Episode Details

John Reynolds is entering his first season as the Boys’ Basketball Head Coach at Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. He previously served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, The Citadel, from 2022 -2025 under his college coach Ed Conroy.

Reynolds served on the staff at University of South Carolina from 2017-22, closing out his tenure as Special Assistant to head coach Frank Martin and overseeing on-campus recruiting. Prior to that he was an assistant coach at Presbyterian College for four seasons under longtime Blue Hose head coach Gregg Nibert. He served as interim head coach upon Nibert’s retirement in the spring of 2017. Reynolds started his coaching career in Mississippi at NCAA Division II Delta State for two seasons as an assistant coach.

Reynolds was a four-year letterwinner at The Citadel from 2007-11 as a member of one of the winningest classes in school history. The Bulldogs gathered 52 wins in that four-year span, including the program’s last 20-win season in 2008-09 while securing a postseason bid to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Reynolds was named Scout Team Player of the Year twice and was a three-time Southern Conference (SoCon) All-Academic Team selection.

On this episode Mike and John discuss the establishment of a culture of competitive excellence that encourages players to embrace challenges and strive for improvement. He recounts his formative years spent around sports, particularly basketball, influenced by his mother's career as a coach and his family's competitive spirit. This foundation shaped his aspirations to lead a basketball program, culminating in a return to South Carolina to build a winning program at Wando High School. Reynolds articulates his vision for the program, underpinned by a commitment to hard work and a shared passion for the sport. The conversation further explores Reynolds's transition from college basketball to high school coaching, highlighting the unique challenges and rewards this shift entails. He reflects on the differences in player dynamics, noting the youthful nature of his team and the opportunity to mold them into a cohesive unit. Emphasizing the significance of creating an environment where players feel engaged and motivated, Reynolds discusses his strategies for fostering a love for the game among his athletes. He outlines his plans to implement a system that prioritizes skill development while simultaneously encouraging a competitive mindset, essential for achieving success on the court. Ultimately, this episode encapsulates Reynolds’ determination to cultivate a thriving basketball culture at Wando High School.

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You’ll want to take some notes as you listen to this episode with John Reynolds, Boys’ Basketball Head Coach at Wando High School in the state of South Carolina.

Website - https://johnreynoldsbasketball.com/

Email - coachjcreynolds@gmail.com

Twitter/X - @JohnReynoldsSr

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