More Important Than Numbers – UBC Head Coach Kevin Hanson Reflects on 300th Win

VANCOUVER,BC–Disregard the score, the potential playoff implications, or the fact that it extended a current win streak to seven games, Friday night ‘s result was sweeter than most.

With a 77-43 win over the UBCO Heat, Kevin Hanson recorded his 300th win as head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds, adding another accolade to a 12-year career that few have matched.

“To be quite honest I really just reflect on some of the great coaches we’ve got,” said Hanson. “And like I said, the legacy I want to leave at UBC is more about how many players we’ve been able to move on and play professionally, and more importantly, give back to basketball and start coaching.”

Before grabbing the reigns at UBC in 2000, Hanson coached at Langara College for nine years, amassing an incredible record of 261 wins and just 74 losses.

Compare Hanson’s recent accomplishments to those of a peer on the other side of the nation, St. Francis Xavier head coach Steve Konchalski, and it’s clear that he’s on pace to reach the upper echelon of the CIS.

Earlier this month, Konchalski accumulated his 800th win during his 37th season at StFX. If Hanson has 300 victories in only his 12th season at UBC, that puts him on track to eclipse 900 W’s in his 36th season.

Granted, that’s assuming a lot of outside factors fall into place.

Hanson would have to keep bringing in talented players and continue to translate that talent into wins – and of course he would have to remain at UBC until 2036.

For now though, Hanson isn’t looking too far ahead into the future.

“Numbers of games means something later down the road in life,” he said after the win. “But right now I just love the personal side of the game and being able to coach a great group of guys.”

“I love the fact that I’ve got a lot of alumni that are coaching high school and college ranks, and some in the university level now. That’s a sign that I’m getting older if anything. But that’s more of the legacy I want.”

Former standouts Jordan Yu and Casey Archibald have both interned after graduation. Yu now coaches a successful men’s program at Capilano University, while Archibald is undergoing his first year on the pine, this time in a suit instead of blue and gold.

“If they’re able to survive five years of playing for me, they’re able to take anything as a coach,” said Hanson.

“They know me, they know my pregame and postgame speeches, they know a lot, and I think it’s big for the program to keep those types of relationships – to keep it in-house. Hopefully we’ll keep continuing to produce basketball minds that want to stay involved in the game.”