Recruiting, Culture, and Competing for Championships In Topeka, KS | Brett Ballard

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What's up everybody? Welcome to Topeka Insider. Topeka Insider is a podcast based in Topeka, and we have episodes every two weeks on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, and we are just obsessed with highlighting people who make our great city such an amazing place to live.

My name's Justin Armbruster, John Griffith, my co-host. Today we have Brett Ballard, head men's basketball coach at Washburn University. Thanks for having me back.

Good to be back, guys. Great to be back. Great to have you in the studio, man. Yeah, it's awesome. Well, you guys are off to a great start. Man, the season seems to be going really well. It got some momentum.

Yeah, it's been fun. These guys um, you know, uh pretty high expectations coming into the season uh with what we brought back and then what we were able to get through the transfer portal and with our freshman class coming in. Um, you know, we we had high expectations for this group, but um, you know, they've they probably exceeded where I thought we could be at, you know, at this point in the year. Uh we got off to like a really good start, playing some very good teams out of the gate. Um everybody, the the pieces have just fit really well. Um guys have guys have come in and bought in, um, been cohesive. Our our our returners really did a nice job of setting a tone with our standards and our culture. Wow, yeah. The new guys jumped right in with two feet in the circle and bought in, you know, very quickly into what we were trying to do here. And um, you know, we still got a long ways to go and and we got to get a lot better. But um, I'm really proud of this group, and and they should be really proud of themselves of what they've accomplished so far. It's been a lot of fun. That's amazing.

This year to last year, how many returners do you have? How many new uh what kind of fresh blood do you have? What's that mix up like?

Rebuilding The Roster After Elite Eight

So we we lost four starters off of last year's Elite Eight team. Um, all four were all league guys. Three graduated, uh, we're seniors, and then one transferred up to the division one level. Um, and so you lose four starters, that's always challenging. Uh the good thing was we brought back Jack Batchelor, our starting point guard to Pika to Pika Kid. Um, yeah, which which is he's been a stud. Uh we brought back our sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth man off the bench. And those guys probably would have started at a lot of schools um you know throughout the country. So even though we lost a lot, we felt like we brought a really good nucleus back. Um we brought in four division two transfers out of the transfer portal, and uh those guys have all been really good. Two of them start, one of them's our first guy off the bench. So that we we we we really hit some home runs with that, and then we brought in a really good freshman class. So, you know, in this day and age, it felt like we lost a lot and we did, but comparatively speaking, uh, we probably had as good of a nucleus back as about anybody in the country, and those guys were great as far as setting the tone.

Culture, Identity, And Standards

Yeah, yeah. So I remember in a previous episode episode we had you on right after last season, and uh you know, obviously an incredible run last season you said Elite Eight. Um, is it difficult coming into a new season not to just be comparing yourself to previous season? Like, what's it like coming trying to get a fresh start in a new season?

Lee Arena’s $8M Renovation

Yeah, I think it's a balance, Sean. Like um, I I do think we need to lean into our tradition and the past, and and and and I do think past success is um a positive example of how we want to conduct ourselves and the standards we want to get to and all that thing. So I think like there's a there's a lot of positives about looking at what we did in the past to be successful and building off of some of that. But to your point, every team creates its own identity, and every year, you know, uh every year has its own identity, its own ups and downs, and its own adversity. And so this this team has kind of had to forge their own path. Um, I would say they're really similar to last year's team in a lot of ways. They're they play hard, they're unselfish, they're coachable. Um, they they have a good, like you come in our gym, there's an energy and a spirit to them, which some teams you got to fight that a little bit, like you're trying to build their their their energy level up. But these guys like being in the gym. So there's a ton of comparisons that I that that are really positive. Um but at the same time, uh, like I said, this team wants to create its own identity. And um uh although we're similar, uh we're trying to exceed even what last year's team did. And that's that's part of our motivation.

Speaking of working hard in the gym, Lee Arena has gotten a fresh new look. Tell us a little bit about that. Last time you were on, you talked about what was going to be happening. Yeah, they're done, almost done. Tell us a little bit about that maze.

Yeah, we put um over eight million dollars in the arena, so big time renovation. We we have some incredible boosters that stepped up to make that happen. Um, brand new floor. So the floor that was in there was the original floor uh dating back to the mid-80s. So it was it was time. Uh it was time. We had uh the the wood floor in and then the rest of the the outside of the floor was that tartan uh rubber track. Right. So we took the, well, we didn't take the track out, we put wood over the entire arena. So that just cleaned it up and and obviously new state-of-the-art floor, new bleachers. We had those tan kind of old school, high school looking bleachers, and so we put new seating in, new bleachers in, um, new lighting, new video boards. I think the the biggest one that stands out, that donut board in the middle.

