Earlier than Dan Hurley’s UConn grasp class, he was a highschool historical past trainer

Juan Santamaria’s World Historical past II trainer comes up usually, greater than any 38-year-old’s highschool trainer ought to. Santamaria lately attended a soccer occasion in Kansas Metropolis and located himself in a crowd of basketball followers. He observed a person studying “The Miracle of St. Anthony,” a e book about legendary highschool basketball coach Bob Hurley Sr.

“You realize, I do know his son, Dan Hurley,” Santamaria stated.

“No method,” the person replied. “I really like Dan.”

“I’m severe,” Santamaria stated. “He was my historical past trainer.”

His viewers wasn’t shopping for it.

“Sure,” Santamaria stated. “That’s how he began.”

UConn coach Dan Hurley has spoken usually about his days at St. Benedict’s Preparatory College in Newark, N.J., and the way they formed the person he’s now: an elite school basketball coach, winner of the final two males’s nationwide titles, who this summer season turned down an opportunity to teach the Los Angeles Lakers.

Not as a lot is thought about Hurley’s days as a trainer, a task usually required of highschool coaches. He referenced them throughout a information convention in April on the Ultimate 4 in Arizona, discussing how he realized to regulate a classroom, first at St. Anthony, the place he taught well being, bodily training, intercourse training and driver’s training, then at St. Benedict’s, the place he labored from 2001 to 2010.

How did this ultra-intense coach, one with a red-faced fame for difficult gamers and officers, adapt to the classroom, educating the French Revolution and the collapse of the Roman Empire?

Knowledgeable lately that The Athletic had spoken with a couple of dozen former St. Benedict’s college students, in addition to management and college, about his educating days, Hurley laughed. “Oh, God,” he stated, as if not sure of what was to return. A liberal research main at Seton Corridor with a minor in legal justice, Hurley stated educating World Historical past II was most likely probably the most nervous he’s been in his life. He additionally doesn’t suppose he’s ever labored tougher.

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St. Benedict’s within the early 2000s had a various enrollment of about 500. It was an all-boys faculty, grades seven via 12. The college calendar included out-of-classroom periods designed to get college students concerned in group service or different actions similar to mountain climbing or martial arts. The costume code was button-down shirts with ties, though in later years this modified to hoodies.

Hurley, who had simply misplaced his job as an assistant coach at Rutgers, labored in admissions along with teaching and educating. He was 28 and married with a 2-year-old son. On most days, his work schedule unfolded like this:

8:30-11 a.m.: Educating historical past. World Historical past II, which most college students took as sophomores, lined European historical past, beginning with the Center Ages. Main as much as his first week, Hurley studied past the textbook as a result of he was satisfied “some wise-ass youngsters had been going to check me.” These near him, nonetheless, thought it was an excellent match.

“I assumed historical past was most likely up his alley as a result of it’s loads of memorization,’’ stated Hurley’s older brother, Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley. “You don’t must do labs or something. If he was doing that, I’d be scared he may blow the college up or one thing.”

11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Visiting faculties. Driving a school-issued automobile, Hurley would go to grade faculties in Newark, Irvington and East Orange and discuss to college students about the advantages of St. Benedict’s. This showcased Hurley’s individuals abilities, missed all through his profession in basketball.

“He’s a kind of guys, if individuals catch him getting on a participant or getting on an official, it’s, ‘Oh, that’s what he’s like,’” stated P.J. Carlesimo, who coached Hurley at Seton Corridor. “However in case you discuss to the gamers particularly, or guys he taught, they’d say, ‘No, no, no.’ They’d do something for him.”

3-6 p.m.: Teaching basketball. Hurley would end his follow plan and run follow. Some nights the Grey Bees might need a sport. Others, he’d keep late and greet guests at a college honest. If nothing else, Hurley would return residence and grade papers.

Father Edwin Leahy, the headmaster at St. Benedict’s, by no means doubted Hurley would put within the work, principally as a result of Hurley had watched his dad do it for years at St. Anthony, the place he had received 26 state championships.

