SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME SPOTLIGHT: Ultimate 4 Basketball Coach Tom Wasdin is Brevard Sports activities Ambassador

SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

WATCH: Within the guide about his life – written by native journalist and fellow House Coast Sports activities Corridor of Famer Peter Kerasotis – As soon as a Coach, At all times a Coach – it stated, “Wasdin appreciated the job and alternative to influence lives at such a younger age, when the clay is tender and moldable.

TOM WASDIN – 2015 INDUCTEE: NCAA Ultimate 4 Basketball Coach, Cocoa Seaside Basketball Coach, Brevard Sports activities Ambassador

ALWAYS A COACH

Wasdinisms – they movement from Tom Wasdin effortlessly as he talks of sports activities and life:  

■ “It’s higher for different folks to brag on you, than so that you can brag on your self.”
■ “Encompass your self with optimistic folks you get pleasure from, admire, belief and respect.”
■ “At all times do greater than folks anticipate from you.  By no means do much less.”

And he has been providing these and hundreds of different items of recommendation for nicely over a half a century.

Wasdin’s resume in sports activities and enterprise matches the Cocoa Village riverfront rental the place he and his spouse Susie reside – expansive and spectacular.

After rising up in Waldo, Florida and graduating in 1958 from the College of Florida, he started his life’s skilled journey in Jacksonville as a bodily schooling useful resource instructor in 5 elementary faculties.

His job was to show academics to show PE.

Within the guide about his life – written by native journalist and fellow House Coast Sports activities Corridor of Famer Peter Kerasotis – As soon as a Coach, At all times a Coach – it stated, “Wasdin appreciated the job and alternative to influence lives at such a younger age, when the clay is tender and moldable.

“It was the genesis of his teaching profession, one which in slightly greater than a decade would take him all the way in which to varsity basketball’s Nationwide Championship Sport, going in opposition to John Picket’s UCLA Bruins.”

In between his first job as head basketball coach at Paxon Excessive Faculty and the fruits of his teaching profession because the winningest coach in Jacksonville College historical past, Wasdin got here to the House Coast because the basketball and golf coach at Cocoa Seaside Excessive Faculty in 1964 on the top of the house race.

“They supplied me a wage of $5,800 a 12 months, which was greater than Glenda (his first spouse) and I have been making collectively in Jacksonville.”

Although after two years Wasdin was lured again to Jacksonville, his House Coast roots remained robust and he returned within the summers to play softball together with his new buddy and future enterprise accomplice Rick Stottler.

After which – after a run on the NCAA championship as an assistant coach and a profitable three years as head coach – Wasdin returned to Cocoa Seaside to start out a brand new section of his life – businessman.

SAVIOR, MENTOR

However whereas his profession in Brevard since that last transfer within the Nineteen Seventies has consisted of growing and selling the Cocoa Seaside Pier and Cocoa Expo in addition to practically 1,000 condominium items, his love for sports activities has sustained him.

“A number of years again they tried to remove sports activities from Brevard Neighborhood Faculty,” Wasdin stated. 

“We knew the scholars wished it, so I and some others shaped a committee to avoid wasting athletics there.

“I’ve seen nearly each basketball workforce play at BCC (now Jap Florida State Faculty) for the reason that program’s inception. I nonetheless love going to the video games and mentoring their coaches,” he stated.

In truth, Wasdin travelled to Kansas this 12 months to look at EFSC play within the NJCAA Nationwide Match.

His group gained the day.  And Jap Florida State Faculty has a vastly profitable athletic program – notably in baseball, soccer, golf – and, in fact, basketball.

“My religion and classes I discovered as a participant and coach helped me to beat obstacles.  I wish to be remembered as somebody who’s a giver – somebody who helps others be nearly as good as they are often.”

Wasdin – now in his late 70s – shouldn’t be slowing down a lot and remains to be a driving power in tourism and sports activities on the House Coast. And he’s nonetheless instructing and training…simply otherwise.

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FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME, name 321-615-8111 or e-mail [email protected].