Yeah.

Uh we have a little bit of a lower ceiling, so we can't do a traditional scoreboard necessarily, but we put that donut board in, it's it's amazing. Um, new video boards on the sides, uh, sound system upgrade, and and like I said, just uh fresh paint, fresh graphics, and all that stuff. So it it looks amazing.

Eight million dollars goes a long way. Yeah, you can feel that sound system update, man.

That's you can feel that in your chest. They um we have some younger people that do our marketing, and uh, you know, so they like it. And and I don't mind it, but you know, they they they'll they'll they'll get the music cranked up a little bit. Our guys like it, so I'm fine with it. I'm getting old, I'm like, that sounds loud, but uh it's too loud in here. But they're like, shut up, grandpa. Yeah. We uh no, our marketing, they did they do a great job with our stuff and and the video and all that stuff. It's a it's a production, and um, you know, we led division two in attendance last year. Yeah, uh, and and and we've had great crowds this year, so we appreciate the sport.

So is the original basketball court now like your kitchen floor?

I should have done that. That's a great I should have thought about that. Uh we saved parts of it, and uh so so we have some of it saved, and we saved the center W and we're gonna display that eventually. Uh so we did cut up some of it and save it, but I should have I should have thought about that. I could have saved some money on on hardwood flooring. That's right.

So it you said they're gonna display it. Is there gonna be like a thing in the lobby of the of the arena that's like a history of the team or something like that?

Campus Upgrades And Facilities Impact

So if you've ever been to KU uh and Allen Fieldhouse, when you walk in, they've got the old K from the old floor. And so the thought is we're gonna frame that up, the old W. And then uh, you know, part of the we have a kind of a second phase of renovations that will come down the line, and uh as you come into the arena and come into the entrance way, we we hope to display that.

So Lee Arena's not even done.

Well, yeah, it it we're still uh there's still some things that we're gonna do in the future to it, but the inside of it for the most part, we're done with that. Now we're we'll kind of start working on concourses and some of the entryways.

So speaking of upgrades, Lee Arena getting a fresh look, that's kind of the tip of the iceberg for what Washburn's doing. I mean, on that campus. Can you speak to maybe some of the viewers who aren't familiar with Washburn? What are some of the updates that Washburn's been getting over the past couple years? It feels like as a native to Topeka, every time I drive by the campus, something new is going on. Yeah, yeah.

Well, uh, you know, the advisors excel uh new business school is is is getting completely remodeled and redone. Um, it's in the existing footprint, but they're expanding it and it'll basically look like a brand new building. So they're in the they're in the process of that right now. And um, matter of fact, I saw that just I was on campus the other day, and it it it there's a ton going on over there. That's gonna look amazing. You know, obviously just with what we did to Elite Arena, uh, there's a new health uh healthcare um and and nursing uh center that's going in here pretty soon. We got a huge donation on that. So that'll be that'll be quickly on the horizon. They'll start construction on that uh, you know, in in in the near future.

Yeah, and I mean, and you guys, it was several years ago now, but I'm sure it's getting used all the same. I mean the new athletic building, right? The law school is brand new stuff. Holy smokes. Yeah, no doubt.

The law school's brand new, it's amazing. Uh the indoor athletic facility, which is a few years old now, but you talk about state of the art, indoor bank track, which only uh one or two in the D2s, maybe in that nation have that, with the football field inside of it. That's been really nice for our winter sports and our fall sports, baseball, softball, football, soccer, they can all utilize that space and obviously track and field, uh, you know, especially those other sports when it's cold outside.

And I remember you said in our last interview, which I thought was really interesting, the indoor sports uh arena doesn't impact you on from a basketball standpoint as much as some of the other sports, but it does in that it gives those other athletes a place to go and do their thing so you can free up Lee Arena for you guys. Yeah, I'm sure that is a huge help.

Coaching Joys, Stress, And Philosophy

Well, you think about like the basketball court in practice is like my classroom, right? Like that's that's my classroom for that hour and a half, two hour period. And when I first got here, uh baseball, softball, track didn't have a facility to train in when it was cold. So during our practices on the sides, there'd be all kinds of activity going on, which you know we understood because they didn't have anywhere else to go. But you think about trying to teach and learn in that environment, in some ways it was good because it made us really hyper focus and try to just, you know, eliminate all those other eliminate all those other distractions. But it's nice now, not only for those athletes, because now they have a much better space and and bigger space to train in, uh, but for us, it allows us to practice in an environment where there's minimal distractions.

