BCA hires Eastern Guilford assistant as boys' basketball coach
By David Kehrli
Posted Aug 14, 2019 at 3:17 PM Updated Aug 14, 2019 at 3:39 PM
Eric Dudley didn’t have to go far to find his first varsity basketball head coaching job.
After eight seasons as an assistant at Eastern Guilford, Dudley has begun his duties as the new Burlington Christian Academy boys’ basketball coach.
“I had been looking for a head coaching position for a couple years now. ... With BCA, they were in line with a lot of things of my philosophies and my values,” he said. “The head coaching opportunity came open and I just took a chance. I felt like it was a great move for not only me but also my family.”
Dudley replaces Ryan Bernardi, who led the Royals to a 19-9 record in one season. Bernardi accepted The Burlington School head coaching position last month.
While at Eastern Guilford, Dudley was a part of a program that had a record of 155-69 during his time, which included an appearance in the Class 3-A state championship game in 2017.
“It was difficult because the relationships that I had built there, especially with Coach (Joseph) Spinks. We’re very good friends, know each other’s family well, play golf together,” said Dudley, a 1996 Eastern Guilford alum. “I developed a really close friendship over time with him, but also knowing the players that are going to still be there, coming in and the relationships I had with them.”
Along with the success and relationships came experience for Dudley. He credits Eastern Guilford, and specifically Spinks, with helping him earn the opportunity at BCA.
“He took a chance on me. From Day 1, his desire for me was to be a head coach,” Dudley said. “He was supportive. He was the first person I called about the job when it came open to see if he thought I should do it. He’s encouraged me 100 percent. I’m sure we’ll have lots of phone calls throughout the school year and basketball season.”
At BCA, Dudley will bring with him a long-standing belief.
“When I sat down with Coach Spinks (years ago), he was looking for assistant coaches. The one thing that was the deciding factor for both of us was that we’re mentoring young men,” Dudley said. “We want to develop them into being the best husbands, the best students, the best employee, the best son, just overall citizen they can be.”
He said he hopes to have a sense of family at BCA.
“God, family — those are my priorities. We’re going to have a family atmosphere here,” he said. “My daughters might be at practice. If I don’t do my family well, I can’t do the rest of it well.”
Dudley said he’ll develop his game plan around the players he has, but the thing that will remain consistent is effort.
“First and foremost, I want guys that want to be here, because I feel that’s important,” he said. “Something that I’ll have to establish is their trust as I build relationships with them, understanding this is where I want to be.”
Dudley has retained Josh Stewart as an assistant coach with the Royals. Stewart is a former BCA player and alum who was on the coaching staff at BCA last year and the junior varsity coach.
“For me, that was important to help with the transition of giving the guys someone that they already know, but also someone that lined up with what I believe,” Dudley said.
By David Kehrli
Posted Aug 14, 2019 at 3:17 PM Updated Aug 14, 2019 at 3:39 PM
Eric Dudley didn’t have to go far to find his first varsity basketball head coaching job.
After eight seasons as an assistant at Eastern Guilford, Dudley has begun his duties as the new Burlington Christian Academy boys’ basketball coach.
“I had been looking for a head coaching position for a couple years now. ... With BCA, they were in line with a lot of things of my philosophies and my values,” he said. “The head coaching opportunity came open and I just took a chance. I felt like it was a great move for not only me but also my family.”
Dudley replaces Ryan Bernardi, who led the Royals to a 19-9 record in one season. Bernardi accepted The Burlington School head coaching position last month.
While at Eastern Guilford, Dudley was a part of a program that had a record of 155-69 during his time, which included an appearance in the Class 3-A state championship game in 2017.
“It was difficult because the relationships that I had built there, especially with Coach (Joseph) Spinks. We’re very good friends, know each other’s family well, play golf together,” said Dudley, a 1996 Eastern Guilford alum. “I developed a really close friendship over time with him, but also knowing the players that are going to still be there, coming in and the relationships I had with them.”
Along with the success and relationships came experience for Dudley. He credits Eastern Guilford, and specifically Spinks, with helping him earn the opportunity at BCA.
“He took a chance on me. From Day 1, his desire for me was to be a head coach,” Dudley said. “He was supportive. He was the first person I called about the job when it came open to see if he thought I should do it. He’s encouraged me 100 percent. I’m sure we’ll have lots of phone calls throughout the school year and basketball season.”
At BCA, Dudley will bring with him a long-standing belief.
“When I sat down with Coach Spinks (years ago), he was looking for assistant coaches. The one thing that was the deciding factor for both of us was that we’re mentoring young men,” Dudley said. “We want to develop them into being the best husbands, the best students, the best employee, the best son, just overall citizen they can be.”
He said he hopes to have a sense of family at BCA.
“God, family — those are my priorities. We’re going to have a family atmosphere here,” he said. “My daughters might be at practice. If I don’t do my family well, I can’t do the rest of it well.”
Dudley said he’ll develop his game plan around the players he has, but the thing that will remain consistent is effort.
“First and foremost, I want guys that want to be here, because I feel that’s important,” he said. “Something that I’ll have to establish is their trust as I build relationships with them, understanding this is where I want to be.”
Dudley has retained Josh Stewart as an assistant coach with the Royals. Stewart is a former BCA player and alum who was on the coaching staff at BCA last year and the junior varsity coach.
“For me, that was important to help with the transition of giving the guys someone that they already know, but also someone that lined up with what I believe,” Dudley said.
