The NBA used to make TV ads in which celebrities expressed their devotion to basketball by saying, “I love this game.”
Todd Rubin couldn’t agree more.
“I just love the game. I have a passion for teaching it,” Rubin said Thursday while talking about how excited he is to be the new head boys basketball coach at Edmonds-Woodway High School.
Rubin, a boys hoops assistant at Seattle Preparatory School three of the past four years, accepted the Edmonds-Woodway job Tuesday. He is a first-time varsity head coach.
Rubin, 25, played basketball and baseball at Redmond High before competing in baseball at Linfield College (McMinnville, Ore.). He “has the knowledge and motivation to continue building a competitive program at (E-W), and in addition, we feel he has the ability to positively impact his athletes in their character, leadership and academic development,” Julie Stroncek, interim Edmonds School District co-athletic director, said in a statement.
Rubin replaces Gail Pintler, who resigned last month after two seasons. Pintler guided the Warriors to back-to-back Class 4A state tournament appearances, including a seventh-place finish in March. Pintler’s teams tallied 40 victories and 13 defeats.
“Their past coach, Gail, did obviously a terrific job and I have big shoes to fill,” said Rubin, who said he was scheduled to meet E-W players for the first time Thursday after school ended.
At Seattle Prep Rubin saw what it takes to rise to the top. He was a varsity assistant for Prep’s 2006 squad that won the 3A state championship.
“I really enjoyed it and really learned a lot from the coaches there,” Rubin said of his three seasons at Prep.
E-W will lose eight seniors from its 2007-2008 team that won the Western Conference South Division title. The outgoing group includes the Warriors’ top five scorers, led by forward Connor Donaldson and point guard James Conti, who both received All-Wesco South First Team recognition.
Rubin said he hopes to mold a team that takes pride in playing harder and being in better shape than its opponents.
“I like a fast-paced game,” he said. “We’re going to be extremely aggressive on both sides of the ball and in transition.”
Writer Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
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