So there's no one pole vaulting off to the side of the Well, we had the pole vaulters in there.

I think we talked about that. They they had the pole vault uh in the floor, and then they'd put the mats out there, and uh so they would be pole vaulting. And listen, that that sport's insane in itself. It is insane. It's a loud sport when you don't complete the pole vault because the you know the poles clanging and so oh yeah, the hardwood floor is just yeah, and it's a sport. I never knew this, but they practice for like you know, four or five hours at a time because what three or four will come in and go, and then three or four more, and then so you know, the a lot of times they'd be in there for three or four or five hours, so and and which is necessary, but you know, you think about so the amount of time they were in there when we were practicing all the time. I used to joke with the um with the coaches, and I said, You guys just look and see when we're gonna practice and schedule your deal. Uh joking with them. And I do miss though, the one bad thing is that you had that interaction with those a little bit more. So we don't see them as much, but uh, I know they're loving a new facility.

I just imagine like if I was on your team and I'm like in a team huddle in the middle of the court, you're trying to give us a really serious lesson at score. And then you just hear like, what? Some guys eat it from pole vault to high deck. Man, it's hard to pay attention. Yeah, that's hilarious.

The young guys get used to it, but no, no, they'd be there'd be a lot going on. Kyle Hinton was uh he shot put it for us. He he's a football player that's in the NFL now. Wow, big old massive dude. Well, they had they had an indoor shot put stuff on the end of the court. He could throw it far enough where he broke a couple of our bleachers because there was a little barrier there. It was an indoor shot put, so it was like softer for the floor, but he could throw it over the barrier there he had set place, so he he broke a few of the bleachers in the arena. So that was always distracting too, hearing that clang. But yeah, yeah, there was a lot going on back in the day. So I appreciate this new facility.

Wow. So life as a coach, how long have you been the head coach at Washburn now? Uh nine years. Wow. So what are the best and worst parts of coaching?

Best D2 Job And Recruiting Edge

Yeah. Uh best parts I would say I love competing. Uh, so I love the competition of it. Um, I love trying to help young people become the best version of themselves. Uh so I love just being a part of this journey with them uh through basketball, um, is a big part of it, trying to help them be the best basketball player they can potentially be. But then also also uh trying to instill in them uh some life lessons through that, through our sport that I really truly will will believe will help them in life. And I love having that impact on young people. Um I love uh the camaraderie at Washburn. Uh I love the league we're in. I love the fact that we get to compete for championships at Washburn. Um and uh, you know, I I I I I love the game of basketball so there's so much of it that that that I enjoy on a daily basis. I think the hardest part is you are dealing with 18 to 20 year old people, and you're trying to get them to perform in a highly competitive environment with all these factors that go into winning and losing basketball games. And a lot of which you try to control, but a lot of which you know sometimes can be out of control, illnesses or injuries or girlfriends or academics or just this the the stress that they're going through. And you you you're putting your livelihood in the hands of these kids, uh, that at times can can be uh stressful. Um, you know, you try to try to compartmentalize that as much as you can. Um and and you know, it's winning is hard. Winning basketball games is hard. Uh so I think the stress of that is probably uh the biggest negative that I find in coaching, but there's so many positives and I love what I get to do. I'm I'm I'm really blessed. That's amazing.

I saw an interview with you the other day talking about how you think you have the best division two job, basketball job in the world. Why speak a little bit to that? What does that have to do with your team, with Washburn? Why why do you think that?

Generational Gaps And Trust

Yeah, really just trying to get a race. No, um, Washburn. Give this guy a raise. Uh no, they take good care of me. He's winning games. Come on. They take good care of me. Um I no, I I feel like I really believe that. Uh one with the resources we have, we just talked about that. The incredible resources here. So a commitment from a facility and resource standpoint to excellence, um, with our scholarships, with with our budgets, with our gear, with our nutrition, like they instill a lot of commitment into our program uh financially and and from a facility standpoint. Uh I think that we play in the best basketball conference in the country. So I think that's that's a positive. I think from a recruiting standpoint, uh, because of our resources, because of our tradition, and and I have an incredible staff, I feel like we're able to recruit some of the best talent in the country in, which that's a separator, right? That that that that determines a lot of your success. And I feel like we're in a place where we're gonna be able to recruit high-level, high character uh talent. And uh I think the last part of it is just like location for me, and um the the the way that people in this area love basketball. I mean, I think Kansas is a basketball state. People in the state are very passionate about this sport, and I think Topeka has really supported this team. Like I said earlier, we we led division two into ten. It's I think that's part of what makes a job good is people actually care. Wow.

