Pankerichan moves from the floor to the bench in new role with Gryphons
by Justin Dunk
“As a coach, you’re thinking of the overall package – when should I use timeouts?
When should we put in substitutions? It’s definitely a big adjustment for me.” – Nick Pankerichan on adjusting to his new role as assistant coach of the Gryphons.
Time and time again, he brought fans out of their seats, whether it was hitting a clutch three-pointer, a driving layup or a timely defensive stop.
Nick Pankerichan was the face of Gryphons basketball.
Just one year ago, Pankerichan was sporting the red, gold, and black uniform as the starting point guard for the University of Guelph Gryphons men’s basketball team.
This year, however, Pankerichan sports a tailored suit, while holding a clipboard, and can only shout instructions from the bench. Pankerichan’s new role with the men’s basketball program is as assistant coach for the Gryphons.
Pankerichan finished his stellar playing career as the second-leading scorer in Gryphons history with 1,231 points. Since the end of his playing career, Pankerichan has turned his experience as a player into knowledge that he shares as a coach. From the day he was recruited to play basketball for the Gryphons, Pankerichan knew he would be a go-to guy, both on and off the court.
“I was always that leader on the floor that tried to talk to guys and learn,” said Pankerichan about his playing days.
Current team member and leading scorer this season, Jay Mott, spoke highly of his former teammate-turned-coach.
“Panks was always a coach on the floor when he was a point guard,” said Mott, using the familiar nickname that Pankerichan picked up as a player. “He commands our respect, and he has had a big effect on me as a player, making me better.”
Pankerichan believes that his court leadership played a part in him being asked to help coach Gryphons basketball.
“Coach (Chris O’Rourke) always believed I was a coach on the floor and I think that is why he asked me to come help out the team,” he said.
As an assistant coach, Pankerichan tries to motivate the players in a positive way in order to help them play at their best. Pankerichan describes his coaching style as positive.
“I am always a positive guy,” he said. “I don’t really remember a time in my career being negative.”
The biggest difference that Pankerichan has noticed about going from playing to coaching is the mindset.
“As a player, before the game [I was] thinking about yourself and what I needed to do to get the team going,” he said. “As a coach, [I’m] thinking of the overall package. When should I use timeouts? When should we put in substitutions? It’s definitely a big adjustment for me.”
When asked if he saw a player that resembled his playing style on the current roster for the Gryphons, Pankerichan had one in mind.
“If there is one player that I would say that is very good and models his game after me, it would be…Dan McCarthy,” said Pankerichan, speaking highly of the Gryphons second-year guard who interestingly has chosen to wear Pankerichan’s old jersey number, 4, after sporting 15 in his rookie season. “[McCarthy] always works hard and that’s what I always wanted to do [as well]. You can always make mistakes but you can never stop working hard.”
After serving as an assistant for the better part of this season, Pankerichan will now be missed as he is traveling to Australia for the next six months to attend teacher’s college. This will be the first time that Pankerichan will be away from the basketball program in six and a half years, going back to his first season as a Gryphon.
“It is really going to finally hit that my career is done as a player,” he said. “I haven’t felt it [yet] because I have been a coach and still part of the program and I still have that family atmosphere.”