High School Sports

Bristol’s Giesy reaches milestone

CHAMPION -- When Craig Giesy took over the Bristol boys basketball team six seasons ago, he never thought ahead to reaching milestones. Not because he didn't have goals or didn't want to look ahead. It's simply the way he coaches. It's the way he approaches each game, each week, each offseason and each season. He can't tell you what his record is with the Panthers beyond this season.

Giesy doesn't focus on the wins and losses that go along with coaching. He believes if the effort is there and the process was respected, the results will be there. Over the course of his six seasons, the results have been there for Giesy and the Panthers as they've surpassed 100 wins over that span.

"Honestly, I've never even thought about (milestones)," Giesy said. "I just put in the time. It can be a grind at times and you feel like you're not getting anywhere. But you have to go through the process the best you can as a staff and as players and good things will happen."

The Panthers gave Giesy his 100th victory by beating Badger on Tuesday. They celebrated over the weekend with wins No. 101 and 102 by besting Bloomfield on Friday night and toppling Champion on Saturday night.

"When it happened, the first person I thought of was my assistant, Gus Mullenax," Giesy said. "We've been together since Day 1. Now, I think of all the ex-players who were part of those wins. The credit goes to the players and the staff. It's more about the program. It's nice to be able to looks at the program and say we have 100 wins. I'm proud of the players who have come through. Let's be honest, the players put in a lot of time to get the program where it is today. In this era, there are a lot of complaints with how much parents are involved in athletics. Our parents have done a great job. They've really supported us and what we're trying to do.

"It's the people, the players, the staff and the hardcore fans who have been around the program since Day 1 (that I remember most). Gus and I share those stories and talk about that constantly. Another thing is there's not a lot of longevity in coaching these days. It's nice to have the support of the administration and the board to keep us here. The administration's support for us has been great."

The process Giesy talks about for his players and coaching staff begins in the offseason and he's proud of the commitment everyone has made to be the best they can be.

"When that schedule comes out for the summer workouts, June is full. July is full," Giesy said. "The players and staff put a lot of time in. We have, consistently, between four and eight guys putting their time in, who want to show up and who care as much as the staff does. We don't worry about results. We put in the work and we strongly believe the results will come."

Giesy and his staff understand their jobs aren't just about the basketball court.

"We hold the kids accountable and teach them how to hold each other accountable," Giesy said. "We want them to be leaders not only on the floor, but outside of basketball, as well. We're not coaching NBA guys. We haven't even coached a college player yet. What we do in the gym has to carry over into the player's real lives."

When the teaching does turn to the court, Giesy and the coaching staff have a unique style they expect the Panthers to play by. Few teams can pull off the pressure and pace by which the Bristol basketball team has gained its reputation and success.

"(We use it) because I've been the tallest guy in the program the last six years," Giesy said. "We know we don't have size. We play to what we have and what we have are players who put in a lot of time and come to the gym and enjoy playing that style. They want to play for us. They enjoy playing this way. It's a staple of Bristol basketball and anybody who knows Bristol basketball knows what to expect at this point."

Giesy may have initially thought of Mullenax when he reached that milestone victory, but someone else wasn't far from his thoughts. The Panthers might have 102 wins under Giesy, but that pales in comparison to what his wife, Jamie, has accomplished behind the scenes.

"We have a 2 1/2 -year old and a 1 1/2-year old who were both born in the summer," Giesy said. "They were both just a couple of months old the last two basketball seasons. Early on, she was able to make it to everything. She's been really supportive. I can't do this without her. She's been more impressive than Bristol basketball has ever been with what she's handled the last two seasons."

Giesy also draws support from his parents, Mark and Jodie Giesy, as well as a laundry list of relatives.

"My family has been very supportive," Giesy said. "Sometimes, I think I have as many fans at the games as the players do. My parents, other family members like sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and my grandma over there. Bristol basketball is one big family."