Um, we had uh coach Laura Westing on a few weeks ago, um, the women's coach, and uh she made the comment uh that it's just an interesting part of the job. You come back every year and you're getting a little older, and the players are staying the same age every year. And so they feel they feel just like further away. You know, it's like, what is wrong with you guys? Why are you thinking like that? You know, like uh when like what has that been like? You know, every year maybe the dynamic is changing a little bit with you know the you know, strengths and challenges that 18-year-olds are coming in with or something like that. Like, what has that been like over the years?

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Process Over Outcomes And Confidence

I still feel pretty young at heart. So I feel that a little bit, but I also really try to put myself in their shoes and and uh go back to when I was their age and and what my thought process was like as much as I can. Uh, but I do agree there there continues to be a bigger gap. It's nice for me because I've got kids that age. Yeah. So I'm around it at home on a daily basis. Like my son's a freshman on the team this year. Yeah. I have a sophomore high school, a seventh grader. So they keep me somewhat, you know, grounded and updated on on what that reality is for young people this age. Um, you know, and then I I still think there's some timeless um um characteristics or whatever you want to say that uh whatever the generation gap is, as long as they know that I truly care about them, that that they can trust me, that I have their best interest at heart. I think those things, regardless of the age, are some things that are timeless. I played for Coach Roy Williams in college and he was older when I played for him. Uh, but I knew he cared about me. I knew he was doing things the right way for the right reasons. And I think that um when when you can instill that in your guys and in your program, uh, even when there starts to be a bigger age gap, I still think you can connect with them.

Yeah. Do you have uh any favorite Gen Z slang terms you like to use in your coaching?

Um God, you put me on the spot. Uh probably not. And probably when I do use them, they just make you know, here's what's funny about having a son on the team. So I know when I say something that I think is funny, they're just going in the locker room and making fun of me. He's got to sit through all that. Uh so when I do try to use any of those, I know that they're just gonna go crush me in the locker room and make fun of me. So that's funny.

Uh that's amazing. Talk about the momentum. How do you what's the locker room like as guys are starting to realize, hey, we we're we're a good team. You know, uh last year's team was good. We're also really good. We might be better. You know, how do you inspire them to keep pushing through, keep working hard? And basically, as Kobe Bryant says, job's not done.

One-On-One Trash Talk And Old-School Rules

Yeah, you know, what's that look like? I want them to be like I tell them I'm proud of them, but it's more important than to be proud of themselves every once in a while. We're not gonna, we're gonna, we're not gonna sit in that very long because we got we know we got to keep getting better. But I do think like Coach Williams, I mentioned him earlier, he was really big on enjoying the journey. And I think sometimes as coaches, and I'm guilty of this, it's like always the next thing. And I think occasionally we need to stop and smell the roses and and and and embrace and enjoy a little bit of what we get we we've accomplished, and then and then you turn the page and move on. Um, but what these guys are doing is amazing. It really is, especially in this conference. Like, this is a really hard conference. And yeah, we've played our strength of schedule's top 10 in the country. So beyond even our non-conference, we've beaten some really good teams. Wow. So I'm I'm really proud of what we've done, a long way to go. Uh, so it's a combination of both. It's yeah, let's let's let's be proud and then let's flip the page and keep getting better.

It makes me think I saw this quote from uh Nick Sabin, former Alabama head coach outcomes are a distraction. And focusing on the process is where you need to be living. Wow, yeah, that's so good.

That's good. I respect Coach Saban a lot, and and it is. You're just trying to focus on the things you can control. There's some things out outside of our control, and the process, our effort, our energy, our attitude, those are things that we can control. And we certainly try to put our effort and focus on those every day.

Wow. So uh about a year ago, we had some of the players from last year's squad in the studio, and they were talking pretty big. Yeah, yeah. Uh they, you know, were making claims that they could beat you in a one-on-one game and things like that. Uh, and then, you know, we had you on after to, you know, cleanup shop and establish reality for those guys. Uh, is there anybody on the team you think could give you a run for your money in a one-on-one game?

