Mark Vanderslice has been coaching the USCA Men’s Basketball team for an entire decade, and this last season was one for the books. The USCA team won the Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Title and finished the season with a 24-9 ledger under Vanderslice’s leadership. We sat down with Mark to find out more about the success of this past season and his values as a coach.
What are some core values you instill in your players and team?
We really want guys who line up with the intangibles of coachability, character and work ethic. Coachability primarily involves great listening skills and someone who buys into what we’re trying to do. Character, for me, is about having guys who are great decision-makers. How do they approach life, community, the game? Do they approach from a good decision maker standpoint? Are they going to bed at 4 the night before a game, are they eating poorly the day of the game? And work ethic is pretty simple — I want guys who work hard.
What else do you look for when recruiting new players for your team?
The biggest, all-encompassing factor is that you have to be a competitor. That’s the box we check more than anything. We want somebody who’s a competitor in life, someone who wants to win on the court but also wants to win in the classroom, the community and all aspects of life.
What were the key factors that contributed to the success of this past season?
A lot of it was battle-tested experience. We had 12 returners from the previous year, a core group that already knew our system and had a year under their belts. They had a good feel for me, and there was an ingrained culture in the locker room that carried over into the newcomers who joined.
What challenges did you face this past season, and how did you overcome them?
I think one of the most common challenges in sports is grappling with personal agendas within the locker room, and it’s not an inherently negative thing. You want guys who have goals. But they have to balance personal goals with team objectives. Like I said before, we want competitors in the locker rooms. That’s what recruitment is about. And when you’re a competitor, you find yourself willing to sacrifice and willing to be more flexible when it comes to the team objectives. Now, compared to challenges we’ve had in the past? That’s nothing. We had an unbelievable team in that locker room… great people, great human beings. Those are just normal coaching challenges.
What legacy do you hope to leave with this program?
The most important thing for me in terms of legacy is that I leave a lasting impression that I did for others more than for myself. When we start each year, we go through all of the guys, and I ask them this question, “Before we get started, why do you play basketball?” And before they answer, I let them process the question because it’s a deep one. And I answer the question of why I coach. The answer is threefold. First, it’s the competition — I love to compete. Second, it’s the relationships. And third, I want to help and serve each player in the name of the Lord.