Viking Reflections: Teacher, coach Anthony Redding ’89

As a St. Joseph High School student (1986-89), I was fortunate to play for some great basketball coaches: Bodle, Guilfoyle, Kwasniak and Moran. They were perceptive and inspirational both on and off the court.

Coach Moran, also a St. Joe’s graduate ’69, was exceptional at handling players, understanding them and skillfully bringing out the best in each player. He knew I was a sensitive player and used ways to get the message to me without directly confronting me. Yet I understood what he was doing when he shouted at a more thick-skinned teammate about an error that I made. You can bet I did not make that mistake again!

Sometimes, it is all in the approach. The Bible puts it this way: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16-17)

As teachers and students, our approach in dealing with others during this time of anger and unkindness is an important concept. We have many paths to choose in our everyday lives. Some find themselves in positive situations; others not so much. Just like Coach Moran demonstrated in choosing a method to deal with me and my mistakes, we can also choose kinder, more caring ways to deal with others and different situations.

We know that every decision has a set of consequences. We need to know what they are and be prepared to accept the result of our choice. Therefore, it is important to choose the right course. If you need help discerning your approach, ask for it.

My frame of reference is basketball. To reverse the ball is to pass it to another team member who stands in your line of sight in order to help relieve pressure and advance the ball to the net. In life, to reverse the ball is to believe in and trust someone in your life to help you in handling a difficult situation.

As Scripture suggests: “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you.”

The message is that we must trust our faith in the Lord to help us. I did. As a young man, I was instilled with this insight by my teachers and coaches. As a teacher, I am carrying that message to a new generation of students, hoping that they can carry it on after they leave our halls.

Anthony Redding ’89 received his bachelor’s degree from Mercyhurst College in 1993 and a master’s degree in business administration in 1997. He returned to his high school alma mater as a teacher in 2001. Under his direction, the women’s basketball team scored three North Coast League championships, placed as district runner-up twice and became district champs in 2016. He was named North Coast League Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2015, and the Greater Cleveland Basketball Coach Association named him Coach of the Year during the 2009-10 season. Today, he teaches business and physical education at VASJ.