MJ vs LeBron And Space Jam

Well, they could all, like I said then, the thing that they were talking crazy was that they could beat me when I was their age. That's you know, like listen, right now I'm old. They probably would handle it. And they also said, you know, they would beat me 11-0 or like I wasn't gonna score. I thought that was a little, I thought that was a little disrespectful. Uh I could not beat any of our current guys right now in one-on-one. Uh I'm too I mean, I just try to work out and stay in shape, but these guys are 18 and in phenomenal shape and do this every day. Uh but you know, this younger generation sometimes they they disrespect us old guys. You gotta put them in their place a little bit. It's okay. We we have the you know, the MJ LeBron debate and all that stuff. We we we we always have those arguments and I try to remind them of the past a little bit. Yeah.

Okay, so uh you you're in your prime. Let's just say you're you're 22 or 20 or whatever year you thought you know was the best year that you were in college. And how many of your current guys would it take to beat you uh in a game? I mean, not like one-on-one, two v1, three v10s.

I was just trying to cause controversy. I mean, I think it'd be one-on-one, would be a fair game. I think I could hold my own, you know, back in the day. No, our our rules were different too. We could hand check and I could you could foul a little bit more. You know, now you can't hardly touch these guys. Soft. Yeah, exactly. So I don't know if they would like the physicality. I was going to play with it.

Yeah, we put them in your rules. Yeah, exactly. I'll play our rules. Come on.

The 90s, late 90s, early 2000s. Like you can be a little more physical, hand check, all that stuff. I think they're going to struggle a little bit. Yeah.

Come on. At what age was your son when he started to take over the throne of taking you on one-on-one?

Yeah, a couple years ago. That's got to hurt. I was bigger. My advantage was I was taller. So you just shoot over him. And then, you know, we got the same height basically. Then that was a problem. And uh so we kind of stopped playing with that.

Let's go play Monopoly inside.

Let's play uh let's play cards. But I would just kind of rebound for him then and let him get the shots up.

Is it a proud moment or is it also like a hit to the pride like my son can take me now?

The 30-Second Washburn Pitch

Um I it doesn't bug me that much. Uh, because because you know it's more like, hey, I'm glad he's he's becoming a good player and yeah, happy for him than it is, you know, me reliving my glory days. It was fun. We we didn't play a ton, uh, we play some and we he'd shoot around a lot and made me rebounding for him. But you know, it's fun to be out there with him some and also get out there and mess around a little bit, but we're not keeping score.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Wow. Uh okay, so you mentioned the the LeBron MJ debate. Where do you land on that?

Uh well, I I would say this. I I appreciate just watching great players. And I think we've gotten to such a place where like instead of just appreciating it, we want to argue about everybody. And I know it's kind of for fun, but like some of it just is exhausting to me. Like, can we just appreciate Steph or LeBron? And instead of like every night, you know, like ESPNs really turn to like it just let's debate and let's try to create controversy instead of just appreciating the sport. And I think when we don't appreciate the sport, whatever sport it is, we're we're losing uh some of what it what it means to be a fan and some of what makes sports beautiful. So I'm an MJ guy, and and and that's maybe just because I grew up and and and watched more of him or he was you know close to my age or whatever, but um well not close to my age because LeBron's close to my age too, but um just I was an MJ guy and and uh would probably lean that way. But I LeBron's had a heck of a career and and you know he's he's gonna go down as uh obviously one of the greatest. Yeah.

How do you feel about the Space Jam sequel?

Topeka Rapid Fire: Eats, Coffee, Golf

Uh I so at our camp every year we have an all-day camp and we show movies over lunch. And so Space Jam, the original, is a staple. 100%. And if you come to camp every year, you're gonna watch Space Jam. Like I'm gonna educate you on that. So a couple years ago, we started playing original and then the new ones, so they would get both. And the campers are funny. I think the most of them still like the original, and that was without my influence, but it's okay. I'm objective outsiders. Yeah, I'm original, I'm an original guy, but the the kids seem to kind of lean towards the original too. So come on.

They recognize good art in. So yeah, I don't know how I didn't win a grant.

All right, you're on the phone with the recruit, hotshot recruit. You're trying to get to come to Washburn. It's got offers all over the place. Give us the 30-second Washburn pitch on why they should come be a Nicopod.

Yeah, I think uh biggest thing we sell is the people that they're gonna be around. Like we try to recruit high-quality people, and I tell them the biggest thing I would sell you on our program is you're gonna come into a locker room with phenomenal guys that care about the right things, that care about uh each other, that care about their academics, that socially you're gonna want to hang out with, and guys that I think will be some of your best friends for life. Um that's just not the case at every every place you go. Uh, and I truly think we have a culture and the right guys in our locker room uh that people want to be around, and that uh a huge part of our success is just being getting the right people on the bus and the right people in the locker room. So I want them to come be a part of that.

