Hoops Coach Excites Youths, Fosters Love Of Game

Jim Psomas’s life has been crowded with good fortune. Great parents. Good athlete. Successful dental practice. A loving wife.

Standing-room-only happiness.

Eight years after coaching his first AAU basketball team, the 37-year-old Valley native dentist says he has stayed involved with youth sports because he wants to give back a little of that good fortune.

“The greatest gift you can give is to give yourself away,” Psomas says. “Who better to do that with than kids.”

His Amateur Athletic Union boys team this year, made up of sixth graders from schools around the Valley, just won the regional AAU championship. Winning is nice, says Psomas. But it’s more important that his kids have a good time.

“It’s like my team this year,” he says. “I give them so much freedom. We have some structure, but we just play. It’s so important for kids to have confidence.”

Steve Taylor, the team’s assistant coach, has known Psomas for three years. They met in 1994 when Taylor’s nephew played on Psomas’s team.

Watching Psomas’s demeanor on the bench, his gentleness with the boys, and the way they reacted to him made Taylor certain of one thing: he wanted Psomas to coach his own son, Derek, when he reached sixth grade.

“I really think he cares about the boys as people,” Taylor says. “He’s interested in teaching the boys about life.”

Over and over again, Taylor’s son tells him, “Dad, I can’t wait for the weekend.” After beginning their season last October, the team still has six weekend tournaments against other AAU clubs from around the region before April.

Derek Taylor, 5-foot-4, loves to play post. He loves to play forward. He just flat out loves basketball. At least in part, he can thank Psomas for that.

“He’s out for everybody,” Derek says. “He’s always saying, ‘Good job.’ He really tries to point out the good things.”

Yep, that’s Psomas, says Ron Benzel, president of Spokane’s AAU program. Benzel points out that there are actually two Psomases - Jim and older brother Tom, from Liberty Lake - who volunteer with youth sports. Tom is Spokane AAU’s tournament director and also has coached in years past. Jim’s dental practice also sponsors a Valley youth baseball team every summer.

“They are two of the most unselfish people when it comes to giving up their time to kids and basketball,” Benzel said. “Their enthusiasm is contagious.”

In fact, Benzel says on any given Tuesday or Friday night during basketball season, you’ll find the Psomas brothers together at one of the Valley high schools, watching teams play.

With his love for the game, Jim Psomas admits he’s pretty lucky he has such an understanding wife. He was married four years ago. The couple doesn’t have any of their own kids yet.

Psomas remembers the telephone numbers of every one of the kids on his basketball team by heart. He also remembers particularly special moments from the big games over the years.

Like a nail-biter three years ago with a seventh grade team he was coaching.

With just over five minutes to go in the game, the team was down by 13 points. With nine seconds left, they had narrowed the lead to five. They won the game on a buzzer beater.

“I’ll never forget the excitement in those kids,” Psomas says. “It keeps you young, no question about it. I want to be young and enthusiastic forever.”