It takes a special kind of talent and skill set to be a successful coach in college basketball, whether itās for male or female teams. Geno Auriemma sure knows a thing or two about that.
The legendary coach has been at UConn for four decades now. Needless to say, heās made an impact in countless lives, often times being seen as a father figure for future stars.
Notably, that was the hardest part of the job. In a recent interview with Berett Ledbetter, the womenās basketball legend admitted that he had to learn how to be a father.
Geno Auriemma says he grew up without a dad
āBeing an immigrant, I kinda grew up without a dad even though he worked in a factory and was home all the time,ā Auriemma said. āLearning how to be a good father was really important to me. I didnāt know whether I was getting it right or not, so I was always worried about that.ā
November 15, 2024: Conn coach Geno Auriemma tied the NCAA, College League, USA Division I record for men s or women s basketball with his 1,216th career victory Friday night as his No. 2 Huskies beat No. 14 North Carolina 69-58. NCAA basketball game between University of Connecticut and University of North Carolina at First Horizon Arena, Greensboro NC CSM Greensboro United States of America
Still, being on the road all the time is a heavy burden, and coach Auriemma has also had to make some big sacrifices of his own to be there for his players over the years:
āMy job took me away from home a lot,ā Auriemma continued. āBalancing out work, being a good dad, giving yourself some Grace, and constantly being critical of myself and others, I think thatās the heaviest burden that I bring. And itās all self-inflicted.ā
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Auriemma is perhaps the greatest coach in womenās college basketball history, not to mention a mentor and beloved figure to countless legends. Still, most of his success didnāt have anything to do with what his team did on the court.
