By Harrison Kirkland
Earning person of the month or employee of the month status is a big accomplishment, but Virginia Wesleyan Men’s Basketball Head Coach Dave Macedo took it a step further by being named Metropolitan Person of the Year. This award recognizes one person who made the biggest impact in the sports world in the Hampton Roads area.
Everyone who comes in contact with Macedo say he impacts them in a good way. He is a family man and builds relationships and trust with his players and fellow coaches.
“Best coach I ever played for. He can relate to us on and off the court,” senior Nick Doyle said.
Without motivation, it can be difficult to succeed. Macedo generates motivation from his players and trying to be the best he can be.
“Anytime you’re in a profession, you certainly want to be at the top of your profession, and we have a passion for doing things the right way,” Macedo said.
Instead of burning out after so many years of coaching, Macedo is getting stronger and is prospering in his profession. Despite the challenges coaches face to stay motivated and successful over the span of many years, Coach Macedo has a plan to continue this journey he is currently on.
“Every day getting better, through hard work, preparation and obviously our team-first attitude,” Macedo said.
“He doesn’t care about personal statistics. When he frames the jerseys, instead of putting the players’ statistics, he puts the players’ winning records,” Doyle said
Those who know Macedo say he embodies humility in his daily life and thinks of others before himself.
Macedo gave credit to his players when asked who he thanked for the award.
“It starts with our players first and foremost. I think our players deserve all the credit. They are the engine that drives us,” Macedo said.
Winning is important to the coach and the players. It’s what they’ve all been working for.
“It’s all that matters. That’s the only thing that matters,” Doyle said.
Not only is his team important to Macedo, but family is important to him also.
“My family… that’s my team,” Macedo said.
Even after winning this award, Macedo remained humble and complimented others on his achievement.
“I was very grateful and humbled for the honor…It says a lot about the players and coaches here we have at the college,” Macedo said.
Macedo not only has an impact in the sports world, but also has an impact on the people around him.
Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Rhett Bonner said he learned many things from Macedo. “Everything starts and ends with having great relationships with people around you, having a great relationship with your players goes a long way,” Bonner said.
“The relationships he builds, it makes us trust him more, and makes us want to run through a wall for him,” Doyle said.
A coach’s jobs include not only teaching technique, creating plays, and disciplining, but also teaching life lessons and offering guidance in situations off the court. However, being a good teacher and making sure the players and assistants learn what is right takes will and dedication.
“I think I’ve learned more in my year and a half, almost two years here, than I have in my three years of coaching at the other places I was at,” Bonner said.
“He makes me want to just be a better overall individual. I even catch myself sometimes even talking like him, thinking exactly like he does. He’s had a great impact on me,” Doyle said.
Bonner and Doyle also said Macedo continuously promotes the importance of honesty.
“How hard you have to coach your kids, being honest, sometimes brutally honest,” Bonner said.
