Most great basketball players have good “court vision,” the ability to see both present and future on the floor. As the play develops, the player acts accordingly with the hope of putting points on the board.
In Danny McIntyre’s case, the Plant City High girls basketball coach’s “court vision” isn’t confined to the school’s gymnasium.
McIntyre, who helped the Raiders win the 1982 state title in basketball, was named head coach of the Lady Raiders prior to this season. He’s the team’s third head coach in three years, following the departures of both Wilt Wilkerson and David O’Callaghan, and came in with the goal of giving the team stable leadership it can trust in the game and beyond.
Of course, he’d also like to improve the on-court product. In the 2015-16 season, O’Callaghan and Plant City finished with an 11-10 overall record, losing to Strawberry Crest in the first round of districts. The team lost several key seniors to graduation, and others along the way.
McIntyre stresses the importance of teamwork, and fosters a culture where roster spots must be earned. Essentially, he’s implementing some of Smith’s methods into his own coaching style.
“I watched what it did for us in that state tournament run,” he says. “But, even 35 years later, we’ve still got that same mentality. We want to create opportunities for others.”
Although taking hits to the roster has caused certain stats to dip — the team is averaging two fewer points, one less rebound and a 6% decrease in field goal percentage per game — the team is also averaging four more assists, three more steals and one more block per game.
McIntyre knew coming in that taking over the team would not be an easy project, but he’s committed to making a difference in his players’ lives.
Another initiative he stresses, one he first picked up from former head coach Jimmy Smith in the 1980s, was to make sure everyone on that roster is a “good citizen.” Character counts in McIntyre’s book, and one of his top priorities is to make sure that his basketball program helps players become people all of Plant City can be proud of. He also credits other PCHS coaches, such as boys basketball coach Billy Teeden, with doing the same.
McIntyre wants Plant City to be proud of the people his players have and will become, but he also wants his players to be proud of Plant City. A longtime entrepreneur, McIntyre is excited by recent developments in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World, from the city’s commitment to Midtown to the Economic Development Corporation injecting new life into the business scene. He wants students to know that Plant City — which he and others call “the Itty-Bitty” — has more opportunities to offer people than many think. It’s something he stresses as a basketball coach, and something he stresses in his role as chairman of ecomomic development in the Improvement League of Plant City.
McIntyre enjoys making himself available to help mentor players and students, whether they’d like to one day be business owners or simply need some guidance. A mentorship, he says, is one of the most valuable assets a young person can have.
In McIntyre’s opinion, it’s just a matter of getting the kids to see that people such as Mayor Rick Lott and Plant City EDC President Jake Austin are creating opportunities for others to succeed.
“We are, in my opinion, primed to be one of the most successful cities in the county,” McIntyre says. “Potentially in the state … I look at it and say, in 15 to 20 years, these (students) are our future business owners. This is the future of Plant City.”
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.