WAKE FOREST, N.C. — Patrick “Pat” Kennedy has been coaching basketball for the past 33 years, with his past 11 years at Heritage High School.

He has always had a love for basketball. He played club basketball in both high school and college.

He believes success for a team is found in solid coaching, building skillsets, and building team chemistry. He tailors his training for the woman’s basketball team to focus on building team chemistry, defensive concepts, and confidence on offense.

There have been several highlights for Pat during his coaching career. His most memorable highlight was winning their first conference championship a few years ago. “Beating Millbrook was nice and winning it last year during a pandemic was rewarding because of the circumstances,” Pat states. He says that the girls would more than likely say winning the John Wall Tournament two years in a row was the most fulfilling accomplishment.

In losses, Pat encourages his players to get back in the gym and work on getting better. “That is the beauty of sports. They don’t teach us to deal with adversity; sports teach us how to overcome adversity,” Pat shares passionately.

“Athletics is constantly changing and evolving. Coaches get older each year, but their team stays the same age. That is the challenge and the beauty of the profession. Excellent coaches know how to adjust with the times, and that is easier said than done,” Pat states.

The reward for coaching for Pat is the opportunity to have meaningful relationships with players who have graduated, whether that is going to their college games, going to their wedding, or just going out to lunch to get caught up on how their life is shaping out.

Through coaching, the most significant lesson he believed he has learned is learning to accept people for who they are. “One of the greatest things sports can do is to break down racial barriers, gender barriers, and teach us to work together for a common goal,” Pat concludes. His passionate desire and legacy as a coach is to help student-athletes reach their potential and serve their community.

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