HeavesFan
01-06-2007, 09:27 PM
The Burlington Free Press recently did a feature on Heaves head coach Will Voigt. Say what you want about the ABA but this coach is definitely on the way up.
Voigt teaches success
Published: Wednesday, December 20, 2006
By Steven Frank
Correspondent
Former University of Vermont basketball coach and current sportscaster Tom Brennan attended an early practice of the Vermont Frost Heaves, a professional American Basketball Association team playing its first season.
It didn't take him long to judge the Heaves' 30-year-old head coach, Will Voigt.
"I watched (Voigt) for one hour in his first practice and thought, 'This guy is a star,'" Brennan said. "He's knowledgeable but he's not pushy; he's confident but he's not arrogant. To have so much aura about you when you're that young I think is real impressive."
Brennan's opinion is quickly being proven on the court. The Heaves have won 11 of 12 after dropping their opening game and sit atop the ABA's Blue North Division. Vermont is second out of 48 franchises in the ABA's power rankings.
Voigt selected Vermont's 12-man roster from a slew of players at the NBA pre-draft camp in June and several camps throughout the summer.
"I give all the credit to Will," said Frost Heaves owner Alex Wolff, who also credited Voigt's educative upbringing.
Voigt's father founded the New England Culinary Institute and his mother is a former Vermont state poet.
"The thing that excites Will is teaching," Wolff added. "He's not a screamer; he gets the players' attention by using logic. He'll stop a film in the middle and ask a player a question. He forces these guys to be on the edge of their seats."
A three-sport athlete at Cabot High School, where he was valedictorian of the Class of 1994, Voigt interned with the Los Angeles Clippers during his senior year at Pomona College in Claremont, Calif.
After graduating from Pomona with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, he joined the San Antonio Spurs' staff for two seasons. Voigt, who originally planned to attend law school, assisted the coaches at practices and games and was responsible for post-game video edits.
"That's when I realized that this was something that I really enjoy and wanted to see how long I could ride this wave," said Voigt, who maintains a working relationship with the Spurs as an international scout.
Voigt went on to assist coaches Rick Barnes at Texas and Mike Dunlap at Metro State in Denver, a perennial Division II power.
"I'm just a small town kid from Cabot, Vermont, but they were nice enough to give me a little guidance," Voigt said. "I've been incredibly fortunate."
Voigt's most recent stint was his first as a head coach, three years with the Ulriken Eagles in Norway. The Eagles made the playoffs each season.
"He's a great player's coach, gives you a lot of freedom. He just expects your 100 percent," said Frost Heave forward Antonio Burks, who played for Voigt in Norway. "He created a good family environment there and that's what he's doing here."
Voigt enjoyed coaching in Norway but the chance to return home and coach professional basketball here was too inviting.
"Just the thought that Vermont has a pro basketball team got me excited," said Voigt, who lives in South Burlington.
Wolff narrowed the applicants down to two: Voigt and former University of Texas-El Paso assistant Rus Bradburd. The Bump in the Road Club, the Heaves' fan club, chose Voigt in an on-line election. More than 60 percent of the membership voted, casting 739 ballots.
"I was pretty against the process. It's hard to be one of those candidates and have it go down that way," Voigt said, "but Alex was up-front about it; I knew going in that this was the way it was going to happen. The best thing was the way Rus handled it; that made me feel a lot more comfortable about the situation."
Voigt's players are also getting comfortable. Wolff said many needed time to adjust to Voigt, especially those who previously played overseas, where there isn't a lot of teaching.
According to Wolff, Voigt runs skill and conditioning practice in the morning and team practice in the afternoon.
"I think it's safe to say that most ABA coaches don't do that," Wolff said.
Voigt has a rapid substitution philosophy. He said that players must impress him in their three minutes of play because there is always someone behind them.
The strategy works, with the Heaves wearing down opponents during their current six-game winning streak. A three-point Vermont halftime lead against the Montreal Matrix on Saturday turned into a 112-71 victory. The Chicago Rockstars had an early 18-5 lead on the Heaves on Dec. 7 before Vermont put together a couple of strong runs and won 106-97.
"I'm a big believer in hard work and I feel that the early success we have is from the hard practices," Voigt said. "We have a group of guys that understand the value of discipline and it's paying off."
Voigt also benefits from a friendship with Brennan, who he said speaks to him at least once a day.
"All I want to do is try to help him be successful," said Brennan, who earlier advised Voigt on the type of suit to wear at games. "It's a very precarious business, but he has what it takes and in 10 years we'll say, 'How about that guy? He used to coach the Frost Heaves.'"
Voigt believes he's more likely to lead an NCAA Division I program in the future than be on an NBA sideline.
