SORSN: First of all, congratulations on the role as head basketball coach for MHS. While this is your first stint as head coach for high school basketball, you’re no stranger to the basketball court. You have seen and been a part of a lot of Midway basketball history including playing for or being close to names like Coaches Morris, Galyon, Ruffner, Woody. Tell us your thoughts on heading up this program and things that you may have taken from your predecessors to prepare you to take over the reins of the boys basketball program?
Coach Viar: Thank you and also thank you for the interview. It is certainly an honor to be a part of this program. It is still hard to believe. I feel very blessed to have this opportunity. To be a part of something that you love and that has been a big part of your life is something very special to me and my family. It is also great to work with Coach Luke Hall and Coach Jacob Cawood. I am very thankful for what they bring. I could not do this without them. As far as my thoughts on predecessors, I’ll go about it this way. Coach Morris, fundamentals. Coach Galyon, toughness. Coach Ruffner, love the game. And Coach Woody, “perfect” practice makes perfect.
SORSN: Coach Ruffner had the blue van. Coach Galyon had special ways to communicate with players. Coach Hayes has an outstanding sweater collection. Any particular nuances that you plan to bring to the program? Maybe haul the kids to the game in the Laguna 442?
Coach Viar: Oh the 1976 Chevy Laguna, better known as the REO Dentwagon to many of my classmates. Those nuances are pretty special. Time will tell if I have any. Those are earned.
SORSN: Coach you had a good run in the softball program a few years back that included a trip to the state tournament. Tell us what you enjoy most about coaching young athletes and sports.
Coach Viar: Yes, those are very good memories of games, coaches and players. I guess the thing I like most about coaching is seeing young people grow and believe in themselves. Seeing them do things they didn’t believe they were capable of. There are things you learn in sports that help you in every area of your life. I hope I can instill in them lessons that go beyond the basketball court.
SORSN: Coach, a lot of students and parents today may not know that Midway basketball has a great history. How do you best approach building the excitement back into the program?
Coach Viar: Yes it does have a great history and to think about the teams that I was on from ‘84 to ‘87, we had the opportunity to play in the sub-state 3 of the 4 years. Very exciting basketball and certainly challenging. We hope to bring excitement by playing an uptempo style of basketball. We have some very good athletes come through this school and the community is always very supportive. To bring excitement you need to win. So we will do our best to compete and win.
SORSN: To say you have a young team would be an understatement. At several points during the games thus far this season there have been as many as 3 freshmen on the court at the same time. Tell us about the blend of young talent and upper classmen that you have this year.
Coach Viar: Coach O’Toole has done a great job of developing the young talent and we will do our best to keep that development going. The upperclassmen have great attitudes. They work and play very hard. A great example for the younger players. So far they seem to have blended very well. Hopefully that blend grows, and we develop into a very strong team.
SORSN: Coach last year was a tough one for the kids in general with game cancellations/restrictions/uncertainty. Give us some insights about the upperclassmen in the program and how they have persevered the last couple years.
Coach Viar: These young men have had to deal with something very different than I have ever seen but like I said earlier, they have great attitudes and seem to not let much bother them. The fact that they have battled through the adversities of the last few years says a lot about their character. I am very proud of how they represent this program, school and community.
SORSN: Your senior year you played for a young Coach Darrell Ruffner who was taking over for longtime coach Galyon. That year the Waves made it to the substate where you welcomed the mountain goats of Cosby to the Pit. Yes readers, the pit hosted a substate game. This was reportedly made possible by Coach Ruffner and Coach Hayes “stretching” the floor to be regulation size which was required to host. Were you part of the crew that measured the floor and do you know where the magical tape measure is today?
Coach Viar: It was a great year but not a very good memory of that game. I felt like I let a lot of people down(I didn’t play very well) but I will never forget “the Pit” being packed. What a great environment to play in. I was not part of the measuring crew but if those two were in charge of it then I am sure it was “regulation” size.
SORSN: The old gym and school had a boiler system that was turned off the last day of school before winter break, making the first practice after Christmas a very chilly event. Any plans to go old school over the upcoming winter break?
Coach Viar: That may not be a bad idea. I am old school when it comes to a lot of things so I can see how that would develop toughness. I may just do that. Thanks for the idea.
SORSN: Coach it’s great to see you back in the Midway sports program and the SORSN staff and the legions of Midway Basketball fans, both young and old, wish you nothing but the best to you and the team this season. GBG.
Coach Viar: Thank you for the interview and am very excited about this opportunity. The support has been great and I love this community, school, and basketball program. We will do our best to represent it well. GBG