Now in his 17^th season as the head coach of the Northeast Community College Men’s Basketball team, Dan Anderson sits with the Viewpoint to talk about his coaching career and what it takes to be a successful athlete on and off the court.

 Will Bates: When did your coaching career begin?

-Coach Anderson: My coaching career began in 1976 at Canton High School in Canton South Dakota where I also used to teach. After that, I was a grad assistant at Augustana during the 1986-87 season.

Will Bates: What’s the number one key to winning? And how do you get your players prepared for a game?

-Coach Anderson: The number one key to winning, is to recruit good players who are good people on and off the court and successful in the classroom.

Will Bates: Do your players usually go onto 4 year universities to continue playing basketball?

-Coach Anderson: It depends on their grades, talent, and how they are off the court. You have to be willing to put in the effort and hard work in order to get to that next level.

Will Bates Do you think it’s hard to recruit players to play at a community college?

-Coach Anderson: No because they’re all determined to play, and we care about the players.

Will Bates: How do you get your players to overcome adversity during a game?

-Coach Anderson: We have a saying, “Next Play” meaning, if you miss a shot or make a bad play, don’t give up just go back out and get it on the next play.