In the August issue of Coaching Management-Basketball, we ran a short Q&A with Ken Carter, Head Boys' Basketball Coach at Richmond (Calif.) High School. The following is the full transcript of our interview with him.

In only his second year as Head Coach at Richmond (Calif.) High School, Ken Carter made national news after locking his team out of all practices and games for one week during the 1998-99 season. The reason? Some of his players' grades fell below the 2.3 GPA he requires all team members to maintain. A local businessman and local advocate for change in San Francisco's inner-city schools, Carter continues to emphasize the importance of education to his athletes. He exposes his players to careers beyond the basketball court and uses strict disciplinary measures to help his athletes reach their academic goals.

Carter's efforts have helped turn a school previously known for students failing into the only school in the district to receive additional state funding from the governor for meeting exceptional grade and attendance goals. In addition, last year he completed an 80-mile foot-powered scooter journey from Richmond to the State Capitol steps to raise support for teacher salary increases.

A former multi-sport athlete and record holder at Richmond High School, Carter has been honored with numerous awards in his four seasons as head coach, including the NAACP Impact Citizen of the Year Award, and ANG Newspapers' California Boys' Coach of the Year. His athletes have won scholarships to UNLV, Cameron University, and West Point, and all seniors have gone on to attend college -- a distinction Carter is most proud of.

CM: As owner of a local publishing company and a sporting goods store, how did you get started in coaching?
Carter: I started in the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO). I was a parent sitting in the stands, the coach was injured, and I got volunteered to fill in. At the time, the team was basically in last place. The coach didn't return for three weeks, and within those three weeks we won six straight games. So people kept telling me, "You have a gift for working with and instructing kids." And from that point on, we won five straight championships in CYO basketball.

I got involved at Richmond High School because I was asked by my former coach, Roy Rogers, who is currently the Athletic Director at Richmond, to take over the head coach position. I am a successful local businessman and Coach Rogers thought that because of the type of person I was, maybe I could make a difference. I saw returning to coach at Richmond as a way to say thank you for all that the school had given me.

The team had experienced some tough times, but we were able to turn the program around instantly. They had won three games the year before I came, and in my first season we won 19.

How did you manage that turnaround?
When I accepted the job, I instituted some parameters for the program -- things I wanted our program to achieve. First, I wanted us to reinstill pride in the program. So we cleaned the gym, got all the graffiti off the walls, bought new uniforms, and got the kids to start feeling really proud about being a part of the program. We wanted to show the kids that we were going to set some goals in terms of promoting family values, demonstrating community responsibility, and instilling a commitment to work on their futures.

Some of the players really weren't happy when I started because they knew I was going to institute structure. But the school needed someone with discipline. The message to the players was: If no one else in this community or at this school respects us, we're going to respect ourselves.

As part of developing that respect, I always say "Yes sir," and "No sir," to the boys. And in turn, they have to do the same to their teammates, to me, and to anybody else they come in contact with. And through simple things like that, the kids start to see a different side of themselves.

Upon your arrival, you also observed some academic problems. How did you address those?
Richmond High has always had good athletes, but none of them were ever academically eligible. A kid would start the season, but by mid-season, he would end up not making the grade. And even those kids who remained eligible were rarely able to accept college scholarships because either their GPA wasn't high enough or they didn't take the proper classes.

So we pay a lot of attention to academics. We sit down with our kids for academic evaluations, breaking down the year into quarters, and we tell them, "This is where you are now in week one, and this is where we'd like you to be in week six."

Our athletes also take the SAT twice a year every year, even if they're freshmen. Because a lot of these kids have never sat down for two hours to take a test.

You also instituted a player contract that addresses a number of your goals. Explain that document.
I needed to let the young men on the team know that I was serious about what I was doing and that I needed them to be, also. I was looking for a commitment. The players and their parents have to sign it, and I also sign the contract to assure the players that I am committed to its goals and will live up to them as well.