Love it. That's amazing. Can we shift to like Topeka? Let's do it. Uh rapid fire questions. Um so we want to hit you guys with uh we have some staple rapid fire questions we like to ask all of our guests. Um as a former guest, I think you are the only person, you're the first former guest to come on this podcast. Oh, they're absolutely set records everywhere you go, man. You can't help us set records. So uh you've answered these in the past, but you know, we'll just get a little update. Okay. Um these are just about life in Topeka as a uh you know, citizen of this great city. So um, do you have any favorite local restaurants?

Yeah, um, I like El Ranchito uh uh from a Mexican spot. Let's go. Yeah, I like El Ranchito. Um, you know, I I like I like skinny's because radio shows there, and skinny's always a solid. Um uh Johnny's Bullfrog's always sports bar-wise, always solid. So but if I'm going Mexican, I'll go El Ranchito.

That's a great answer.

Uh favorite local coffee shop.

Uh I go three. I like uh circle, I like um uh dialogue, and I like uh PTs. I would put those three at the top. Um I know there's some other good ones, but those are my top three.

I heard they just open a dialogue on campus.

Yeah, there's one in the um I didn't know that just in the uh in the old library, uh not too far from my office. So I've been over there a couple times and uh take advantage of that. Yeah, it's awesome. Wow.

Okay, so you get uh uh you know a night free, no games or anything. What date night are you doing that night?

Yeah, so most of our date nights are at games. Like we joke about that, but like most of the time if we're on a date, it's like, hey, we're going to watch watch the kids play. Um and I think last time I answered this, I gave some real fancy answer. My wife was like, that's not at all. Like I think I even made myself. She's like, oh, that was that sounds amazing. So whatever I said last time, we should probably be doing. Um has that happened in the last year? Yeah, that well, okay. We do try to, you know, I think just trying to intentionally go to dinner without the kids every once in a while and just spend like and and and and be engaged without any distractions is is always uh uh it's it's challenging because of everything going on. But we try we try to you know intentionally schedule that from time to time. Yeah, cool. Uh I know you're a golfer. Local golf golf shop. What local golf course? What's your go-to? I probably play Cyprus uh as much as anywhere, uh just because it's yeah, you know, for me from a it's a nice course and it's not overly challenging. Um so I'd say Cyprus. My son worked at TCC last summer, so the benefit of that was on Mondays, employees could play for a discount. So that was big. I said, hey man, you gotta keep this job for life. Uh and so I got the I had I really hadn't played TCC much, but uh that was awesome.

And that'll ruin you too. You play TCC one and you go back to Cypress.

And then you gotta go. It's it's different, but uh no, there's some other good ones, but uh those two I probably played the most last time.

Your son gets like offers to go pro. No, son, you need to keep the TCC job. You're keeping that uh that that cartboy job at TCC.

Yeah.

Uh okay. Uh if you're doing a home project, are you going to Home Depot, Lowe's, or the other one?

Um I'm an ace hardware guy. Ace hardware because they're like so it's first of all, some of those, I don't need 25 million options on everything. Like Ace has what you need. And they're like, there's so many people that'll like help you right away. I just feel like they're and they know what they're doing there. So I'm an ace guy. Okay, come on, let's go. And I'm not doing many home, I don't screw that. I'm not I'm not doing a ton of home projects. That's why I appreciate you making me sound like that. But it's minimal, minimal efforts.

You could have led us on and we wouldn't have known any otherwise.

Like, man, that's been a basketball coach, golfer, handyman. That's wild. Uh I guess final question where can people find you at? Where can they follow the basketball team as you guys take on the season? Uh you guys on socials, website.

Yeah. So uh woosports.com is the best way to find you know schedules, game information. Uh, we're obviously we have we have an Instagram account, we have a Twitter or an X account. Uh I I have my own personal accounts as well. But you know, the best way to follow our basketball team would be probably through woosports.com. Um uh Gene Castle, our SID office, does a great job over there of putting out a lot of content, uh, what's going on with our guys, and uh probably the best way to do that to follow us would be to go through that site.

It's awesome. Man, thank you so much for coming. This has been awesome. Man, yeah, best of luck to the rest of the season. Appreciate it. I like our group. Thanks, guys.