Conestoga Valley’s new coach- Jim Shipper
Written by: Dell Jackson on September 17, 2020
Ed note: Llhoops has followed Coach Shipper when he was the Pequea Valley boss. His love for the game is evident in his thoughts and his motivational tweets. We did a zoom interview with Coach before he got the CV job. His background is interesting in that he has coached at different levels and different leagues- the most recent being a top assistant at Elizabethtown College. His reading list is very special too. Enjoy!
1) Please give our LLhoops followers your coaching background.
Began Coaching at the High School level in 2002.
2002-2006 Harrisburg Christian
2006-2013 Lancaster County Christian
2013-2016 Pequea Valley
2016-2020 Elizabethtown College
2) How excited are you to be back in the LL?
The LL has some really great basketball and tradition. I am excited to be a part of that tradition.
The best part about the LL are the coaches. The League really has some great coaches who do things the right way.
The League is full of great people.
3) We know you haven’t had much, if any, time with your new team, but what are your short term and long term goals for CV?
Short term goals would be to get into the gym and start building relationship and having the opportunity to learn our “language-terminology”and implementing our basketball system. I really believe in the phrase “Simplicity is King”, so we want to cover our sets/action while keeping it simple in year one.
Our Focus is getting better each day, no wasted opportunity, take nothing for granted.
Long term: We want to build the system where we are operating as “One” from the Rec League through High School. We are One Basketball Community, that is the goal, if we do that and we focus on the process of getting better each day the won/loss record will take care of itself.
4) How different was it for you to interview via remote?
The truth be told, that was the most uncomfortable thing for me. I like the in-person interaction, reading body language, strictly communicating through remote has some challenges. I have been doing it more as of late but prefer the face to face interactions.
5) You will now have 2 different basketball hats (Spooky Nook and CV head coach). What are the challenges that you will face doing both jobs?
I really feel it is actually more advantageous than a challenge. My career at Spooky Nook as the Director of Basketball has allowed me an opportunity to meet so many individuals and basketball minds from all over the country. Locally, it has helped strengthen many relationships with coaches throughout our District 3 area.
At the end of the day, we all share a common goal of providing basketball opportunities to our teams/athletes/families.
6) You love to read…give us one of your best reads for players, fans and llhoops followers?
1. Why the Best are the Best (Kevin Eastman)
2. David and Goliath (Malcolm Gladwell)
3. The Program (Wiley)
4. Relentless (Tim Grover)
5. How Champions Think (Bob Rotella)
Sorry, Can’t just give one!
7) In a previous interview with LLhoops, you talked about branding a team…Besides the new twitter handle, how are you going to brand the Buckskins?
I will be branding with twitter but other than that I need to spend time with our guys and get what our “vibe” is, what our team makeup/chemistry is and tailor it to “Who we are” and “What we want to be together”.
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