The contract touches more on their education than playing. There are 20 points addressed and 13 of the 20 relate to class protocol and study habits. Some of the expectations include: attending class daily, sitting in the front of the class, participating in class in group discussions and asking questions, committing to 10 hours of study time a week, attending two study hall sessions a week (which I set up with teachers and tutors), completing and turning in all homework assignments, never being late to class or practice, dressing for success on game days in a shirt and tie, and showing respect for themselves, their families, their teammates, their coaching staff, their teachers and administrators, and their community.

If you think about it, there is no difference between our contract and contracts for employment, renting an apartment, a mortgage, or those NBA contracts so many young players feel they are going to get. I saw it as an opportunity to prepare them for all the contracts in their lives to come. After all, if they cannot commit to this contract, it will be very difficult to commit to any others in the future.

How are you able to monitor their adherence to the contract?
I hold meetings with their instructors and I get each player's class schedule. I also created a form for the teachers. If they have any discipline problems with any of my players, they simply need to put the form in my box.

And the players know that if a note gets to my box, there are consequences. They owe me 1,000 push ups the minute they get to practice, and if they protest at all, it instantly doubles. Plus, they have to run two miles. And they can't play any basketball until those two things are done.

Now when it comes to paying their dues, I will let them get creative. If they owe me 1,000 push ups, they could go pay 10 guys to come do 100 push ups each, and that would be fine, because I want them to devise creative solutions. And if they come up with a particularly great story, even though I know the excuse is not true, I will cut their push ups in half. But I will secretly find a way during practice to add them back.

Apart from your structure and new expectations of players, were there any on-court strategies that contributed to the team's turnaround?
No. In basketball, you dribble, pass and shoot. That's simple. It was the discipline in the classroom that started everything. The kids saw themselves differently. Because most of my players didn't play any other sport, we got off to a good academic start before the season began. And that was due to the contract. Once the kids started getting accolades academically, it carried onto the court because they no longer had to worry about whether they'd be eligible at mid-season. That put some stability into the program, and they started to see themselves as successful.

In 1999, you received national attention for instituting a one-week game and practice lockout when some players didn't maintain the contract's 2.3 GPA standard (though none dropped below 2.0). Why were all players penalized?
When we had the lockout, I didn't just lock out the varsity team. I locked out the j.v., freshman, and varsity teams. And that was because we are a team and a family. The varsity team helps tutor the j.v. team, the j.v. team helps look out for the freshman team, and so on. In a family, everyone pulls together to reach their goals, and a successful team works the exact same way. When we began the year, each player signed the contract stating they would do all things as a team, not just winning games, but also losing as a team and setting themselves up as role models for other students. I held them to that.

Many people in the community, including boosters, objected to your lockout. Were you surprised that the decision was so controversial?
Yes. I was very surprised. I was merely trying to get the young men to see the importance of: 1) honoring their commitment; 2) understanding that without an education, completing their classes, and obtaining and maintaining their grades, no matter how well they played, they would not be able to get into college to play -- no scout would ever see them. Everyone can not and will not be a Kobe Bryant; and 3) basketball and the NBA should not their number-one priority.

What unique challenges does coaching at an inner-city program pose?
Our challenge is keeping the students motivated when there are so many inequities in the inner city schools -- to challenge them to bring up and maintain a higher GPA in spite of these inequities. For instance, Richmond is a predominantly minority inner-city school with a student body of about 50 percent Hispanic, 30 percent black, and 20 percent others. We have more substitute teachers and uncredentialed teachers than any other school in the district. Before I got here, we were the lowest-performing high school in the district. In fact, our school district filed for bankruptcy about four years ago. So there have been numerous problems in our school and in our district. But my students are learning that I don't accept any excuses. Whether they come from broken homes or there are problems in their community with drugs and alcohol, I tell them, "If you have these problems in your household, or anywhere near you, you need this education more than anyone else. You have to educate yourself, even if your teachers are unqualified." But things are improving.

