Northwood Coach Tim O’Brien talks to his players, including No. 20 Robert Ross during last week’s Grizzly Invitational. (Photo Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)
As Northwood High boys basketball coach Tim O’Brien continues to battle to recover after cancer treatments, he is finding great comfort being back on the bench again following a one year absence.
“It’s a challenge, day to day,” O’Brien said after Northwood defeated Godinez 41-36 in the Grizzly Invitational. “It’s not where I want to be physically, but it’s where I want to be, on the bench. But I want to feel better, but I will every day.”
O’Brien said he continues to receive treatments.
“There are a lot of challenges every day that I have to take care of before I come to basketball, but it’s nice to be on the bench,” O’Brien said. “It’s a good release.”
In June, O’Brien, who has coached for 35 years in Orange County, said he had been cleared by doctors to coach and in February he indicated he was cancer free. O’Brien was Northwood’s first coach in 1999 and has been the head coach for 13 of those years over two stints with 262 wins so far. He was was able to coach the Northwood team during summer tournaments.
O’Brien took the last regular season off from coaching to battle Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a form of cancer. O’Brien said he had a bone marrow transplant on July 13, 2018.
O’Brien said he’s been open with his players, pointing out that he’s not able to make all the games or practices. Northwood, 2-5 so far, competes in the Gary Raya So Cal Elite Classic this week.
“I’m very transparent with my players,” he said. “I tell them when I’m going to make it and when I can’t. I just need to stay out of harms way with my health condition and with everything involved.”
When he can’t make games, assistant coach Zach Johnson leads the team.
During the game with Godinez, O’Brien, just like before his absence, was offering encouragment and pointing out to his players how they can get better.
O’Brien’s return seems to have provided a big boost to the Orange County coaching community. O’Brien is respected and loved among his coaching colleagues.
“It’s one of the great pleasures of the year, we’ve been friends and it’s so good to see him back,” said Godinez Coach Greg Coombs. “He’s such a valuable person in the basketball community. His knowledge of basketball and everything else is unsurpassed and just having him back after not having him last year is great.
“The fortitude he shows to his players by coming every day, and you know he’s tired and dragging some time getting well, and it says a lot about his character.
“It’s going to take a long time to recover, the physcial recovery getting stronger and stronger. He’s a treasure in our basketball community. We’re proud to have him here and proud to call him a friend.”
-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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