Basketball Coach Tom Garriott

This week’s coaches spotlight brings us to the basketball court, where boys’ basketball coach Tom Garriott discusses his coaching career, his time at Olympia, and the culture of his basketball team. So far, Garriott’s favorite part about coaching at Olympia has been the player’s work ethics and attitudes. He explained that the players have kept a positive attitude, despite all the challenges COVID restrictions brought to the season. The work ethic and attitude of the Spartan basketball players fits right into the culture Garriott wants in his basketball program. “Hard work, great attitudes, and putting the team before all individual accolades is a culture most coaches strive for. So far, I like the direction we are going,” stated Garriott. 

He has coached at the collegiate and high school level, at schools in the Central Illinois area. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach in 1997 and has only taken one year off to watch his son play college basketball. Although his career officially began in ‘97, Garriott started coaching youth basketball in the early 1990’s and volunteered at Illinois State University camps before he took that assistant coaching position. Throughout his career he has learned that it isn’t all about winning, although he will point out that he does hate losing. “It’s about the kids and when they leave my program, they are not only better basketball players, but better citizens. Yes, winning is great, but to me that has to be the most gratifying part of coaching, because it means you had a positive impact on that player,” Garriott said. 

In 2020, he took over as the head boys’ basketball coach at Olympia. Garriott explains what he believes sets Olympia apart from other schools, “I think all of the small towns that make up the school district have a tight common bond.  One would think there would be rivalries, but there isn’t.  It’s different from most schools in that sense. The support system in school and outside of school is very strong.  I see it with the players and families.” The Olympia boys’ basketball team is set to begin their season in the typical time high school basketball plays. 

To the outsider looking in at the Spartan basketball program, Garriott says, “...no team will play harder than Olympia boys’ basketball.”