The junior varsity basketball team trails behind their opponents as the clock winds down in the final quarter. But the Eagles pick up the pace in the remaining minutes, ultimately winning the game by a mere five points. Embracing this moment of triumph, Nick Nguyen (’15), the coach behind the victory, huddles with the team, celebrating as the culmination of his guidance converges into success. 

Attending Harker from kindergarten to sixth grade and returning for high school, Nguyen became involved in sports at a young age. He joined the varsity boys basketball team as a frosh. His high school basketball teammates served as not only his role models but also long-lasting friends who remain to this day. 

“The seniors and juniors, when I was a freshman, provided great leadership,” Nguyen said. “They showed me what true leaders look like and what they should do as both a teammate on and off the court. I really tried to learn from them and that did help me be a good leader on and off the court.” 

After college, where he played intramural basketball, Nguyen hoped to continue his passion for basketball through coaching, finding an opportunity to return to his roots at Harker. He first coached the varsity team for a year under former varsity boys basketball head coach Butch Keller. A year later, Nguyen took on the role of junior varsity boys basketball head coach, citing his prior experiences at Harker as precedent for his familiarity with the program. 

“I was confident in my ability to be able to coach Harker’s JV team,” Nguyen said. “Elsewhere, I would have been more hesitant and I think I would have had less of an impact than I could have here, which is what drew me to take the job. I know what these players are going through.”

Varsity boys basketball head coach Alfredo Alves, who coached the varsity girls team during Nguyen’s time on the varsity boys team, noticed that his exceptional skills and maturity shined on the court, even when surrounded by upperclassmen. He believes Nguyen’s time as a Harker athlete and an alumnus helped him relate to the junior varsity players on a personal level. 

“Him being a point guard in high school, he was essentially another coach on the basketball court, so he understood the game at a different level,” Alves said. “The first year that he came back and helped out, he made a huge difference. He was able to relate to the point guards and see things in the game.” 

Transitioning from the court to the sidelines was a smooth adjustment for Nguyen, as he made it his goal to make an impact in a familiar environment. He cherishes his high school years on the varsity team and hopes his players have the same experience. 

“It makes me miss playing basketball in high school at times,” Nguyen said. “But I also just want the team to have the experience that I had both with basketball and being at Harker as part of the program. These guys will probably be lifelong friends on top of just competing in that environment.”

Accustomed to Harker’s rigorous academics, Nguyen understands the difficulty of balancing school with sports and can easily relate to his players, sometimes even seeing his younger self in them. As a student, he learned the importance of planning ahead and staying organized. Now, he shares this philosophy with his players, helping them maximize success in both aspects of their lives. 

“My number one thing that I always tell them is time management,” Nguyen said. “During the season, we have practice or a game every day, at least two hours a day. And if we have away games, we have to travel pretty far. So I really emphasize to them that you have to manage your time well.”

Nguyen, in his second year of coaching the team, recognizes his players’ growth since he first started coaching. He applauds his players from last year who are competing on the varsity team now, and their advancement attests to his impact on the players’ improvements.

“I see how they were when I first took over the team, and I see where they are now,” Nguyen said. “The skill has always been there, but it’s the intangibles that I’ve been able to help them with — just learning the game a little better and getting ready for the varsity level.”

Point guard Caden Ruan (10), who joined the varsity team this year, attributes Nguyen’s guidance and on-court strategies as key drivers of his development which ultimately helped him navigate the new environment of the varsity team.

“A lot of what I’ve learned is keeping my composure in games,” Caden said. “When I was in JV, sometimes I’d get frustrated with no calls for example, but then Coach Nick told me playing while being angry only gets negative feedback in games. A lot of his advice has definitely helped me hold my ground in varsity.” 

Prioritizing the goal of moving his players up to the varsity team, Nguyen was able to successfully create a smooth transition for them with his valuable lessons. Alves attests to this, noting how Nguyen willingly incorporated varsity drills and strategies into the junior varsity team’s practices, hoping to bridge the gap between the two teams’ differences in level.  

“He was able to get them to play the right defense that we were playing, so when we got to practice, I didn’t have to reteach or dive deep into our defense,” Alves said. “Compared to past years, we would essentially have to teach everything to the new players and start over. So it was great to not have to do that this year, and that’s a big part of his commitment to the program and to these players.”

As a coach, Nguyen leaves a lasting impact on his players as they navigate their own high school journey. He seeks to instill not only personal growth on and off the court but also foster a love for the sport in each team member. 

“I’m at the point where I just want to see my guys do well,” Nguyen said. “I want to teach them all the knowledge that I have and my passion for basketball and be able to pass that on.”