Former Zag preaches perfectionist motto
Former Gonzaga basketball player Alex Hernandez, who helped the Bulldogs make consecutive NCAA tournaments in 2001 and 2002, is back with the program as an administrative assistant.
Hernandez has always wanted to get into coaching and the timing was right when coach Mark Few called last summer. Hernandez will finish up his degree in organizational leadership next semester.
The 28-year-old is married to former GU soccer player Jenny Harvey and their first child is due in June. Hernandez is the subject of this week’s Q & A.
S-R: Describe your duties.
AH: I deal with player personnel, off-court activities (such as players visiting area hospitals or schools) and I do some evaluation of high school guys that send tape to us.
S-R: Has your opinion of coaches/coaching changed since joining the staff?
AH: No, I always knew Coach Few was a perfectionist and he always (emphasized) the only way to do it is the right way, there’s no easy way. Players come and talk to me about Coach being hard on them, but I tell them that it’s the right way to do it to make it a successful program.
S-R: Were you a good practice player?
AH: The good thing about me is I understood my role and that’s the key. When I came to GU we had enough scorers, so I had to fill in a role to make our team better.
S-R: Best moment as a Zag?
AH: It has to be when we beat Virginia (and Indiana State) to go to the Sweet Sixteen (in 2001). I had a good March season, averaging in double digits.
S-R: Put you on the hot seat. How would the current Zags do against your GU teams?
AH: You’re putting me on the spot right there. I think the past teams were a little bit more hungry than guys are now because we didn’t have anything. When I was here, the locker room was really small and didn’t have a TV and we had like three showers. Our teams were definitely hungrier and every person knew their role in order to be successful.
I know (the current players) are going to kill me, but I always tell them that.
S-R: Is coaching in your future?
AH: Definitely. I love being part of the team and I like everything that comes with it – game preparation and the ups and downs. I love the intensity of basketball.