July 15, 2009
This week we checked in with Assistant Basketball Coach Dustin Kerns, who is busy in the month of July, hitting the recruiting trail. He talked about life in California, what has him excited about this upcoming season and what he admires most about professional athletes.
SCU: How have you adjusted to life on the West Coast after spending most of your life in the South?
DK: Life in California is great. My wife and I love it here and Northern California is such a nice play to live. The lifestyle and pace is much different than living in Tennessee and South Carolina, but there is never a dull moment and we are enjoying it.
SCU: We are asking each assistant coach to talk about a couple of Bronco players and their progress after spring individuals. After spring workouts, what part of Scott Thompson and Ben Dowdell's games do you think have improved the most?
DK: Ben has really improved his ball handling since spring. Scott's ability to shoot from outside the paint has improved as well.
SCU: What is your recruiting technique and what has you most excited about the latest recruiting class you have brought in to Santa Clara?
DK: Our staff is a team and we recruit that way. We all talk to, email, and evaluate recruits and let them and their families know that Santa Clara is all about "we". It will be the same way when the recruit steps foot on campus for his first day of class. Everyone will be here for him because we all will have a relationship with him and that relationship will be both ways. We really try to dig deep in the process and try and see how competitive, how tough, and how much they affect winning with each prospect.
I am most excited about the fact that our incoming class has good people. That goes for all of our players as well. Also, our incoming class all won at a high level last year with their respective teams.
SCU: What are you most excited about for the upcoming season?
DK: I am excited that we have a group of guys who just want to win and don't care who gets the credit. I am also excited that we play 18 home games because we love playing at home in front of our fans and students. The Leavey Center is a terrific place to play and watch college basketball.
SCU: What is your favorite movie?
DK: Tough question because I like movies. Heat with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro is one that I can always watch again and again.
SCU: Who is your favorite athlete?
DK: Another tough question because I respect and admire a lot of athletes. I like guys who win championships. As far as former athletes it would have to be Michael Jordan. I know that is a common answer but I have admiration for the amount of work, dedication, and pride he takes in every aspect of his life. He also has seven rings, (six NBA and one college). For current college athletes, I would probably go with Tim Tebow, the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback at Florida. He has two National titles to along with his leadership on and off the field. He truly leads by example. College athletics needs more student-athletes like Tim Tebow.
SCU: What is your favorite vacation spot?
DK: St. Kitts, a small island in the Caribbean. My wife and I went there for our honeymoon. It is a place that you can go off the resort and eat where the locals eat. It is a small island, but it is safe and everyone is really friendly.
Go Broncos!
