Winter 2012 - Wayland Baptist University Alumni Association

Harrelson tagged as Player/Coach
The Collie Crane Hire West
Slammers have pulled off
a major recruiting coup
by wooing Goldfields Giants combo
guard Ty Harrelson to Bunbury in
Western Australia on a three-year
deal, according to the South Western
Times newspaper.
Harrelson, a two-year starter for
the Pioneers after transferring from
Collin County Community College,
was Wayland’s first-ever first-team
NAIA All-American as a senior in
2003. A former high school star
at Sonora and Wichita Falls Rider,
he still holds the Wayland school
records for most assists in a game
(15) and season average (6.8) and
for best free throw percentage for a
season (.888 on 191 of 215 chances).
He also is tied for 28th on the
all-time Pioneer scoring list with
1,111 points.
Harrelson, 32, will join the
Slammers as player/coach in a significant
boost to the program. The
American’s signature will go part of
the way to filling the void left by the
departure of the previous coach and
two key players.
During his two years in the SBL
Harrelson, who suited up for the
Giants last season and played for
Cockburn in 2011, has been widely
regarded as part of the competition’s
elite.
He averaged almost 20 points
a game for Goldfields and was
named as a small forward in the
SBL’s 2012 All-Star Starting Five.
Harrelson also won the SBL Point
Guard of the Year title in 2011 after
he helped the Cougars, who had
missed the playoffs the previous
season, make a semifinal series.
22 footprints
Despite also being an assistant
coach with the Giants, Harrelson
said the chance to take on a senior
coaching position had been a major
drawing card.
His father, Scott Harrelson, was
an assistant coach at Wayland and
also coached the West Virginia University
women’s team. His mother,
sister and brother-in-law are also
coaches.
‘‘I come from a long line of
coaches – it’s kind of in my blood,’’
Harrelson said. ‘‘The opportunity
to do it and hopefully improve the
Slammers over the next three years
was definitely attractive.’’
While his coaching appointment
has been a major coup, club officials
anticipate Harrelson will provide a
much-needed injection of experience
to the Slammers’ roster.
He scored 20 points or more on
13 occasions last season, while his
mammoth 50-point haul for Cockburn
against the Perth Redbacks
in the 2011 playoffs was one of the
best individual performances in
recent history.
Despite conceding his new role
would be challenging, Harrelson
said he was confident of helping the
club, which has won three consecutive
wooden spoons (championship
awards) be more competitive.
‘‘I am going to do my best to
have us prepared,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m not
promising anything other than I am
going to give it 100 percent and that
I’m going to expect the same from
our team.’’
Harrelson said he had already
spoken to several contacts about
how to approach the task of having
both on and off-court roles. ‘‘They
gave me some good advice on how
to handle in-game strategy,’’ he said.
‘‘I think preparation will be vital – we
have to have a plan going into every
game.’’