Coach Wheeler began playing basketball in the 7th grade...  and was cut from the team!
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It was this moment that sparked a drive, a focus, an internal motivation and dedication to the game of basketball that quickly developed into an obsession. 

After that moment, his timeline as a player looked like this:
7th Grade - Cut.
​8th Grade - Made the team. Sat the bench.
9th Grade - Made JV. Sat the bench.
10th Grade - Made Varsity. Sat the bench.
11th Grade - Started Varsity. Most Improved Player.
12th Grade - Started Varsity. Co Most Valuable Player.

And to be very real... what drove the motivation to sit on the sidelines and the bench for 4 years before getting any on court time... had less to do with basketball and everything to do with proving everyone wrong.

The Underdog Mentality is the driver of relentless pursuit.

As a coach, the process wasn't much different. Working his way from Volunteer, to Freshman Head Coach, then JV Head Coach, to Varsity Assistant, and finally becoming a Head Varsity Coach!

Becoming a leader of a program, building a culture, developing players, and designing a strategic and tactical frameworks to compete with players and teams supposedly better than we are is now the ultimate goal!

Are you an Underdog?