Former MA player returns to coach

BY HEIDI ZENEFSKI
Sports Correspondent

A new head coach is taking the reins this season for the Montrose varsity basketball team.

Tim Lopez is coming with quite a bit of coaching experience – most recently as an assistant coach of the ladies’ basketball team at Broome County Community College. Prior to that, he was the head boys’ varsity coach at Chenango Forks High School in New York.

In addition to experience, he also has ties to Montrose. Lopez played basketball for the Meteors from 1996-2000, so he has a real interest in the team because he “learned to play basketball here.”

Lopez said, “I am excited to be back here. It’s where I learned to play basketball. I learned from Coach (Todd) Smith. I hope to carry that same tradition of what I learned going forward for these kids. It comes down to competing, hustling, playing good defense, taking good shots and the rest will take care of itself. I hope to continue what they started back in the late 80’s and 90’s to when he left and I will continue it with these kids.”

The coach is already establishing his expectations for the prospective players during open gym sessions.
Lopez said, “I’ll set the tone early. In open gyms we’ve already gone over a couple of things with just going back and forth. What I say is how it’s going to go. I don’t want there to be a conversation. If you don’t like it, keep it to yourself. That’s how I was coached. That’s how I’ve coached in the past and that’s how I’ll coach going forward. You have to hold them to a standard.”

He is also concentrating his efforts on player development. Lopez is working with the junior high coaches and also plans to work with the elementary coaches in the off season.

“It’s tough to do it right when the season starts, but the stuff I am developing will happen in the off season whether it’s with camps or forming a Montrose AAU team which will incorporate the younger kids and the older kids on two teams,” Lopez said, “just making sure that whatever system you have at the varsity level trickles down to the younger kids.”

With the official Winter Sports Season starting on Nov. 17, coaches across the county have to start making decisions their teams.

It’s a tough situation for a coach. Lopez plans on having as many as 14-16 players dressing for the varsity team. There will also be a junior varsity squad. Some of the younger players might get playing time in both games, he said. “I am going to play the kids who give me the best chance of winning games.”
Lopez said, “I’m here to put the best five out on the court and compete. Hopefully, we’ll win some games out of that.”

Lopez graduated from Montrose in 2000. He played football, basketball and baseball while in high school. He now lives in Broome County, N.Y., and works in the insurance industry. He recently transferred to a local office so he could be closer to the high school.

“I just love basketball and have been around it forever. If I wasn’t doing it here, I’d be doing it somewhere else; getting paid, not getting paid, that’s my thing. I love basketball and I always wanted to come back and coach here.”