Are you as innovative in your coaching methods as you are with your efforts to promote education?
Yes, I believe I am. I stress the basics and fundamentals of the game, but teaching them the attitude of a winner is the innovative part. I work hard to build confidence in my players without cockiness. I try to show them how to make that inside move, outside cut, and no-look pass with finesse and style while also teaching them how to keep their head when the other team is constantly hammering at them. Also, our plays are developed and designed around my seven sisters. Each sister has a unique and distinct personality that translates into seven innovative plays designed to win. For instance, we have a defense named Cookie, and that's what we use when we need a stop. It fits her personality because she's my most aggressive sister. She gets the job done.

I also have the team sit and have a discussion before every practice, just as if you were sitting around a dinner table. And every week, I take the team on a trip somewhere. I call it a "career day," and that seems to help keep practices fresh for the team.

They are basically field trips for professionalism. I take them to offices to see different careers first-hand. And I've been lucky enough to find former athletes who are now investment bankers, accountants, etc. They are able to say to my players, "Look, my athletic career stopped, but this is my life after basketball."

And I think we're the only team in the nation that when we take a road trip, the books come out and study hall is in session. The players don't just ride on the bus. They're reading.

Not being a teacher, is it difficult being part of an athletic program where most of the coaches are school staff? Have you ever felt like an outsider?
No, not at all. At first there was a little dissension on the part of some teachers, but I didn't dwell on that. As long as I didn't see myself as an outsider, which I didn't, then I never was. I don't focus on the negatives in life, only the positives and what I can do to bring about a change. And again, I've been part of this community for years. Since Richmond High School was my alma mater, how could I be an outsider?

In 2000, your varsity team went with other San Francisco area teams as delegates to Europe with PeaceBuilders 2000. Why did you feel it was important for them to go?
That trip was a result of our affiliation with the Athletes United for Peace (AUP) organization, and the PeaceBuilders team was composed of goodwill ambassadors from the Bay Area. The team posted three impressive victories against their Dutch counterparts, which included All-Star teams from Rotterdam and the Dutch Junior National team. However, as my son and team point guard Damien pointed out: "We didn't come to humiliate our opponents, this exhibition was a chance to display our talents and good sportsmanship."

During the series, the AUP invited 5'2" Emarily Sanchez, a member of the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated Children's Peace Movement delegation from Colombia, to compete on the PeaceBuilders squad as an honorary player. Our athletes were able to see a glimpse of another culture, country, and type of lifestyle that they would normally only hear about through news broadcasts that are usually about negative and violent events. This was an opportunity to interact through the common denominator of basketball and see that although they were from the other side of the world, they had many of the same interests.

Any plans this year for another offseason experience like PeaceBuilders?
Last year, we played two teams from Australia during our regular season. So our goal this summer is to put together a trip to Australia. And we're going to take the entire program this time -- all three levels.

Do the players have to fund-raise for these trips?
No. That's my job. The kids' responsibility is only to get good grades and play the sport. It's my responsibility and the community's responsibility to go out and find the funds to make these trips happen. It's never easy. But like I tell the kids, you don't make excuses. You just go out and get it done.

Often it's the non-teacher coaches who you hear the worst win-at-all-costs stories about. You seem the antithesis of that. Why?
Giving back is a major key to success. When you grow up in a community, live in that community, and own a business in the same community, you see many things as your responsibility -- not as an opportunity for self gain. I believe teaching someone else that they can achieve a higher goal -- assisting them in building confidence in themselves, and not ego, is fulfilling.

Have your efforts to draw attention to problems in the educational system, and the notoriety that has come with those efforts, fostered any criticism from the public?
Some of the things that I have done so far may not have been traditional, but how far has the tradition gotten us? This is an ever changing world, and we are all using non-traditional methods to accomplish ordinary everyday things; why not in education?

