It takes a special kind of talent and skill set to be a successful coach in college basketball, whether it’s 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, he’s 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 women’s basketball legend admitted that he had to learn how to be a father.
Geno Auriemma says he grew up without a dad
“Being an immigrant, I kinda grew up without a dad even though he worked in a factory and was home all the time,” Auriemma said. “Learning how to be a good father was really important to me. I didn’t know whether I was getting it right or not, so I was always worried about that.”
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:
“My job took me away from home a lot,” Auriemma continued. “Balancing out work, being a good dad, giving yourself some Grace, and constantly being critical of myself and others, I think that’s the heaviest burden that I bring. And it’s all self-inflicted.”
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Auriemma is perhaps the greatest coach in women’s college basketball history, not to mention a mentor and beloved figure to countless legends. Still, most of his success didn’t have anything to do with what his team did on the court.
