Harris enjoys assistant coaching role

By Julie Newell
Editor in Chief

Assistant men’s basketball coach Terry Harris has been coaching for over 25 years, the last 17 of those at LCC.

“Terry’s a good coach; he’s been a good coach for a long time,” LCC Head Coach Mike Ingram said.
Harris’ coaching career started at Waverly Middle School, where he coached Ingram’s daughter, among many others.

“I was coaching his daughter over at Waverly Middle School and so coach Ingram was coming to the games,” Harris said. “All of a sudden I started coming to watch his games and then it tripled from there.”

Ingram said he liked the way Harris coached the middle school team.

“I liked his demeanor; I liked how the girls responded to him,” Ingram said. “At that time I felt like I needed a guy that was a little calmer with me on the sidelines.”

Not long after that Harris got more involved with the LCC basketball team.

“I started talking to him (Ingram) about coming to his practices to see how he was practicing; how everything worked out,” Harris said. “Then I said, ‘Hey, I think I could probably do this.’”

Before coaching, Harris studied at Delta College, where his father taught. Harris then transferred to Northwood University.

“I never thought I was going to be a coach; actually I thought I was going to be a math teacher,” Harris said. “I tried being a math teacher. I think I might have had the wrong grade.

“I changed my major to computer engineering, my eyes got bad after that and then (I studied) business.”

Harris said he loves working as a coach at LCC with Ingram.

“Mike’s a good coach, good friend (and) a good mentor,” Harris said. “I enjoy the things that he does with the young men, teaching them. It helps me learn how to cope with them and teach them.”

Ingram said Harris is more than just a good coach.

“Terry’s been good for me and not only has he been an assistant coach, he’s been a trusted friend; somebody that I can rely on,” Ingram said. “We think alike, we say the same things … We’re just on the same page about a lot of stuff with our program.”

Harris said his favorite part about coaching is watching the players grow.

“Just seeing that it’s more than just basketball and sometimes they don’t really see that,” Harris said. “Just the opportunity to prepare them for the next level and preparing them for life itself.”