A rose that grew out of concrete through hard work & sacrifice, Jermaine Small has created his own coaching path to success

Jason Hills Stingers Staff • Nov 14, 2019

EDMONTON -- No matter where the game of basketball takes him, Jermaine Small will never forget his roots.

Small graduated from Eastern Commerce Institute, a high school in Toronto's inner city. The school's doors closed in 2015, and it's been nearly two decades since Small walked the halls as a student and graduated, but when he takes time to reflect, he can't help but take away a strong message that stays with him today as the head coach of the Edmonton Stingers.

Those who grew up in the 90s and listened to hip-hop would recognize the phrase "A rose that grew out of concrete" as the title and the lyrics of one of Tupac's songs. As a fan of hip-hop music, it was a lyric that Small was familiar with, but it really resonated when it was conveyed to him by his high school coach Roy Rana. It's been ingrained in him ever since. "Eastern wasn't the most privileged school. I played with guys that are unfortunately deceased and there were a lot of tough times for all of us, but basketball is what kept the dream alive for us," said Small. "He always told us to keep fighting, stay positive and you can reach your dreams. It was all about coming from nothing and turning it into something beautiful while maximizing opportunity when it comes." Rana went on to turn Ryerson University into one of the strongest university basketball programs in the country, and now enters his first season as an assistant coach with the NBA's Sacramento Kings.

Small graduated and went on to play for St. Clair College in Windsor, before transferring to Houghton College in upstate New York.
While Small made an impact on the court with his team-first mindset and hard-nosed work-ethic at both ends of the floor, it's likely his biggest impact in basketball has come from coaching. "My mentors were always my coaches. I wanted to follow them and create my own path," said Small. "Playing for them, they always told me I would make a good coach and that stuck with me. I knew if I got into coaching, it was a way for me to stay in the game of basketball. "They were my driving force for becoming a coach."

After his collegiate career ended, Small shifted his focus to coaching. He returned to his old gymnasium at Eastern and was a volunteer coach for two years before joining Rana at Ryerson as an assistant for three seasons. He then made the move to Queens University to join Stephan Barrie as lead assistant for five years before joining the Stingers coaching staff. "When I came home, I started volunteering at my old high school. I volunteered as a coach for my first five years. I understand it's a grind, but I love it," said Small. "I learned how to manage people and recruit, but the biggest thing I learned is how important relationships are with players. You must show how much you care for them." "Basketball took me all over the world and introduced me to some of my closest friends that was my payment but sharing my knowledge from my experiences has now come full circle."

Since transitioning as a player on the court to the voice and leader as a coach on the sidelines, Small has worked extensively in honing his craft. He's taken every opportunity he's been given and made the most of it. The chance to come to Edmonton and join the Stingers organization was an opportunity that Small saw to elevate and take his coaching career in a different direction. The Canadian Elite Basketball League is a developmental league that provides an opportunity for pro players to take the next step in their career -- it's the same for coaches. Small didn't want to pass up this chance to join the Stingers coaching staff as an assistant coach. "One of the first people I spoke to before coming to Edmonton was Jermaine Bucknor. "I've known Jermaine for a long time, and he thought I should give it a go," said Small. "It was a great opportunity to learn, be part of a new league and develop as a coach." Coaches always make in-game adjustments. It's a critical part of the job, but Small had to make a big adjustment just nine games into the inaugural season when he took over for head coach and GM Barnaby Craddock, who resigned to focus on his duties with the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

Under Small, the Stingers took a huge step forward. The team won nine-straight games and became championship contenders. "I really got to know these guy's backgrounds. I could relate to them. Even though I was the assistant coach they always showed me respect," said Small. "I focused on getting everybody on the same page and our relationship changed. I went from assistant coach to head coach and I had to address them that way, but even though I moved over a chair, they had that trust in me as a head coach. Small earned his first CEBL victory in dramatic fashion on the road over the Fraser Valley Bandits. The Stingers battled back in the final minute of regulation and stunned the Bandits with a 104-95 overtime victory. It was Small's first win and the Stingers first road victory in franchise history. "That first game was the most memorable because of how we won it. We had to battle through so much adversity,"said Small. "The team's confidence just sky-rocketed. They trusted me, and we had fun. Winning cures a lot of things, but we built a lot of belief in our room. "I didn't want to make many changes. I wanted to build cohesion. Guys started to get comfortable in their roles and they believed in themselves. We looked at each game as a Game 7, and that was our mentality."

Under Small, the Stingers went 10-2 to close out the regular season and lost to the Saskatchewan Rattlers in the Championship Weekend semifinal. It wasn't the finish that Small and the Stingers pictured in their inaugural season - they wanted a championship, but the organization took a big leap in the team's first season.

Small's committed to continue to build the foundation of the Stingers and will look to add more pieces to the core group of players returning for the 2020 season. Small will look to improve the team’s perimeter scoring and adding size to the frontcourt. "One of my favorite parts of the job is when I go back to my recruiting background," said Small. "Guys need to know this is an opportunity to play pro in the summer and develop. If you just want to get paid and do this, you're giving me ammo to replace you. I want guys who are motivated to get better and use this (opportunity) to springboard their career. "I look at fit more than talent. I'm going to look everywhere, even internationally. Obviously, I'm going to continue to look at American guys, but first and foremost, I’ll look on home soil. I want the top university guys in the country to be part of our organization and this league." The Stingers championship hopes fell short in their inaugural season, but the city of Edmonton embraced their new professional basketball team and the future is promising. Small is excited to be a part of it. "I had time to reflect and it hurts. It's hard to not have a little regret, but when you look at the bigger picture, we had an outstanding year on and off the court, even without the championship," said Small. "I’m truly blessed on having this opportunity. I love the city and fans as they embraced us from day one. Knowing the support was there for us every time we stepped on the court was truly special."

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