"I want to help them grow as players but also as people. Because of that, maybe the NBA isn't the best fit," he said. "As long as I'm in an environment where I can control the people that we have and teach, that's what I strive for."
Voigt teaches success
Published: Wednesday, December 20, 2006
By Steven Frank
Correspondent
Former University of Vermont basketball coach and current sportscaster Tom Brennan attended an early practice of the Vermont Frost Heaves, a professional American Basketball Association team playing its first season.
It didn't take him long to judge the Heaves' 30-year-old head coach, Will Voigt.
"I watched (Voigt) for one hour in his first practice and thought, 'This guy is a star,'" Brennan said. "He's knowledgeable but he's not pushy; he's confident but he's not arrogant. To have so much aura about you when you're that young I think is real impressive."
Brennan's opinion is quickly being proven on the court. The Heaves have won 11 of 12 after dropping their opening game and sit atop the ABA's Blue North Division. Vermont is second out of 48 franchises in the ABA's power rankings.
Voigt selected Vermont's 12-man roster from a slew of players at the NBA pre-draft camp in June and several camps throughout the summer.
"I give all the credit to Will," said Frost Heaves owner Alex Wolff, who also credited Voigt's educative upbringing.
Voigt's father founded the New England Culinary Institute and his mother is a former Vermont state poet.
"The thing that excites Will is teaching," Wolff added. "He's not a screamer; he gets the players' attention by using logic. He'll stop a film in the middle and ask a player a question. He forces these guys to be on the edge of their seats."
A three-sport athlete at Cabot High School, where he was valedictorian of the Class of 1994, Voigt interned with the Los Angeles Clippers during his senior year at Pomona College in Claremont, Calif.
After graduating from Pomona with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, he joined the San Antonio Spurs' staff for two seasons. Voigt, who originally planned to attend law school, assisted the coaches at practices and games and was responsible for post-game video edits.
"That's when I realized that this was something that I really enjoy and wanted to see how long I could ride this wave," said Voigt, who maintains a working relationship with the Spurs as an international scout.
Voigt went on to assist coaches Rick Barnes at Texas and Mike Dunlap at Metro State in Denver, a perennial Division II power.
"I'm just a small town kid from Cabot, Vermont, but they were nice enough to give me a little guidance," Voigt said. "I've been incredibly fortunate."
Voigt's most recent stint was his first as a head coach, three years with the Ulriken Eagles in Norway. The Eagles made the playoffs each season.
"He's a great player's coach, gives you a lot of freedom. He just expects your 100 percent," said Frost Heave forward Antonio Burks, who played for Voigt in Norway. "He created a good family environment there and that's what he's doing here."
Voigt enjoyed coaching in Norway but the chance to return home and coach professional basketball here was too inviting.
"Just the thought that Vermont has a pro basketball team got me excited," said Voigt, who lives in South Burlington.
Wolff narrowed the applicants down to two: Voigt and former University of Texas-El Paso assistant Rus Bradburd. The Bump in the Road Club, the Heaves' fan club, chose Voigt in an on-line election. More than 60 percent of the membership voted, casting 739 ballots.
"I was pretty against the process. It's hard to be one of those candidates and have it go down that way," Voigt said, "but Alex was up-front about it; I knew going in that this was the way it was going to happen. The best thing was the way Rus handled it; that made me feel a lot more comfortable about the situation."
Voigt's players are also getting comfortable. Wolff said many needed time to adjust to Voigt, especially those who previously played overseas, where there isn't a lot of teaching.
According to Wolff, Voigt runs skill and conditioning practice in the morning and team practice in the afternoon.
"I think it's safe to say that most ABA coaches don't do that," Wolff said.
Voigt has a rapid substitution philosophy. He said that players must impress him in their three minutes of play because there is always someone behind them.
The strategy works, with the Heaves wearing down opponents during their current six-game winning streak. A three-point Vermont halftime lead against the Montreal Matrix on Saturday turned into a 112-71 victory. The Chicago Rockstars had an early 18-5 lead on the Heaves on Dec. 7 before Vermont put together a couple of strong runs and won 106-97.
"I'm a big believer in hard work and I feel that the early success we have is from the hard practices," Voigt said. "We have a group of guys that understand the value of discipline and it's paying off."
Voigt also benefits from a friendship with Brennan, who he said speaks to him at least once a day.
"All I want to do is try to help him be successful," said Brennan, who earlier advised Voigt on the type of suit to wear at games. "It's a very precarious business, but he has what it takes and in 10 years we'll say, 'How about that guy? He used to coach the Frost Heaves.'"
Voigt believes he's more likely to lead an NCAA Division I program in the future than be on an NBA sideline.
"I want to help them grow as players but also as people. Because of that, maybe the NBA isn't the best fit," he said. "As long as I'm in an environment where I can control the people that we have and teach, that's what I strive for."