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The Coaches Show delivers comprehensive weekly coverage of Fullerton College athletics. Produced by students and staff of the radio journalism program at Fullerton College, each episode features game recaps, interviews with coaches and players, and analysis of Hornet sports across all seasons.
The podcast version includes the exclusive "OEC Coach of the Week" segment, featuring in-depth conversations with coaches from around the Orange Empire Conference.
From game analysis to recruiting updates, this is your weekly dose of Fullerton College athletics and Orange Empire Conference sports coverage.
New episodes released weekly during the academic year.
Hi. I'm Arun Nakshone here on the coaches show on Hornet Radio, and it's media day for men's basketball as they get ready to start the season.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Coaches Show. I'm here with Perry Webster, one of the more prolific community college head coaches. Conference championships, state championships. That's what you look at when you look at Florida College Basketball. And, Perry, one of the things I wanna know, because you know that I'm involved in a lot of community college sports, The trend of community college sports has changed a little, and I'm asking you this because you're an educator and a mentor out here.
Speaker 2:We see more professional hire coaches coming on to the scene here at community colleges. Is that a good thing for community college sports, or should we stay traditional with the tenure as coaches being out here?
Speaker 3:That's a good question. I I, you know, I think that people are having to make changes to to keep their sports viable. It's hard sometimes with, with the amount of full time jobs, faculty jobs that are available or not. So, in one sense, I'm happy that they're creating these professional expert jobs, so so we can keep the sports valuable and and show how, valuable our athletic programs are. In another sense, I'm I'm concerned that, you know, we're losing the full time faculty positions that have built California Community College Athletics.
Speaker 3:So trying to solve that and and work through that, I think we really won't know for the next 10, 15 years if if we're on the right track or if we're not on the right track. It's still yet to be seen.
Speaker 2:So, Perry, to follow-up on your last statement, I mean, we look at what's going on right now, and I know you were in all the meetings. So let's take a hard look at community colleges and physical education because you know where I stand on this issue. You know, where does physical education fit on the community college level?
Speaker 3:Yeah. It's concerning. You know, it's it's concerning that the Cal States made that decision, to eliminate the area e, which, you know, where where the one unit of PE has been required, for transfer. I'm concerned about what it looks like moving forward as well. You know, community college, is about serving the whole person.
Speaker 3:We have to have a holistic approach to education. That's always been the case since the ancient Greeks. And to see them kinda squeezing out, PE is very concerning. I I think that, the PE requirement the one unit of PE requirement to help serve students, Students getting an opportunity to go to a walking class, a boxing class, a basketball class, taking a stress management class. So much of the concern is about the physical and and mental, well-being of people in in a country that's, obese, in a country that has a a health health epidemic.
Speaker 3:Us eliminating the eliminating the PE, department is is not something that I think is coincides with the healthy, population. So on our campus, the fight's still not done. We're trying to keep it and we'll see what happens here in the next few weeks.
Speaker 2:You know, we look at these student athletes that you've helped and that you've moved on. I know it really hasn't trickled down yet into community colleges, but one other aspect of this, things like NIL and transferring from right to left, does that work or are you somebody who's a traditionalist that says, hey, let's just keep sports alone?
Speaker 3:I think there's a lot of me that's a traditionalist, but a lot of me sees that, these players have value. And if everybody else in society, is able to use their value to make money, so should the athletes who sometimes, not all the time, come from socioeconomic backgrounds that they need the money. It has affected our level. There's there's players getting paid at our level, and that's okay with me. I would like to see some kind of guardrails in terms of what the transfer portals look like and, some kind of rule set up, but there's just no no real governing body right now at the at the top.
Speaker 3:So it it is kind of the wild wild west and, but I do like the players having some empowerment. I think that, it requires us coaches to reach our players in a different way than maybe we've reached them in the past. I still believe you can be hard on players. I still believe you can coach players and you can mentor players. But I do think that, you know, loving them and making sure that they're welcome and and enjoying their experience is another important thing.
Speaker 2:I'm here with the head coach of Fuller College Basketball, Perry Webster, and Perry went saying that we look at the basketball season now. Last year, you guys only lost 2 for the entire season and you were 15 and 1 in conference. So when you do as well as you do as a head coach and you have these talented young people that come and play basketball for you, how do you look at last year with disappointment or did you and how do you take it to the next step this year?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's hard to look at it disappointingly. You know, when we were we were the defending state champions to the year before, we took everybody's best shot. We played the best schedule in the state. We still end up winning a conference championship and and getting beat in the final 4 and kind of a fluky deal. If I if I didn't take that and look at it, look back at it successfully, I I think I drive myself crazy more than I already do.
