DERECK ICE
Special to The Leader
As you step foot inside Coach Phil Seymore’s office, something that will immediately grab your attention is his large award from Canisius College that he received for earning all-conference and all-region honors his senior basketball season.
You will see many basketball trophies and awards from his playing career prior to becoming a coach. You will immediately get a warm feeling of basketball love when you are inside of his office, as well as seeing some pictures from Mohammed Ali on the wall, as he was very interested in boxing for a good portion of his life.
Seymore grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., where the everyday living was rough and rather hard. While there was a lot of violence surrounding the Bed Stuy area in which he grew up, Seymore found a way to make basketball his way of enjoyment — a way to not get caught up in any of the trouble that was around him.
Basketball, and the desire to be a great student-athlete, inspired him to take matters into his own hands and become something special.
“My interest and inspiration for the game really started when I was a young boy growing up in Brooklyn. I really started taking basketball serious when I was a young, around 9 years old,” he said. “Where I grew up at, it was a lot of competition regarding basketball. Academics not so much, but definitely sports. Entering eighth grade, I really started to get in the gym and work on my craft and skill.”
Basketball was top priority for Seymore in high school.
“Going to high school, there was nothing else on my mind besides becoming a top prospect and playing at the highest level possible in college,” he said. “During this time, highlight tapes were not as big as they are right now, so a lot of recruiting was done when coaches came to see you play or at camps that you were invited to so you could get more exposure.”
“Looking back now, this was great for me,” Seymour continued, “because I got a chance to play against the top prospects and in front of the highest level coaching. Really [it] was amazing.”
Much of his early inspiration was found in basketball and top pro athletes. His high school coach took a deep interest in him and showed him that hard work and focusing on goals can really make a big difference in everything.
“My high school coach, [Terry Jones], was a perfectionist, and it rubbed off on me,” said Seymour. “A lot of experiences that came after high school, Coach Jones really played a big part in making sure I was at the top of my game. Many of the pros I watched, such as Vince Carter and Magic Johnson, started exactly how I started, working exactly how I was working and became pro athletes.”
“After seeing this and realizing this,” he continued, “I said to myself, ‘okay these two athletes were hard working men with a focus and a good head on their shoulders. So, hell, I can do that too. Why not?’”
Following high school, he attended Independence Junior College. This helped him to get a scholarship to Canisius College.
Seymore played two seasons at Canisius (1980- 81 and 1981-82) and was selected by the New York Knicks in the 1982 NBA Draft. He later joined the Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball Association. During this time he played for legendary Head Coach Phil Jackson.
Playing under Jackson helped him in understanding coaching and played a big part in helping him start his coaching career following his playing career.
“Playing under Phil Jackson helped me see the game from a different perspective and not only see the court from a player perspective but how to also think the game,” said Seymore. “I knew following my career I wanted to get into coaching, especially considering I was good with recruiting and how to get through to my players.”
“I was blessed to coach for so many great programs, and not just head coach, but assist and get some great learning experience from some great head coaches who I worked under. Really great people,” he continued, “and had a great feeling for the game. This was a really influential experience and it helped change and shape my life in a great direction.”
He earned a bachelor of science degree in sociology with a minor in physical education from Canisius in 1989 and was inducted into the Canisius College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996. He was voted onto the Canisius All-Century Team in 2004.
He coached 12 seasons at Providence College, seven as women’s head coach, five as men’s assistant coach. He also served as a men’s assistant coach for three seasons at Richmond, and for seven seasons at Canisius.
All three seasons at Richmond, and five at Canisius, were spent on the staff of Head Coach John Beilein, the current head coach at the University of Michigan.
Seymore also coached boys basketball at Turner-Carroll High School in Buffalo for four seasons after spending one season as a graduate assistant at Canisius under his college coach, Nick Macarchuk.
He has served as associate director of athletics at the College of New Rochelle, an NCAA Division III school in New Rochelle, N.Y.
“This was a really good experience for the fact that it gave me a chance to see basketball from a different point of view and work with a different group of athletes,” said Seymore. “Not only in basketball but baseball, volleyball etc. For me, I think it’s so important that students have mentors and outlets that constantly encourage them and guide them to pursue their dreams and goals.”
Seymore recruited top performers at the college level.
“My recruiting experience was very interesting and fun for me. I got a chance to travel many places,” said Seymore. “I got a chance to see a lot of great basketball and see what exactly distinguishes one player from the next. It really is a joy when seeing the hard work of a group of guys competing for that one scholarship.”
Teaching the game of basketball and working with kids is his life passion. Being able to give back and work with hard-working athletes is what he loves to do.
“I absolutely love the game of basketball and love teaching it to those who want to learn,” said Seymore. “It helps me to see that at one point in my life that was me, I was that hard-working young male athlete, competitive, and had a dream I wanted to fulfill. I just love seeing that fire, and sense of urgency, when it comes to someone trying to fulfill their dreams.”
Seymore has been working at SUNY Fredonia for the past four years, and he has struggled a great deal while he has been coaching there.
His win percentage is .255, which is very low and inconsistent. His first year head coaching at SUNY Fredonia, the team finished 6-19 and did not make the SUNYAC playoffs. His following year the team went 2-22, and they finished almost in last place in the entire league. Over his next two years he only made the playoffs one time in 2015, when the team finished with a 10-15 record.
Despite the struggles he has faced to win, this up and coming year he has some talented players coming in to play for the program, and he is looking forward to having a great year.
“He is a great coach and definitely has some great wisdom and knowledge towards the game,” said Ian Helps, a senior sports management major and former player under coach Seymour.
“Coach Seymore is a great person with good feel for the game. His basketball IQ is rather impressive, but we have had our struggles over the past couple years winning and becoming a powerhouse program. I can say only good things about him … ” said Adam LaQuier, Seymore’s assistant coach.
As for Seymore, he believes a strong work ethic can lead to great things.
“Everything and anything is possible through hard work,” said Seymore. “The little things do matter, and always remember to pay attention to detail.”