“St. Anthony was only a tiny little field in the midst of Jersey Metropolis proper earlier than the Holland Tunnel and all people did no matter they needed to do to make the factor work,’’ Leahy stated. “Danny grew up in that sort of an setting of watching these adults, whether or not they had been the spiritual sisters or the lay individuals who would do no matter they needed to do. So educating historical past, I don’t suppose it was one thing that he was enthusiastic about at first, however he knew you probably did no matter you needed to do.”

Former college students describe Hurley principally in 3 ways: He had a presence. He had a humorousness. And he had swag.

“Rising up as a child within the interior metropolis, in Newark or wherever round there, you knew all of the neighbors,” stated Joe Carratura, Class of 2004. “You might play exterior all day lengthy. All people sat on their stoop. Miss Susie down the road was your babysitter. It was only a group, and he felt like he belonged there.”

Marc Onion taught English. Shortly after Hurley’s rent, Onion went and watched a summer season basketball exercise. He observed the AC was shut off and Hurley had his guys taking part in not full court docket however full health club, with the bleachers pulled again. No out of bounds. No fouls. Simply seize the ball and go. A take a look at of wills.

Within the classroom, Onion observed a unique setting however comparable management. Hurley walked across the room. He posted up within the nook. He by no means sat behind his desk. “He’d sit alongside the entrance edge and form of be the large commander over the children within the room,” Onion stated. “He had the wherewithal to know that, ‘All proper, I’m going to be attentive to each man on this area simply by being in actually shut proximity.’”

“I believe the worst factor generally to say in regards to the trainer and the category is there’s no self-discipline,” Hurley stated. “Like, ‘The youngsters present no respect for the trainer.’ So for me it felt like if I ever went behind the desk, my presence wouldn’t be simply as sturdy. And I’d be opening up the door for some degree of anarchy.”

Most of Hurley’s lessons had 20 or so college students. Some referred to as him “Coach.” Others referred to as him “Hurley.” He assigned them nicknames. If somebody wore a Dennis Rodman jersey, he turned “Rodman” for the remainder of the college yr. If somebody had slicked-back hair, he turned “Slick.” Santamaria, a 2004 grad, was shortened to “Santa-man.”

Hurley introduced take a look at scores by soccer place and jersey quantity. Those that scored within the 80s had been large receivers. We acquired a Jerry Rice. Those that failed, scoring within the 20s, for instance, would get a operating again. Oh, we acquired an Emmitt Smith over right here.

Sure positions you’d need to keep away from, Hurley stated.

“You’ll go in there and also you’d know there was going to be a joke right here and there,” Santamaria stated. “I loved his class as a result of I knew there was going to be banter. There was going to be some humor, some zings being thrown round, which at all times made it enjoyable.”

Hurley wore khakis and a basketball pullover. (“I’ve by no means been a garments particular person,” he stated.) He walked with swagger. College students referred to as it the “Hurley Shuffle” and tried to imitate it within the hallway. “Individuals have at all times made enjoyable of the best way I stroll,” Hurley stated. He had receding hair and a rising midsection. At lunch, Hurley would go along with school members to Department Brook Park the place he would seize just a few sizzling canines with sauerkraut, onions or chili. Plan B was pizza.

His educating fashion was direct. One scholar described it as, “Don’t bust my balls, I received’t bust yours.” One other joked that he felt like he needed to get his work performed as a result of he didn’t need to must run line drills within the health club. Almost all agreed Hurley held them accountable.

“He cared about what he was doing and he cared in regards to the youngsters that had been with him,” stated Jim Duffy, who additionally taught historical past. “I imply, the nickname stuff sounds cutesy, however to a sure extent that turns into a method of classroom administration. Which is a complete trick to educating as a result of in case you can’t handle a classroom, they’re going to eat you alive, whether or not you’re the basketball coach or not.”