Speaker 3:So, I'm gonna I'm gonna be proud of that. You know, we moved every single student athlete on Every player got a full scholarship. Every sophomore got a full scholarship. So for us, that's, you know, it was really a pleasing year. And I and I think we're ready to bounce back.
Speaker 3:I I think we took a good hard look at our roster last year at the end of the season and made some adjustments that we needed to make. We brought in more size. We felt like in that final four game, we just didn't have enough size to compete and go win that game the way we needed to. So we brought in more size and and we're excited about the the year ahead of us.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I'm a little surprised you're not short and feisty like me in there, but that's okay. That's an exception. You talk about moving your guys on. How important is that?
Speaker 2:And I know I ask you that every year about that, Perry, but you're one of the few coaches that move them on as an educator, as a mentor. Do you sort of sit there at the season and say to yourself, I need to get these guys at least to the next educational level?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, that's the nature of the beast of what we're trying to do is to get them the opportunity at the next level. They're here because we have a proven track record of moving them on. They're also here to win and be a part of our culture and be a part of Fullerton College and the community and all those other things. But at the end of the day, they wanna know where have you sent players? Where are they at now?
Speaker 3:I think we've got 5 or 6 guys division 1, another 8 and 9 that are in a d 2 NAIA just this year. And and to go back to what you're talking about with NIL, we got guys getting paid. We got guys that played here that are making good money now to play college basketball, and we have guys in our current roster that are gonna get paid to move on. So, when you think about where a non scholarship California Community College and guys are getting out of here and they're making real money, it's important and and it's something we we really strive to do.
Speaker 2:Before I let you go, one question that I know Corey Nalen would wanna know. How do we get more fans to come back out? Because Corey talks about the old years of community college basketball, the great players that came through community college basketball. You know, being a coach and a player yourself, how do we get the fans back to fill up the nest here so that people will watch community college basketball?
Speaker 3:Yeah. You know, I think on our campus, we've done a pretty good job the last few years. I mean, we we sell out this thing especially late in the season. You know, early in the season would be nice to get a little bit more support and 6, it's kinda hard with with our season though. The way it is is because there's a big chunk of the season where we're off of school for 8 weeks.
Speaker 3:So being able to go connect and get the students out here has been difficult at times in the season. But we brought, you know, Marsha Foster did a great job last year helping us get students out. Vicki Calhoun now is here and she's coaching our cheerleading team, and I know she's gonna she's gonna really push to try to get students here. We feel like we've been pretty well supported. We, you know, we get a lot of the old timers that come to all our games that are very supportive.
Speaker 3:So it's you always want more, but I know that coming to the nest, especially late in the season, is is a is a difficult place to play. So we'll keep pushing to try to get them there earlier in the year.
Speaker 2:We're looking at another 15 in one season. I'm a put you on the spot. Are we gonna be better than that?
Speaker 3:Well, you know, I never I never gonna tell you what our wins and losses are gonna look like. We'll play hard. I know that, and we'll play together. I know that. There's a lot of talent on this roster.
Speaker 3:Like I said, it's a little different than we've been the last few years. We're a lot bigger. We're really athletic. I think it's a team that'll be really fun to watch. I mean, there's gonna be a lot of dunking, a lot of shot blocking and and they play hard And, they're they're they're pretty well together.
Speaker 3:There's a good group of sophomores that have been here a few years. There's some talented freshmen that have come in. And so, I'm really excited to get the the season going. I know that we're sick of practicing against each other at this point in time. We have 2 division 2 scrimmages next week that we're really looking forward to, and then season's just around the corner.
Speaker 2:Well, we'll get ready to look forward to that season as I've got one of the more brilliant young men standing next to me. I'll tell you what, if you ever have a chance to come out and share a basketball game, get out there a little early so you can meet Perry Webster. He's the most incredible young man you would meet. He's a great father. He's a great partner in life to his wife, and he's an educator and mentor.
Speaker 2:And he cares about the students that he deals with on a daily basis. Perry Thank you. Thanks for coming out, and I wish you the best for this upcoming season.
Speaker 4:Thanks, Mark.
Speaker 3:Appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Perry Webster, head coach of your Fullerton College Hornets.
Speaker 1:Welcome back to the Coaches Show. I'm Ari Nakhshone here with JD, and we're at media day.
Speaker 4:Yes, sir.
Speaker 1:So this year, you got high expectations. You guys, you win. You're winners. You have a very, like, defensive oriented game. How do you expect that to start this year?
Speaker 4:I felt I felt like it's gonna start, pretty well. I say we've been working all spring, all summer, all fall, really. So I think it's gonna have a big impact for sure.
