The Pam Pack has found its guy for the new basketball head coaching position, David Allewalt. He has quite a bit of coaching and playing experience at a high level, and he looks forward to the challenge of bringing Washington High School basketball back to prominence.

Coach Allewalt answered many questions prior to Tuesday’s scrimmage against Washington County, in which the Pam Pack fared well with an overtime victory.

 

Q: How long have you been coaching basketball?

A: Almost 16 years. I did the last 10 years at Ocracoke High School. Then I had a short break in between, because I’ve lived on the Outer Banks for 13 years. For four years I was at Annapolis High School in Maryland as an assistant. That’s where I am originally from.

 

Q: Did you play ball in high school or college?

A: I was a four-year letterman in varsity basketball. I was a point guard. But, I played tennis on tour. That was my main sport. Straight out of high school I went to Van Der Meer tennis academy in Hilton Head. That’s where I trained at when I played on the satellite circuit and challenger’s circuit for years. I got in the top 700 in the world.

 

Q: Where did you go to college?

A: After being taken off the circuit (for health reasons), I went to college at Salisbury State University on the eastern shore of Maryland, right beside Ocean City. I played tennis there but I didn’t play basketball.

 

Q: What is your biggest accomplishment in your coaching career so far?

A: I have three. I’d say going to the state playoffs for five years in a row; two straight conference championships and we’ve been a recipient for nine years in a row of the Army National Guard high school scholar athletes award. That award goes along with carrying a total team GPA of 3.1 or higher.

 

Q: What will you miss most about Ocracoke?

A: Well, it’s the community. I still have a house there, so I’m still going to live there but I have a home here also. I’ll travel back and forth for now until October, when I’ll live here every day until April. I’ve got family roots and friend connections over there and I had the support of the community.

 

Q: What has the process been like?

A: When I was interviewed for this job the question was asked to me, “Would you rather be here two years and have success, or be here for 10 years with some success?” And I said, “If this is a two-year job I’m walking out right now.” This is preferably my last coaching stop. I’ve got a timeline in my head. It’s going to take time to build the program. Knowing the feeder schools, creating relationships, there are so many factors that go into it.

 

Q: What was your first impression of your new team?

A: Super athletic, and definitely, not a single one of them are afraid of hard work.

 

Q: What are your main goals for the 2019-20 season?

A: I put a big white board in the varsity locker room and list 1-10. I leave the room and let them come up with their goals; I’ve got my own in my head. I’ll come back and take a picture of it, send it to all of them, so they’re the ones that get to live by their own goals and not my own. It gives them instant accountability. My personal goals though, are to get better as the season progresses, and it would be really special to make it back to the state playoffs. I think that would huge for a young team to get that experience early so when they’re seniors they’ll have that experience.