Wiedmer: We're all lucky that Foster's still coaching

photo UTC women's head basketball coach Jim Foster directs players during the Lady Mocs' basketball practice and their Mocs Club Basketball Open House event Oct. 29, 2014, in Chattanooga.

It was the kind of line only Jim Foster can deliver.

Asked Tuesday the biggest difference in the young women he's coaching in his 60s and those he coached in his 30s, the second-year University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball coach replied:

"They know more about a lot of things and less about a lot more things."

And you wonder why the man who's won 812 games, taken four schools to NCAA tournaments and already has been inducted in his sport's Hall of Fame is still dominating women's basketball as the 66-year-old enters his 37th season of coaching.

"He just has a really good outlook on college athletes," noted UTC men's coach Will Wade, who's known Foster since Wade was a 9-year-old living in Nashville rooting for Foster's Vanderbilt teams.

"I remember going to Atlanta in 1993 to watch them in the Final Four," Wade said. "They lost in the semifinals to Texas Tech and Sheryl Swoopes, but what a team he had."

But like so many touched by Foster, what Wade may most appreciate is the Vietnam War veteran's personal touch, his priorities regarding basketball's role in any person's life, but particularly a player or coach.

"My wife (Lauren) and I went to his home to have dinner with him and Donna," said Wade, who got married this past summer. "He talked to us about how to maneuver through a marriage early in your career. Now Lauren texts and emails Donna a lot. He just told me to go home early whenever you can. Do stuff at home whenever possible. Such great advice."

But it's not just fellow coaches his proper priorities impact.

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"He's not just about winning games," said UTC senior forward Destiny Bramblett. "He's a lot like Wes (Moore, his UTC predecessor) was in that regard. When we were in Hawaii last year he made sure we went to Pearl Harbor. When we go to Boston this year, I'm sure he'll find something for us to visit there. He wants us to learn lessons about life."

Here's a lesson about Foster's life: He joined the Army in 1966 and served until 1969, with half of that time spent in Vietnam. During that time his brother John was drafted. Jim agreed to serve an additional tour in Vietnam so his brother would not have to serve in a war zone.

"As it was explained to me, they wanted us -- myself and another fellow -- to consider staying another six months," Foster told The Associated Press two years ago. "And part of that discussion, I was made aware that by extending ... that only one family member at that time could be in a war zone. My brother was in the infantry and I was in a different venue. My parents had two special-needs children and already had one son in the service. They didn't need the aggravation of another."

Take away all the other accomplishments -- including being the only coach to guide four different programs (St. Joseph's, Vanderbilt, Ohio State and UTC) to the NCAA women's tournament -- and college basketball still would be very lucky to have Foster coaching.

But his entire life as a husband, father, wine connoisseur, history buff and champion of those with special needs makes him something of a national treasure, not just for his sport, but society.

"Oh, he's a pretty impressive dude," said UTC football coach Russ Huesman, who's done his own pretty impressive work in delivering the Mocs their first NCAA playoff berth since 1984. "But you would never know it when you're around him. He doesn't come across like that. Jim's just a normal guy; he sits back and listens. He's a very unique individual."

There are those who believe the enemy of success is past success. As Foster noted Tuesday in repeating an old John Wooden maxim: "It's what you learn after you think you know it all that determines your success."

To that end, he sagely said of the challenges in coaching a true mid-major like UTC against longtime power Villanova on Friday night at McKenzie Arena: "In order to mirror (high-major programs such as Villanova), we'd have to start flying in private jets."

Bada-bing.

But it's something else that Bramblett said that may be the key to his 27 20-win (or more) seasons and nine years of 28 or more wins, including last year's 29-4 Mocs masterpiece.

"I actually forget that he's 66 years old," she said. "He acts much younger than that."

To that end, Foster said, "I spend every day with young people who have energy. As I like reminding my friends, I'm always struck by how old they are and how young I am."

Said Wade: "Jim's got tremendous perspective. He knows what's important and what's worth worrying about."

Which is another way of saying that far too many of his coaching foes these days know more about a lot of things but far less than they should about a lot more things.

Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.

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