Episode 109 with Ben Guest, Educator, Builder of Great Relationships through Education and Basketball, and Author of Zen and the Art of Coaching Basketball: Memoir of a Namibian Odyssey

Episode 109 Notes and Links to Ben Guest’s Work 

 

     On Episode 109 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Ben Guest, and the two discuss shared teaching histories, a love of great literature, including sportswriting, and Ben’s early days of coaching and the lessons learned therein. The two also discuss, among other topics, the importance of zen and relationship building in Ben’s coaching life and everyday life, as well as his book that chronicles some amazing times and players from the Namibian high school basketball world and the KBA, its professional basketball league. 

    Ben Guest is a three-time champion and two-time Basketball Coach of the Year, with a PHD in Educational Leadership. He spent ten years in Namibia where he coached in the KBA, and he wrote the book Zen and the Art of Coaching Basketball: Memoir of a Namibian Odyssey. 

 

 

Buy Ben Guest's Zen and the Art of Coaching Basketball: Memoir of a Namibian Odyssey

 

The Creativity, Education, and Leadership Podcast

 

Ben Guest's Substack

 

Article on Namibian Independence and Apartheid in the Country Imposed by South Africa

At about 2:20, Pete introduces Ben Guest, after an unusual start for the podcast, with Pete and Ben talking about the similarities between being a high school teacher and a traveling salesman

 

At about 3:20, Pete talks about a friend’s incredible devotion to leaving schoolwork at school

 

At about 4:10, Ben details his grading regimen from his high school teaching days

 

At about 5:15, Ben responds to Pete’s questions about his childhood love of reading and highlights inspirational teachers John Roemer and Howard Berkowitz)

 

At about 7:10, Ben talks about his early love for Stephen King and other fantasy and horror and comic books that drew his interest

 

At about 10:15, Pete posits that Ben’s relatively-late embrace of basketball is a large reason for his passion, and Ben responds and talks about his early days of shooting

 

At about 12:20, Ben gives his scouting report from his prime basketball-playing days 

 

At about 14:20, Ben disabuses any notion of regular Joes like Pete and Ben getting a bucket in NBA “garbage time,” using the example of Perry Moss, and Pete shouts out Isaac Fontaine as a similar case

 

At about 17:10, Ben shouts out Brian Scalabrine being challenged for his skills-the video is classic; at about 18:00, Ben highlights a great quote from “Dre” Alvarez of Box Score Geeks Podcast

 

At about 19:20, Ben responds to Pete’s question about sportswriters who have inspired him-Gary Smith is one, and Best American Sportswriting, edited by Glenn Stout, is cited as a formative anthology, and Ben relates how he can to have Glenn Stout as the editor for his book

 

At about 22:30, Ben talks about Hakeem Olajuwon as an inspiration  

 

At about 23:30, Pete and Ben discuss a short

 

At about 24:40, Ben describes his time coaching basketball in Mississippi, and Pete and Ben talk about coaching styles-specifically coaches known as yellers and Ben talks about his early understandings of “control”

 

At about 28:00, Ben discusses the importance of relationships and self-growth in coaching and life overall

 

At about 29:35, Ben outlines the background of and seeds for Zen and the Art of Coaching Basketball

 

At about 32:35, Ben shares meaningful feedback that he has received from readers, and he details the breakdown of the book’s format 

 

At about 35:30, Pete and Ben break down the epigraph of the book and the book’s first chapter 

 

At about 36:45, Ben provides background on his early coaching days, lessons learned, and how his first team in Namibia came together 

 

At about 37:50, Ben quotes Mr. Berkowitz with some great coaching/teaching/life advice 

 

At about 39:15, Ben gives historical background on Namibia and its “locations” (neighborhoods), as well as continuing traumas

 

At about 41:50, Ben highlights his education in Namibia of how Americans are seen abroad and the country’s horrendous past alliances with racist governments and power structures

 

At about 44:30, Pete highlights lessons learned by Ben in using a “less is more” approach in MS coaching, and why he didn’t continue using this approach after having a one game success

 

At about 46:30, Ben mentions his podcast, and how this helped him get in touch via email with Phil Jackson

 

At about 48:20, Ben details his journey with meditation and how it has helped him

 

At about 49:10, Ben teases an upcoming project with a retired NBA player

 

At about 51:00, Pete shouts out a coaching mentor, and compliments Ben’s even keel, leading to a description of a stunning Brad Stevens’ moment of zen

 

At about 51:50, Pete and Ben discuss the historic KBA victory

 

At about 53:40, Pete discusses the investment that the reader makes with the players in the book

 

At about 54:00, Ben shouts out his Substack, and where to buy the book

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The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 110 with Bryce Hedstrom, El Padrino of Comprehensible Input in the foreign language classroom, and widely recognized as an outstanding world language teacher with more than 25 years of experience at all levels. A frequent regional, state and national presenter, he is known for helping world language teachers to enhance their existing programs by incorporating many strategies that emphasize social awareness, interpersonal communication and varied reading techniques in the classroom. The episode will air on March 15. 

This episode is the first of five this week. On Monday, March 21, there will be a drawing for a $100 gift card to bookshop.org. In order to enter the drawing:

1. DM Pete on Twitter by Monday at 8am PST with the five code words that are contained (one per episode) within each day’s podcast. 
2. Retweet any five tweets that have episode links for Episodes 109-113, with Ben Guest, Bryce Hedstrom, Taylor Byas, James Tate Hill, and Nicole Santa Cruz, respectively.