championships and things like that, but for me, my focus is just getting better every day and are we in a better spot today and then we were yesterday. I am just trying to get the guys on board with that and they have been great so far. I am impressed with the changes they have made so far and we are going to work on getting better each and every day. That is my goal for the year and hopefully by the end of the season we can look back and say we improved everyday and we are in a much better spot today than when we started back in October.”
Hopkins said he is open to listening to his past coaches and seeing what has worked for them and what hasn’t.
“I’m really excited for the opportunity. It is my first head coaching job, so I am really looking forward to that. I have been very fortunate working with Coach Hixon at Amherst and then Coach Hill in Santa Cruz,” Hopkins said. “They were both head coaches that encouraged me to think and act like a head coach while I was working for them, so I think I have some experience in a lot of the decision making. Obviously it changes when you are the last guy deciding whether or not you are going to do things, but being able to work for those guys I have learned a ton from them and kept in touch with them. They are great resources to have and talk through. There are a number of other really good young coaches that I have good relationships with and I am able to talk to those guys and get tips on how to work through things.”
Muhlenberg gives Hopkins the chance to take over a head coach and lead a division III program.
Hopkins had to move away
from his previous place and move to a new area. He said that adjusting has been made easier thanks to the Muhlenberg community.
“I am just really grateful to Coach Goff and President Williams and the rest of the Muhlenberg community for giving me the opportunity,” Hopkins said. “I have been really impressed with how welcoming and open people have been so far. It has been a pretty easy transition for me thanks to the help from all those people. I am really excited to work with the team and I think we have a great group of guys and I am really looking forward to what we can accomplish there.”