Q & A with 1st year Caltech head coach Oliver Eslinger

Anybody been cut from their high school basketball team, but still yearned for an opportunity to play on a real college team?

No worries, just make sure your high school cumulative GPA is over 4 and that your ACT or SAT are near perfect and, quite possibly, you could end up playing college basketball. I’m not talking at the DI level like at Harvard, Yale or Brown. More like DIII level, specifically Caltech in Pasadena, California, one of the most renowned science, math, and engineering institutions in the world. A school Albert Einstein and 30 other Nobel Prize winners roamed.

Recent Caltech basketball squads have had more valedictorians on the team than players with actual varsity high school basketball experience. There’s truly some hope for the really really really smart guys just so-so in basketball.

So it’s not really surprising that Caltech went 207 DIII contests without a W. They finally broke through on January 6, 2007 against Bard College. Their conference losing streak (SCIAC) currently stands at 259 (1985-2008).

Caltech’s basketball woes haven’t gone entirely unnoticed. The 2007 documentary “Quantum Hoops” is about the struggles of Caltech basketball during the last two decades.

In September of this year, Caltech hired MIT’s top assistant Oliver “Doc” Eslinger to take over the program. MIT was 87-73 during Eslinger’s time there.

Oliver is also the founder of Top Game Sports Consulting. Oliver earned his doctorate in counseling psychology-sport psychology and masters in counseling from Boston University.

While wandering around on Doc’s website Doc’s Head Games I decided to pester him with some questions about the program and who Caltech’s Nash and Stoudemire would be. He declined answering the latter question. I let it slide. Humbleness is an acceptable characteristic in my book.

Fortunately Coach Eslinger was nice enough to take a stab at the rest.

Q- What is more concerning: the defensive problems of last season, or the offensive shortcomings? Which is the faster “fix”?

A- I am a defensive minded coach. I’ve coached teams that were highly ranked in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense, and I loved defense as a player. So, giving up 80 points per game is not something I want to have happen. No matter what, we have to be able to get stops and understand how to prevent teams from getting whatever they want. Of course, many of those opposing points are attributed to turning the ball over, so the offensive end is just as important. I would guess that it is easier to improve the D, but until we are able to get out on the court and gauge personnel and personalities, I cannot answer the “fast fix” question.

Q- How do you instill a winning/positive culture at Caltech without referring too much about the past?

A- First, we have to separate winning and positive — a team can win, but it may not be positive. Or a team can be positive and not win. We have begun with the positive. It’s all about the moment and the future. We don’t refer to the past except when there is a “did you ever try this?” question. Right now, it’s all about the new staff, the returners, and the new players — moving forward and creating novel expectations and an unprecedented excitement in the program. And with that type of attitude, players are optimistic and excited for upcoming challenges.

Q- What is your best memory at MIT?

A- Oh man, that is a tough question. So many. I’d say it is traveling to Taiwan to play in the Kainan Invitational. Most of the squad that won the school record 21 games was there and we just had a terrific experience — culturally, athletically, socially. Not only did we win the tourney in fine fashion, it was the best I’ve ever seen us come together as a team and a program.

Q- Tell me one thing the basketball savvy crowd, that is so out of touch with the lower levels of collegiate basketball, does not know about DIII hoops, yet, might actually be interested in knowing if they ever made the effort?

A- There is just so much competition out there. DIII does not mean third class. These players are true student-athletes (at Caltech, they are as true as true gets). When DIII teams beat DI teams, it doesn’t surprise me — and it happens every year. If you can play basketball at the next level, sometimes all that matters is that it is the next level — whether it’s DI, DII, or DIII.

Q- If an Oliver Eslinger coached team loses a large lead at the end of the game, one in which you clearly out played the opponent, what do you tell your team back in the lockeroom and how to you address them in the practices leading up to the next contest?

A- Well, if we truly outplayed the opponent, in every sense, then we probably didn’t lose. But, if we did come up short, then I would point out the great plays, the teamwork, and the details that helped us gain the lead. If we lost the lead, then it probably had to do with focus, finishing off the opponent. So we would put particular emphasis on focus drills, understanding situations, becoming mentally stronger as the time wears on. Reminders and incentives would be key.

Q- Do you have any aspirations to coach at the DI level?

A- Not at this time. I love this level of basketball. I wouldn’t say I never want to, but it would depend on the environment, the school, the type of players and people there. It just has to be the right fit.

Q- Expectations for this year? Who is Caltech’s Nash and Stoudemire?

A- I expect us to enjoy this year with hard work, development, and camaraderie. We have six seniors and a great staff so I want to make sure everyone has an experience that they will want to talk about for the rest of their lives.

Something tells me that last year’s 1-24 record will improve.

Good Luck Beavers!

Caltech’s 08/09 schedule