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February 16, 2012

Those close to Weir reflect on his coaching career

BY GREG KLEIN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Milford senior forward Avalon Ward heard about her coach, Jim Weir, getting his 300th girls basketball victory the same way everyone else did.

“I didn’t know about it until I read about it in the paper,” Ward said. “He didn’t say anything to us about it.”

Weir earned his 300th victory on the road against Richfield Springs on Feb. 7. And his modesty about his accomplishments in his 22 seasons coaching the Wildcats is typical, according to others who have played for him, and those who know him. The only trait they point to more often is his sense of humor.

“He was aware of the milestone,” said Dave Prouty, who coaches the junior varsity girls and assists Weir with the varsity team. “He’d say, ‘well, I’m halfway to catching Preston.’”

He was referring to Davenport coach Ray Preston, who just got his 600th win.

Whether he catches Preston or not, Weir’s accomplishments stand out at Milford, where he graduated in the 1970s.

“If it is a close game, I think he’s worth three or four points for our team,” said Prouty. “That’s how good of a coach he is. His knowledge of the game, his dedication and devotion are incredible. He has forgotten more plays than you or I will ever know.”

More than one person describes Weir as a gregarious man who, even in his 22nd year of coaching, is still learning the game of basketball.

“I’ll give you an example,” said his youngest daughter, Shannon Weir, who is also Milford’s all-time leading scorer with 2,167 career points. “The other day we went out to Western New York to watch a basketball game. He is always scouting, always looking for new plays, new ways to do things. He is constantly asking me, ‘what can I do better?’”

Some describe Weir’s teams as being like a family. At times, it has even included family. Weir coached both of Prouty’s daughters, Chandler and Kirsten, and all three of his own daughters. Shannon went on to play at Oneonta State, and is on its top 10 list in scoring and several other categories. Kim Weir, the middle daughter, is also in the Wildcats’ 1000-point club.

She played on the 1998 team that went to the state championship. Kim went on to play at Wilkes College. Becky Weir, the oldest, got a Division I scholarship to play at American University.

When his girls were playing, Weir would have the team over for breakfast on championship morning. “Of course it is easier when it is your own kids, but he still tries to create the same atmosphere today,” Prouty said.

“He doesn’t just want them to be good players,” Shannon said. “He wants all parts of their lives to be  great. He treats you the samewhether you are a star or whether you are a troubled person with no basketball skills. He’s not just some guy who coaches. He wants to make your life better. That’s why he earns their respect.” He doesn’t just get respect.

Weir seems to capture player’s hearts as well. And long after they are graduated from Milford, his players say they will remember him for his funny sayings.

“He’ll say ‘why are you jacklegging it? Do you want the other team to run us out of the barn,’” said Ward. “Or the thing about donkeys. A lot of times, we have no idea what he is talking about, but we just go along with it as if we do.”

Donkeys, it should be explained, is a good thing in Weir’s world.

“I can explain that one,” Shannon said. “Donkeys are good athletes. The first time I heard him call us that, I was surprised too, but he meant it as a compliment.”

So when Ward and eighthgrader Addy Lawson came back from soccer injuries and Weir told The Daily Star that  beating Worcester, “was a bigwin for us... just to let people know we have the donkeys  back on the track and we’reready to run,” he meant it as the highest compliment.

“Sometimes when we’re late for practice,” Ward said, “he’ll ask us ‘what time does five o’clock practice start?’” Shannon has that answer too.

“I can tell you,” she said. “It starts at 4:30, because he believes you need 15 minutes to stretch and 15 minutes to warm up.”

The Wildcats are going back to the Section Four Class D tournament this season. The brackets aren’t out yet, but Weir has it figured out. “He calculated all the brackets,” said Prouty. “He has  us as a nine seed playing atHunter-Tannersville.”

Milford has won seven Tri- Valley titles, three more Tri- Valley East Division crowns (10 total) and one Section Four title under Weir. His 300th win may be important to him, and the losses may hurt more than he lets on, but to his girls, they know that they are what are really important to their coach.

“It is not about the wins to him,” sophomore Kaley Chase said. “It is about making us better people and better athletes.”

Shannon added, “I guess my dad has been the biggest role model in my life. I’ll be honest with you; absolutely I owe my success to him.”

In Davenport, they now play a holiday tournament named after Preston to honor his accomplishments. Soon perhaps they will do the same thing in Milford to honor Weir.

“Around here,” said Prouty, “everybody knows Jim, and everybody likes him.”

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