Former North Carolina A&T head coach Will Jones is set to speak at the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Collegiate Coaching Consortium on April 4th, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona during Final Four weekend.
Since parting ways with A&T in May of 2022, Will Jones has continued his winning ways, this time at the grassroots level of high school basketball in North Carolina.
He took on the role of CEO of Basketball/Head Coach at Quality Education Academy in August of 2023 and led them to a CAA4SC Championship and a national runner-up in his first year at the helm.
Now, Will Jones has been selected to speak at one of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) premier events, held during Final Four weekend.
“I’m truly honored to be asked to be a part of this event,” says coach Jones. “This is one of the top events for coaches and administration alike. I look forward to adding value to some of the many great assistants in attendance.”
Read more about the Collegiate Coaching Consortium and watch Will Jones in the HBCU Gameday Original documentary Mid-Major.
ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE COACHING CONSORTIUM
The Collegiate Coaching Consortium — a collaboration between AthleticDirectorU and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) — was founded with a simple goal: to better the game of collegiate basketball. In order to spark both material and sustainable change, that process of improvement must start long before any whistle is ever blown. Thus, the consortium seeks to assist coaches, athletic directors, and universities in identifying and channeling all their available capabilities and resources toward building successful and ethical programs. This is accomplished through a distinctive, hands-on professional development regime designed to elevate the decision-making and leadership skills of both first-time head coaches and the athletic administrators hiring them.
Hosted yearly during the NABC Convention at the site of the NCAA Men’s Final Four, the invitation-only Collegiate Coaching Consortium builds upon the Villa 7 Consortium to bring together a cohort of rising basketball coaches and Division I athletic directors to partake in a rigorous multi-day academy that teaches each how to identify, analyze and influence critical organizational processes as a means of building better teams and athletic programs. Each cohort — coaches and ADs — will participate in an individually focused curriculum designed to sharpen the competencies and capabilities that are critical for ensuring success within their respective roles.
For Coaches, This Includes:
- Positioning oneself for their first head coaching opportunity
- Identifying a Personal Unique Value Proposition
- Determining institutional and personal fit
- Developing job interviewing skills
- Creating a foundation for long-term success within the first few months of your tenure
- Delegating authority and empowering your staff
- Maintaining a strong and productive relationship with your athletics director and staff
For ADs, This Includes:
- Understanding the pressures and challenges facing new head coaches
- Recognizing the challenges that are unique to your athletics program
- Identifying coaching candidates who are best suited to lead within such environments
- Creating a stronger Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that helps attract better candidates
- Designing an effective orientation program and onboarding process
- Building a better retention strategy that reduces coach turnover
- Helping your coaches reach greater levels of productivity and performance
These lessons will be taught by successful coaches and administrators, alongside top subject matter experts, professors, and accomplished executives from a wide range of industries and vocations. Additionally, beyond their individual programming, participating coaches and athletic directors will interact in one-on-one and group settings, giving each the opportunity to put into practice the learnings of their consortium.
WATCH: HBCU GAMEDAY ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY MID-MAJOR