Penn alum Trice happy to be back as a coach

The Daily Pennsylvanian

Shawn Trice discovered his life's mission somewhat by accident.

After graduating from Penn in 1995, the two-time All-Ivy selection went overseas to play professional basketball in Sweden and Taiwan, each for one year.

When he returned home to Detroit to work out during the off-season, he was asked by a friend to volunteer at the local YMCA.

The first team he was assigned was comprised of children aged 10 and under. Immediately, he fell in love with coaching.

"After the first season, they asked me to run the program," he said. "I said I would do it, but that I could leave anytime.

"And here I am seven years later," he added. "I worked on building up the program for the kids. Hopefully I impacted a lot of lives while I was there."

Now, Trice is back at Penn as a volunteer assistant coach, helping players adjust to a system in which he was once a player.

"It's great to have him back," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "I was glad, when I made the phone call, that he was interested.

"It's worked out well."

Although Trice played at Penn, he is not familiar with its current offensive system. That was mostly designed by assistant coach Dave Duke, who came to Penn in 1998.

"I told [Duke] that I probably would have had a couple more scoring opportunities if we had this system when I was here," Trice jokes.

But Dunphy thinks there are other intangibles that Trice, as a former Penn player, brings to the team.

"He's got a real good feel for people and a real good feel for the game," Dunphy said "That's what has helped us immediately.

"And he knows me," Dunphy added. "He knows what a knucklehead I can be sometimes. He can adjust to that right away."

Over the summer, Penn lost two of its key big men from last season -- Jan Fikiel graduated, while Ryan Pettinella transferred out.

Pettinella's unexpected departure may force the Quakers coaching staff to develop the freshman frontcourt quicker than originally anticipated. Indeed, only juniors Steve Danley and Mark Zoller are returning big men, meaning that freshmen such as Cameron Lewis and Brennan Votel will likely play significant minutes for the Quakers this season.

In that regard, having an experienced forward who has played under the bright Palestra lights -- and had great success in Ivy League play, finishing 42-0 in his final three Ivy League seasons -- will be a tremendous help for Penn's forwards and centers.

"It's the first time we've had a big man who played at the college level coaching here," Danley said. "He knows a lot more about the intricacies of playing inside.

"We go through post moves before and after practice, rebounding, a lot of positioning stuff, just little footwork things that kind of slipped through the cracks before," he added. "I almost feel like I have a personal coach here."

In addition to aiding experienced players such as Danley, Trice has been a mentor of sorts for younger players like Lewis.

"I deal more so with freshmen, because they're going to be thrust into a role that typically a freshman wouldn't be thrust into," Trice said.

Before practice, Trice can be seen giving Lewis little tips as he practices free throws: "You shooting with your arms or your legs, Cameron?"

Lewis appreciates the support, which has helped him to adjust to the quicker and more physical college game.

"He's a younger coach, very enthusiastic, very encouraging with the younger players," Lewis said. "He works with Brennan and me after practice, which is very helpful. He gives me tips every day, little things I can work on and improve."

When the assistant coaching position opened, Dunphy thought of three former players who he thought would be good fits: Andy Toole, Ira Bowman and Trice.

"It just seemed like the best fit for Shawn," Dunphy said.

So far, it has been a good fit for Penn.

"It was nice to get somebody who can work with the big guys," Dunphy said. "The first thing he did when he got on board was attend a big man's clinic. He lends that expertise -- he is used to banging around inside, and he knows the tricks of the trade."

So far, it seems that the player-turned-coach is thriving in his new role.

"The other coaches are helping me along," Trice said. "This is brand new to me."

Yet just as it is brand new to him, so too playing at the college level is brand new to the freshmen.

"I can relate with him more than the other coaches," Lewis said. He is younger, played the same position as me, and he deals with me a lot during practice."

Because he is an unpaid assistant on the varsity team, Trice is coaching the men's junior varsity club team, as well as working a few hours every day doing patient transport at HUP.

But for Trice, his busy schedule is well worth the struggle.

"Everything I'm doing for the basketball program, I won't get paid," he said.

But "Working at HUP is full of excitement every day.

"It's something you have to do to get the job done and stay afloat," he adds, with a genuinely wide smile and optimistic attitude. "Whether at the college level or high school, I know I want to be coaching. That's something I want to achieve in my lifetime."

Shawn Trice bio - Played for Penn from 1991-95, earning second-team All-Ivy honors and going 42-0 in Ivy League play in his final three seasons - Worked as a youth coach at the Detroit YMCA after his playing career overseas - Returned to Penn to fill the coaching spot vacated by Gil Jackson

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