By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
Trae Patton’s first head coaching job is his dream job, as the Blue Eye grad takes over leading the Bulldogs.
“It’s an honor to get to coach at Blue Eye,” said Patton, a heralded 3-point shooter during his glory days who helped the Bulldogs to a Class 2 Final Four berth his senior year in 2000. “Blue Eye is a special place to not only grow up as a player/student, but to work for as a teacher/coach. It’s an honor for me to get the opportunity to give back to a basketball program that has given so much to me.”
Patton served as new Blue Eye athletics director Kyle Turner’s assistant the past eight seasons.
“I can’t say enough good things about Kyle,” Patton said. “Not only is he a great coach, but he is an all-around great person. He seriously is like an older brother to me. He has had a huge impact on my coaching. Kyle always allowed me to run the jayvee program the way I felt was best, which I believe helped me grow and develop as a coach.”
Patton’s promotion should serve well in regard to his familiarity with the players and vice-versa.
“Coaching every one of the players (on the jayvee) taught them how I coach and what I expect from them,” Patton said. “This has allowed for a smooth transition.
“As a program, we will try to focus on three things every day: our character, our work ethic and our attention to details,” he added. “I am a big believer in how we do anything is how we do everything. If we get better at these three categories every day, we will not only become better basketball players, but better people.”
Blue Eye lost to graduation five players who accounted for 90 percent of the Bulldogs’ scoring the past two seasons. They were SWCL champions last winter.
But Patton isn’t thinking of this as a rebuilding season.
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“We are definitely going to have a new look. But our expectations remain high this season,” Patton said. “We realize we will have to earn our recognition each night. We know we must show up every night focused and ready to play to be able to compete. I believe this group is ready to step up this year and leave their mark.”
Logan Isbell is one of the few returnees with experience and now assumes the program’s go-to guy role.
“Logan showed a huge improvement last season,” Patton said. “He was a big part of our team’s run last year and hit some big shots. He has continued to grow as a leader and will continue to expand his game. He worked hard this offseason to improve his skills.”
Other Bulldogs to look out for are Brady Isbell, Braden Johnson, Jadon Weaver, Colton Spinning, Cam Fultz, Aiden Estes, Trenton Newman, Mason Phillips and Kai Brinton.
“A strength we have is how close this group of young men are,” Patton said. “They have grown up and played multiple sports together. They play well together, and they all seem to be hungry to get their chance to leave their mark.”
Blue Eye teams under Turner traditionally emphasized defense and rebounding and those areas will remain a priority.
“If we are going to give ourselves a chance to make a run at the end of the season, we know we must have a greater focus on defense and rebounding,” Patton said. “This is an area where we must be consistent every night to reach our goals.”
