Bobby Cadogan: From basketball player to coach
Stabroek News
November 27, 2006
One of the most talented athletes to be found in Guyana during the 1980s was Bobby Cadogan. Cadogan excelled at a number of sport disciplines including athletics, in which he was one of the few local athletes to use the Fosbury Flop style of jumping in local competitions. He, however, left athletics for the sport of basketball where his high-jumping ability and good shooting skills saw him quickly making a name for himself. He was soon on the national team. Now, years later, Cadogan is one of the few local coaches whose dedication to the sport of basketball has been observed. As such, Stabroek Sport thought it fitting to do a feature on Cadogan ranging from his early days in the sport, to his present stint as head coach of Courts Pacesetters.
Following is the
interview.
SS:When did your basketball playing days begin?
BC:My playing days began at age 13 while I attended the Multilateral Secondary School.
SS:What were some of the motivating factors that led you to take up the game of basketball?
BC:Cadogan:First of all I must tell you that basketball was not my first love; playing cricket was. However, when I started high school I was influenced by watching the older boys playing on the school's basketball court, so during Physical Education periods, I began playing. From there, after school, Burnham Basketball court was the place where the best players in Georgetown played.
Saturday mornings was the time for the little boys to play on the court so I took full advantage of this along with friends from my neighbourhood (Queenstown) to develop my game.
SS:Who was your first coach and describe your early days as a club player?
BC:The first club I played for was the King Alpha Basketball Club and my first coach was Tyrone Caesar. The first two years of club basketball was somewhat bitter-sweet because we were the second-placed team at the third-division level behind the High Flyers Basketball Club but minutes on the court were hard to come for me. Three minutes per game was a lot for me. The next year (1981), I joined the Pacesetters Basketball club and ever since then, I've been a Pacesetter.
SS:What was the strongest part of your game and what area did you consider as your greatest weakness?
BC:As a player I was very athletic, so because of my ability, rebounding, shot blocking, picking up steals and jump shooting all were areas that I excelled in but I would say playing defence was the part that players in my days, had a passion for.On weakness, I would say in my view I had no weakness. I was always working on my game mentally and physically.
SS:What was your most memorable club game?
BC:So many to choose from. I remember a final against High Flyers where my teammate Mark Agard either took a shot or made a pass to me that I dunked over about four of the High Flyers players. In my days dunking in traffic was a major highlight.
SS: Describe your feelings when you were first called up for the national team?
BC:My first call for national duty was when I was just 19 years of age. This was a wonderful day for me. There were a total of 30 players that were called into camp. The squad was trimmed to 15 players of which I was a part of, and then 12 were chosen to leave the country. I did not make the final 12 but I told myself that the next time I wouldn't miss out. The following year I made the senior national team and was a member until 1998. To play for Guyana, the land of my birth was the crowning of my basketball playing years. Today, it's easier to make the national team than in the 80s and 90s. Back then, to play for the national team you had to be skilled, highly disciplined and above all you had to be tough. In those days sports in general was considered as war in peacetime, no jokes.
SS: As a senior National player give some of your most treasured moments;
BC: I've played in the Caricom championships on a number of occasions where our teams have favoured well although we never won the whole tournament. I remember that The Bahamas, Jamaica and Trinidad were the major powerhouses that we had to come up against and I must say that a lot of times in the early days The Bahamas was one team that had our number up until 1996! That year we gave them the whipping that was the talk of the tournament. They were blown away by 30-odd points. You see players from Guyana were and still are usually smaller in size than most of our opponents outside of Guyana so we learned over the years that in such situations the most suitable playing style to use was to out run our opponents offensively and play an aggressive defensive style, in other words all out hustle, players gave 110% to play team defence and team offence.
SS:Were you ever apart of the Linden /Georgetown basketball rivalry?
BC:Sure, yes of course there was nothing in local basketball that was as exciting as a Linden / Georgetown encounter. The people of Linden are very passionate for their teams in any sport, be it football, athletics or basketball. They have the best players outside of the city; their fans came with bells by busloads to support them. The fans in Georgetown came out in large numbers to these games creating an overwhelming atmosphere. Players live for these moments playing before an oversized crowd that cheered for every shot, every steal, looking back there was nothing better; the worse thing that could happen was for a player to choke under the pressure, that player would have to live with that as a sour memory people made names for you that went with you everywhere you go. There were times the pressure was so much that players some times scored in their own basket. Some of the names given to players were " Spin And Shoot", "Micro", and "Sellout".
SS:Who was your toughest opponent when playing against Linden?
BC: There were two that stood out above all others, Wayne Andres and Auric Tappin. These guys knew how to play the game and put their all on the line whenever they played and they had a reputation of performing well. My toughest opponents in Georgetown were Leon Christian, Nigel Hinds and Troy Thomas from High Flyers. Then in the 90s the Mohan brothers, Lugard and Orin (Baby).
SS: With all the great memories of your playing days, how are you giving back to the game of basketball today?
BC:Presently I'm the head coach of the Courts Pacesetters Basketball Club, I'm also actively involved in organizing tournaments. I've been a part of basketball clinics in Berbice and Linden and also I am a member of the Georgetown Amateur Basket-ball Association.
SS:Seeing that you're actively involved in the game today, could you say what is different about the way Basketball is played today as compared to your early playing days?
BC:Today players are not as committed to playing team basketball as in my days. Players today don't have a defensive mindset; basketball is played individually which hinders team potential. Players in Guyana are more talented individually but they lack the basic skills that enable team involvement. Players in Guyana need greater motivation, they need international exposure, more coaches and game officials are also needed along with more local competitions. I'm also sure that if a few Television stations could show NBA basketball games weekly the public awareness would be awakened; more of the youths in our society would be motivated to use their time efficiently.
SS:Which player today reminds you of the way you played in your hey day?
BC:That player would be none other than Andrew "Mr. Dunk" Ifill.
SS:Who were your fa-vourite NBA players during your playing years and also those among today's players?
BC:First on my list is Michael Jordan, then Dominique Wilkins, Clyde Drexler, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
For the players playing today Tracy McGrady, Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, Allen Iverson, and of course Kobe Bryant along with Jermaine O'Neal and "the Diesel" Shaquille O'Neal.
SS: What are some of the things necessary for the development of basketball in Guyana.
BC:The role of the media is critical for the development of the game of Basketball. Basketball needs to be resurrected in this country, we need more sponsors, players need to be exposed to modern sports methods to raise their level of play, coaches are needed at the school levels etc.
SS: Thanks Bobby Cadogan! And keep up the good work for our youth and basketball.