But I don't choose to be in the limelight. It may appear that way to some, but when you have a cause and want to accomplish something, you have to get people's attention. What critics fail to understand is that the publicity I have garnered has only been intended to draw attention to the plight of the students at Richmond High School. And that attention has raised money for computer equipment, athletic supplies and equipment, refurbishment of the gym, and basics such as paint and working restrooms.

Am I criticized? Yes. But the improvements that result from my efforts well exceed any negative comments from others. My response to them each time is, "What are you doing?"

What's your coaching philosophy? And what style of play do you use?
My philosophy is team first. I think keeping things in perspective, prioritizing God, family, school, then sports is important. I also believe that teams today play too many games in high school basketball. Our leagues allows teams to play up to 26 games and have four scrimmages. I think that's way too many games. So I schedule around 20 games, just enough to get us into the playoffs if we make it.

Our style of play is fast paced, well-structured basketball with a lot of pressure.

How has your business background helped you as a coach?
I learned from being in business all these years that success takes patience and the ability and willingness to learn, change, and grow. You have to take each day one at a time and learn delayed gratification. You may not win the first game, or the second, and maybe not even the third, but if you stay there and keep learning and trying, you will win.

Are athletes different today than when you played?
Oh, yes. Kids today, for the most part, are just disrespectful. And everyone wants to be the star -- even the guy sitting at the end of your bench. I read a statistic that said something like 55 percent of all inner-city youth envision playing some type of professional sport. And yet there are only about 2,400 jobs in all of professional sports.

So I make a point to explain this to my athletes. I tell them, "There are only 2,400 jobs in all of football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. But Microsoft alone has over 15,000 engineers. Remember, we are 30 miles from Silicon Valley, and in one square mile of Silicon Valley, there are 350 millionaires in those offices."

Sportsmanship continues to be a big issue at the high school level. How has your team addressed it?
I am aware of the sportsmanship challenges that many high school coaches have had to face over the past few years. However, our contract addresses those issues from the start, and those are things that Richmond High School has not had to confront for some time. Discipline is not an issue here, and I would go as far as to say much of our team's influence has been extended throughout the school. Richmond High School has enjoyed a decline in student disciplinary problems and campus violence.

Do you feel coaches have a responsibility to display good sportsmanship, too?
Oh, yes. I don't jump up and scream when I'm coaching. People ask me all the time, "Coach, how come you don't get up in the middle of the game and scream and holler?" And I explain that I do that in practice. If I haven't instilled the right things in the kids by the time we get to the game, we have a problem. So I try to do all my coaching and screaming before we get to the contest.

The team will always reflect its coaches. If the coach screams and yells and all else, the players will most likely do the same -- because kids look up to and trust their coaches. When you put "Coach" in front of your first name, that comes with a lot of responsibility, and some people don't take that responsibility seriously.

What qualities do you look for in your athletes during tryouts?
I do not select my basketball team based on the best athletes. I look for kids with character and who are responsible. I'm looking for the guy who goes out there and tries.

For example, we had a lot of guys in tryouts who finished ahead of our power forward [in terms of skill and endurance], but the kid just kept going. His body kept telling him he couldn't go another step, but he kept making the step. This kid -- who had never played basketball competitively before because he didn't have the skill or the grades -- will now end up with an athletic scholarship.

What are your competitive goals for the team this year?
Our preseason goal is to have the kids well conditioned, and have their classes all squared away. Our league goal is to be in the regional playoffs. Every year we set that goal, but we're still working towards it. Last season, we didn't have a very good season, we only won 10 games. We had four freshman on the team and we lost at least 15 games by four or five points.

But I don't consider myself a good coach by the number of wins I get per season. Every senior I've ever had in my program has gone on to college. That's the record I'm interested in.

Those wishing to contact Coach Carter can reach him via e-mail at ptsport@pacbell.net, or visit his web site at www.coachcarter.com.