Speaker 1:You guys have won 4 conference championships, 2 state championships. Is that your expectation for this season?
Speaker 4:Yeah, for sure. I mean me and my team, my coaches, we all prepared to win so we all wanna win at the highest level, which is, you know, conference championship, state championship. So that's for sure what we're going for.
Speaker 1:Defensively, what do you think you bring to this team?
Speaker 4:I feel like I just bring, like, ultimate effort, energy all the time. My teammates as well, they always bring ultimate energy, effort as well. So we all just gonna be some dogs on defense pretty much.
Speaker 1:So Fullerton College, what made you choose it?
Speaker 4:Really, coach Perry. I came here. I toured the school and everything. He gave me the breakdown, told me, you know, how much better I'm a get as a person, as a player. So, yeah, I just basically took his word for it.
Speaker 4:It was probably the best choice I could have made.
Speaker 1:Was there anything specific that he said that really solidified your choice here?
Speaker 4:Well, he just knew, like, I was young coming in, you know, inexperienced. So he basically, I'm just gonna have to learn coming in. He just, taught me, like, basically, I'm early. I'm learning. So that's just the most most important thing.
Speaker 4:I just gotta continue to learn.
Speaker 1:Alright. And the fun question now, who do you think on the team has the best style?
Speaker 4:The best style, I would say I'll say I'll say I could say myself, but I'm a pass it to see what see what I got. He got nice style. So I'm a say I'm a say Christian.
Speaker 1:So away from the style back to the defense, how do you think that coach or what is his expectation from you specifically?
Speaker 4:Specifically to to guard all the time 247. Basically, be all over the court, do whatever I can do, help out whoever I need to help out and just be a anchor on defense pretty much.
Speaker 1:Alright. And that's JD. I'm Ari Nakhshone here on the coaches show. Thank you so much. Thank
Speaker 4:you. Appreciate it. Hi.
Speaker 1:I'm Ari Nakhshone shown back on the coaches show, and I am here with Christian Watson. So defensively, what do you think you bring to this team?
Speaker 5:I think on the defensive end, I bring a lot of, length, obviously, just the way I'm built. A lot of quickness. I get my hands on balls. I could also guard, I think, 1 through 3, 1 through 4 on this level. So just being able to, rotate, switch out on different people, being a versatile defender, I think that's what I could bring.
Speaker 1:Last year, you guys had a great season. You were league MVP. What do you think the expectations are coming into this season?
Speaker 5:I think, honestly, the only expectation for us, inside our circle is honestly just going and winning the whole thing. I felt like last year, I got really, really close just being a shot away from the championship game. So I think, honestly, my only expectation is to just go and win it all. I think personally, I, of course, wanna get better and take leaps from last year, but I think the biggest goal is just getting the win at the end of the day and just having another successful season and hopefully getting some hardware at the end.
Speaker 1:So what made you wanna come here to Fullerton College?
Speaker 5:Honestly, it was the coaching staff. Last year before coming in, coach Perry had, been recruiting me really hard. He always kinda stayed since the beginning when I was kinda figuring out what I wanted to do, and he always just gave me the real, kinda told me, like, he had a spot for me and that he wanted me to come in and kinda help run the show and play point guards. And, obviously, I had to buy in and, prove that when I got here. But, honestly, just the coaching staff, what I heard, the players that can't play the year before who got out.
Speaker 5:So I think a little bit of both.
Speaker 1:What specifically did he say to you that made you really choose Fullerton and you decided you wanted to play here no matter what?
Speaker 5:He just kinda explained to me, what their program is because I didn't know as much before. I know they won the championship before, but just kinda, how the recruitment is, players like me that he's coached before. It's just kinda how he wants to use me and what he his end goals are and helping me get to my end goals too as well. So just those conversations, I think, help me connect with him and obviously make me end up making this choice.
Speaker 1:So the fun question today k. Who do you think has the best style on the team?
Speaker 5:We got a lot of, players with different style. So I would say other than myself, I would definitely say I like, I like Jakari. I've seen Jakari wear some cool little pieces. I've seen Jakari and I like JD. JD a little bit too.
Speaker 5:Those are 2 of my guys, so they always kinda like myself. We kinda, like, try to put on different stuff, things like that. So yeah. For sure.
Speaker 1:JD was also giving you some shout outs. He said himself, maybe you as well. So That
Speaker 5:sounds good. Great.
Speaker 1:You able to make
Speaker 5:a light.
Speaker 1:Yeah. There you go. So you guys got the chemistry building. You've been here a year. How do you think that that'll help you guys even get further than you did last year?