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St. Benedict’s allowed college students to carry jobs across the faculty. This system was designed to show accountability, whereas placing cash in college students’ pockets. Marcos Novoa’s job was to scrub the health club, which included Hurley’s workplace.

Novoa didn’t have Hurley in school. He wasn’t a lot of a basketball fan. However practically each day, he entered Hurley’s workplace, which was the dimensions of a cubicle, and cleaned out his rubbish or straightened his desk. He was a jokester. Hurley was a jokester. They acquired alongside nicely.

“We had been all youngsters, but it surely nearly felt like he could possibly be one in all us,” stated Novoa, now a police officer in New Jersey. “If I had a difficulty, and I didn’t need to deliver it to anybody necessary so to talk, I’d most likely really feel extra comfy going to him first. To me, he was any individual I may relate to a bit bit greater than others.”

Mike Malinowski credit Hurley for getting him began on his path to educating. Someday within the fall of 2003, he was consuming breakfast within the faculty cafeteria when Hurley and one other trainer referred to as him over. They requested Malinowski about his school plans. Malinowski listed 4 faculties he was contemplating. Hurley advised him he wanted to decide on Rutgers.

“He put me on that trajectory,’’ stated Malinowski, now in his fifteenth yr as a trainer. “I attended that college due to him. I went there, I met my spouse. I acquired concerned with a bunch of different nice lecturers and professors. I imply, not directly, did it will definitely lead me to turn out to be a trainer? … I can’t lie and say I turned a trainer due to him, however I’d be remiss if I didn’t say I’m a greater trainer due to my expertise with him.”

As a basketball coach, Hurley took St. Benedict’s to a nationwide degree. He went 223-21 over 9 years, agonizing over every loss as Hurleys do. If St. Benedict’s had a tough sport developing, he would have a take a look at or a Historical past Channel video prepared for the following day’s class, one thing that may give him time to reset ought to the Grey Bees lose. Calling out was not one thing lecturers did at St. Benedict’s. Hurley doesn’t recall taking one sick day in 9 years.

(Talking of shedding, when Hurley referred to as final spring to debate the Lakers job, Leahy advised him he was out of his thoughts and wanted to think about his spouse, Andrea. “You’re going to lose extra video games with the Lakers than you’re going to lose at UConn, and also you’re a psychological case while you lose,” Leahy stated he advised Hurley. “You’re going to return residence to Andrea and he or she’s going to hit you over the top with a pot. You possibly can’t try this.”)

A lot of the St. Benedict’s college students who spoke to The Athletic have adopted Hurley’s profession. From Wagner to Rhode Island, then to Connecticut, the place the 51-year-old is beginning his seventh season, they nonetheless see the identical man. Most stated that if they might cross Hurley on the sidewalk, he might not know their names, however he would acknowledge their faces.

“I’m fairly positive in case you put us in a room with Hurley, he’s gonna be the identical actual particular person he was 20 years in the past,” stated Rui Ribeiro, a 2005 grad. “He’s going to crack jokes and make enjoyable of this and speak about that. That’s simply the kind of particular person he’s, which is sweet. You shouldn’t change simply since you’re succeeding in life.”

Hurley, who was lately inducted into the St. Benedict’s Corridor of Fame, stated educating was so much like teaching. Courses had been like practices. Checks and quizzes had been like video games. He needed to indicate college students he was ready. He needed to make it enjoyable. He needed to indicate he cared. Wanting again, he considers it an important time of his skilled life, which is why he as soon as talked with Leahy about returning in the future to show historical past and coach ball, a profession come full circle.

With UConn about to chase a 3rd consecutive nationwide title, Hurley is aware of this appears far-fetched.

“I’ve at all times in my thoughts … who is aware of on the finish whether or not you’ve had sufficient of the excessive finish of sports activities and also you simply needed to get again to pure teaching or an expertise like that,” he stated, earlier than pausing. “In the long run, perhaps. Who is aware of.”

(Prime picture: Michael Reaves / Getty Pictures)