Andre Chevalier

Andre Chevalier is and American basketball coach and former Cal State Northridge player. Quotes There would be games where people would say, 'force him left,' or 'he has no left,' trying to get under my skin. I had dealt with my difference for 18 years by the time I got to CSUN,To me, what people would think would be a detriment to my life turned out to be one of the greatest assets of my life. I shot the ball really well from 15 feet, I remember the first year they put the 3-point line in [at Cleveland High School]. I could already shoot from 15 feet and that range made me a legitimate scoring guard plus I was able to get to the basket. My vision is great and I was able to see the court very well and when somebody was open, I knew how to get the ball to them. In the summers, when people were shooting, I literally would be in the CSUN gym, just practicing my dribbling and handling of the ball. Everything about me is a point guard, I just happen to have a difference with my hand and I had to work a bit harder to be able to accomplish my goals. Coach was always about the team and achieving life lessons through the game, I had to think a little bit more to be able to run the system. Today, if you watch me coach, you'll see the Cleveland days on the defensive side and the pressing but you'll also see the coach Cassidy side with the execution and preparation at a high level. That was a huge game because they had beaten [top-ranked] Kansas, I penetrated on the baseline, kicked it to Tony on the opposite side and he knocked down that three. That's the picture posted around CSUN where's he shooting that shot with the crowd in the background – they were leaving the game before overtime and they ended up staying. That will stay with me for a lifetime, I think it was a big deal. To be in the Hall of Fame too and on the wall is a great thing because that's going to be permanent and my grandkids and great-grandkids will be able to come to CSUN and see that I made a major contribution to the basketball program. Education was the thing that not only elevated me as a person but it elevated my mind and my ability to think critically, Especially with the times that we're in now with Black Lives Matter, one of the things we need to focus on and change is educating ourselves and educating each other. My bank manager saw the head coach job opening in the newspaper with Cleveland, I didn't want to apply because I was interested in going into business but he said I should just do it for the interview experience. When I got there for the interview, I saw the people that had taught me and coached me and it felt so right. As soon as I stepped onto the floor for the first practice, I knew that it was natural for me and I connected to the players easily because I was so young. Basketball allows us to teach life lessons because so many things come up through basketball, You learn discipline, time management and organization. One of the things we talk about in our program [at Sierra Canyon] is the ability to have tough conversations and to not run away from your problems. Sierra Canyon has been wonderful for me and my staff, We've been able to build towards being the top basketball program in the country. We have been blessed with very elite, high-level basketball players coming to our school and we've been blessed that they've loved each other, respected each other and allowed to be pushed and challenged to do great things. Sierra Canyon is the perfect combination of athletics, a wonderful culture and academics, and those three things along with our leadership at the school allow us to be a great basketball program, Every coach will say you need all of those things, but if you want to have a winning program, it is paramount having great players and we've been blessed to have great players. Everything I wanted to do in my life, coach, mentor young men, teach, business, I was able to do it through basketball,It has been a great thing for me and been a pillar in my life. Education was something that was imperative and something my mother instilled in me from day one that I needed to accomplish because of the legacy of my family, My kids will be challenged to get a master's degree. I have two master's degrees but if they get one, I'll be satisfied. Matador Hall of Fame Spotlight: Andre Chevalier, June 06 2020 External Links