Speaker 5:I I I think just the experience of playing with each other, of course, is gonna help. Last year, a lot of us didn't play with each other as much. So it was kinda, it wasn't difficult, but it was more of a challenge just gelling together, especially in the beginning. But now just me being here for a long time, just knowing the players as well as the coaches now, it just it just makes it so much more easier along with me and some of the returning guys like JD, Adi, even the red shirts, Kyrie and stuff like that. They've been around the program and they know the system.
Speaker 5:So we all kinda know what to expect from each other and then the coaches as well. So it makes it a ton easier.
Speaker 1:So outside of your expectations for this year and what you wanna accomplish, is there any big goals that you have for the future of your basketball career?
Speaker 5:Yeah. Outside of, here, definitely after the state championship, I wanna hopefully sign to a university after this. And then after that, of course, just get my degree and then have a shot to play pro. Ever since I was a kid, that's kinda been something I really dreamed of and wanted to do. So, of course, I have goals before that, but that definitely is one of those end goals I wanna reach.
Speaker 5:It's something I thought about since I was a kid. So definitely that. Right.
Speaker 1:I'm Ari Nakshone here with Christian Watson. Thank you so much for the interview.
Speaker 4:Yes, sir.
Speaker 1:Hope you have a great rest of your season.
Speaker 5:Thank you.
Speaker 4:Tell you so much.
Speaker 1:Now we're talking with JQ Strong, and you've been here before. This is a program you're familiar with. I was talking with some of your teammates. How do you think that this year your chemistry is gonna build?
Speaker 6:You know, we're real together. So, on and off the court, I think is a real real big thing, you know, spending time with you off the court. And we're really gelling together these last, you know, few weeks, a few months of practice. So I think, you know, we're rolling together for
Speaker 1:So, coach, is do you think he's the reason you came here, or was it a different part of the program that is that drew you to Fullerton?
Speaker 6:No. Most definitely, you know, dealing with all the coaches on my visit. I just felt more most comfortable, making my decision to come here, and they just made me feel so welcome. So yeah.
Speaker 1:Was there anything specifically that he had said that really helped you decide you wanted to come here?
Speaker 6:I'll say just being the better version of me on and off the court. And I just, you know, put my trust in him, put my faith in him, and it's gonna work out.
Speaker 1:So you guys are winners. You guys have won a conference. You've been winning the championships. Is that the standard for you, this year?
Speaker 6:Of course. Nothing nothing less. We want you know, we came short last year, semifinals, but, you know, this coming up here, we want that ring.
Speaker 1:But division that you want you wanna get all the way, you're trying to win as much as you can, no losses this year.
Speaker 6:No. Yeah. We're trying to go 26, 27, and no. How many games would that it takes? We we don't want no losses.
Speaker 6:So coach loves defense.
Speaker 1:What do you think you bring to the team defensively?
Speaker 6:Length. I can guard multiple positions, so that really helps. And, you know, having more size so I can guard more more guards and more on the perimeter, just adds to our our defensive strength.
Speaker 1:Do you think there's anything specifically he asks of you to do on the floor on the day to day or during games or maybe even something new that he wants from you this year?
Speaker 6:I'll say everything is really the same. You know, score, rebound, defend. I think it's really all the same. Being in the right bizarre right spots, right position, to help my teammates and then also myself.
Speaker 1:Is there anything that even from just your own, viewpoint that you wanna improve on from last year?
Speaker 6:I'll say, rebounding and just my, defensive hustle. So just, you know, you don't you don't wanna score. We don't want them to score, and that's how we gonna win.
Speaker 4:So Alright.
Speaker 1:So now the fun question. Who on the team do you think has the best style?
Speaker 6:Style? Me. Yeah. Me. 100%.
Speaker 6:No. Yeah. Or or, Christian. I'll get it. See why.
Speaker 6:Yeah. Okay.
Speaker 1:Give me
Speaker 6:a minute. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Alright. That's great. So you guys have had that year together. I mentioned that earlier. Is there anything that you're looking forward to with maybe him or some of your other returning teammates that you guys want to have, like, an experience together?
Speaker 6:I'll say just, you know, winning that title together. I think, you know, it was real emotional last year losing, but we knew we could have done it. So I feel like winning that this year would just, you know, it'll it'll be like pearly gates.
Speaker 1:Alright. Thank you so much for the interview, and good luck on your year.
Speaker 6:Appreciate it.
Speaker 1:And that was Christian Watson here at media day. Next week, Fullerton College had their first scrimmage, but if you wanna see them at their first game on November 1st, they play at Mira Costa College. Thank you to everyone here at Fullerton College men's basketball. I'm Ari Nakhshone here on the coaches show on Hornet Radio.