As the 2011 SBL season approaches, the Perth Redbacks look to build on the achievements made over the last two years. David Harris will again be at the helm of the men’s team. The 6'5" head coach cuts an imposing figure and his intensity on the court is obvious for all to see. But what drives the 33 year old, father-of-two?

On speaking to Harris, it is clear that he has a genuine passion for basketball and, more particularly, a passion for the club that he has called home since his junior playing days. “Family is important at our club”, he notes. As a dedicated family man, Harris can't imagine a better fit than with his extended family, the Perth Redbacks.

Harris began coaching juniors for the Perth Redbacks in 1999 and has been a member of the SBL staff since 2001. Since that time, he has experienced the highs and lows of a club ushering in a new generation of players with much to live up to. Leading that cluster of spiderlings is Joel Wagner and Jarrad Prior, both coached by Harris as 12 year olds, new to the game and with much to learn. Their recent rise to the ranks of the NBL has been very pleasing for Harris who has a deep respect for his young warriors.

Harris recalls vividly the first time he coached Wagner. “I went home and told my father I had a kid who I thought could play NBL. He obviously thought I was crazy. At that first training session we did a full court drill. Joel took a charge and fell to the ground, holding his jaw. All the kids gathered around thinking he was pretty badly hurt. Without saying a word, he stood up, pushed through the huddle, walked to the baseline and just waited for everyone to get back to the drill. I think that as much as anything sums up his attitude. What he lacks in size he makes up for in heart and pure stubbornness”.

The new breed of Redbacks has served Harris well. It is a team on the rise. He rates their return to the playoffs in 2009, after a four-year absence, as the highlight of his coaching career so far. But last season was even more successful, with the team reaching the semi-finals for the first time in a decade. Indeed, Perth was one of only two clubs to have both men’s and women’s SBL teams reach the semi-finals in 2010.

The future of all clubs relies on a steady stream of young talent. Harris does a lot of coaching with kids, indigenous kids in particular, and he finds that work to be very rewarding. “There is no such thing as a bad kid, only kids in bad situations. So indigenous or otherwise, my working with children has always been about giving them an opportunity to have fun and smile. All of them. The most rewarding aspect is definitely going back the second time and seeing them run out with big smiles on their faces, excited because it's time for basketball”.

Harris would like to see young players doing more than just training. “The biggest difference I see between now and when I was a kid is that people only seem to train now. Not enough people just grab their ball and go hang out at the local school or rec centre. That's where players are made. Go experiment. Use your imagination”. His advice to young people aspiring to play SBL is to learn the whole game, beyond just shooting and dribbling.

Driven by his passions for basketball, family and youth, Harris continues to help his team and players reach their potential. As another exciting SBL season fast approaches, anticipation builds at the Perth Redbacks. Will the men’s team take the next step and play in a grand-final or will it fall victim to its own success with a loss of talent to other opportunities? Time will tell but the future looks bright under Harris’ guidance.

Article by Michael Clarke
Photo by Marg Prior

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