• 2011-12 will mark Adler's fifth season as an assistant
coach at La Salle and eighth overall with the program.
He assists in all facets of the program, including recruiting,
scouting and player development.
• Adler arrived at La Salle after spending two seasons as an
assistant coach at Penn under the tutelage of current Temple head
coach Fran Dunphy.
• He has also gained national recognition coaching
overseas during four of the past six summers. In 2007, Adler
served as the head coach for Maccabi USA team in the European
Maccabi Games in Rome, Italy. He led the USA squad to a bronze
medal.
Diary Series: Harris Adler, Asst. Coach - La Salle
On a rainy Wednesday night in December, with just under two minutes to go in a game at Towson University, #42 Matt Sheehan caught the ball in the paint, made a strong move, and scored the first two points of his college career. The entire La Sale bench went crazy, celebrating that Matt was now only 998 points away from 1,000 (haha). In all seriousness, what appeared to be a simple field goal in actuality marked the culmination of what for Matt has been a long journey of hard work and sacrifice.
The average fan does not understand what it takes to be a walk-on on a Division I basketball team. First and foremost, walk-ons must be great teammates. Walk-ons are also expected to provide energy and display enthusiasm at all times during practice and in games. A walk-on must further be able to accept that all of the free time sacrificed may lead to nothing more than the possibility of getting into a practice on a particular day (as opposed to every day). In addition, although challenged by the same day-to-day demands of a scholarship player, walk-ons have to pay pay tuition and related scholastic costs.
Ultimately, a love of the game and a desire to be a part of a Division I men's basketball program are what tend to drive one to be a be a walk-on at this level. When faced with all of the realities described above, however, it takes a special kind of person to contribute and thrive as a walk-on player. Viewed objectively, the challenges are many while the tangible rewards, if any, are limited at best.
Matt Sheehan started at La Salle as a football player. Although La Salle dropped its football program after his first year, Matt decided to stay at La Salle because he loved the school. Two years later, our team was looking to add a walk-on to the program, and Matt was ready to go. In his first year with the team, he got into five games, but did not score. Still, each and every time Matt got into a game, the crowd would erupt. An immediate fan favorite, the fans stood ready to explode in anticipation of Matt’s first basket.
During the offseason, Matt participated with his teammates in strength and conditioning drills, worked out with the big guys, and did all of the little things that make a great teammate. He never once complained about playing time, and was an absolute pleasure to have on the team. During the summer, we were ecstatic to learn Matt would be starting graduate classes (he completed his undergraduate degree with a 3.8 GPA student) and rejoining our team this fall.
Making Matt’s story even more amazing is that he is a tremendous family man and big brother. Twenty months ago, Matt's sister, Meghan, was diagnosed with Chiari malformation (please visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/meghansheehan to read more about Meghan's battles and triumphs over this life changing, uncommon brain disorder). At a time when he was already balancing school, basketball, and the normal obstacles facing all college students, Matt now had a very real battle off of the court. He did that and then some, going home on weekends to be with his family, constantly sending support his sisters way, and working fundraisers to raise awareness and support for his sisters cause.
Now in his second walk-on year with La Salle, Matt contributes in practice on a daily basis as a scout team leader and role model on and off the court. Having already earned the respect of his teammates, not a day goes by where Matt does not bring great energy and enthusiasm to the team at practice or during games.
While every team needs a walk-on or two, it is only the rare walk-on that displays unselfishness and a willingness to give up something for the greater good of the team. Since writing this story, Matt has scored three more points and so is now only 995 away from 1,000. To this point, all five of his points have come on the road. For all of the sacrifice Matt has given up for La Salle basketball, I look forward to watching Matt score his first basket during a home game in front of his family and friends.
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