By PAUL GOTHAM
WEBSTER, N.Y. — Having worked in the program for the past three seasons, Rashaad Stokelin won’t require any introductions as head coach of the Webster Schroeder Warriors.
He also doesn’t need anyone to let him know of the possibilities ahead.
“It still feels kinda surreal,” Stokelin said after being named the Warriors head coach. “Every day it seems like I’m learning something new. I’m figuring out something new from the previous spot I had at Webster. It just feels great. I’m excited. The guys are excited.”
Stokelin takes over the program from Matt Spadoni who led Schroeder for 17 seasons.
“I’m lucky to come into this program with so much structure and such a strong foundation,” he added. “Some new coaches come into a broken program and they have to fix and rebuild it. I’m fortunate to come into a spot with so much stability handed off from Coach Spadoni to me.”
The school’s freshman modified coach the past three seasons, Stokelin inherits a squad which includes All-County performers JoJo Plummer and Luke Insley as well as Ky’mere Meeks.
“I told the guys ‘let’s take this excitement with us through the offseason and preseason and keep it up.’ I think it will help us a lot.”
A former Irondequoit Eagle, Stokelin starred for Chris Cardon’s first team to reach a sectional final.
“With Rashaad, his enthusiasm and his energy is contagious,” Cardon said. “I think his kids will play that way too. It’s a great opportunity for him and for Webster. They’ll grow together.”
An All-County performer himself at Irondequoit, Stokelin also garnered All-Tournament honors when Irondequoit fell to Greece Athena in the 2006 Class AA championship.
“I always call that era the J-Mac era,” Stokelin said referring to Jason McElwain, the former Athena manager who scored 20 points in four minutes. “That was the J-Mac era. I will never forget. We were tipping the ball up at center court at the Blue Cross Arena. I looked around. I don’t think I’ve seen the Blue Cross Arena that packed since then.”
Stokelin went on to play at Pima Community College earning NJCAA Player of the Week honors during his time at the Arizona school. The 6-foot-1 guard finished his career at Roberts Wesleyan College.
“Coaching is about relationships, and I think that’s one of his strengths – relationships with kids,” said Cardon who had a similar experience in coaching as he spent two years at the modified level before getting the varsity job at Eastridge. “He’s in a good situation because he knows these kids. The talent is there, and the experience is there. He’s not coming in with blinders on, and he’s not coming it without talent.”
After he was hired as head coach, Stokelin called Cardon.
“I talked to him,” Cardon said of the conversation. “I said ‘man I hope you go 19 and 1.’ He goes ‘yeah, that would be great. I hope I can.’ What he didn’t know was that we play each other. He didn’t get what I was saying he was so excited.”
Expressing a time to spend more time with his family, Spadoni stepped down as head coach earlier this year.
Cardon led the Eastridge program in 1983-84 before taking over the West Irondequoit program three years later.
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