“We’re going to be relentlessly enthusiastic. Our bench culture, we will get a bench warning every game, and if we don’t, I’m disappointed.”
Those words were uttered by Todd Simon in his introductory press conference as the new head coach of Bowling Green men’s basketball.
As Simon’s first season has recently completed, just by glancing at the wide variety of reactions from the bench on every dunk, every big three and big game, Simon, by the end of his first season as head coach, accomplished his goal.
The first-year head coach even went as far as to practice how the bench should react in the middle of a big game.
“We flat out practice it, we watch it on film, not long ago we had a game where we really didn’t like it, didn’t show any corrections,” said Simon.“This is a problem right here- we’re not there and we worked on it, we went and shoot, one guy shoot and everybody else made sure that guy felt like a million bucks.”
Simon said he set out to create a new standard in his first year wearing the orange and brown by creating a new level of energy and positivity when players are not on the court.
“That’s the way it’s gotta be, we can’t compromise that stuff, especially in year one as we’re building a foundation and culture,” said Simon. “The only thing worse than losing is guys sitting on their hands and moping and losing.”
By making sure players were invested game to game, Simon went about creating a newfound culture in the locker room.
Multiple players bought into the fresh look Bowling Green, even players who didn’t see a lot of action on the court.
From Toowoomba, Australia, Greg Spurgin, one of the team’s new additions in the previous offseason, said that the team culture has evolved into a family dynamic.
“There’s a very big emphasis on the family dynamic within the team,” said Spurgin. “We’re all super close with each other, we hold each other accountable.”
As soon as he arrived in Bowling Green, Spurgin could already feel the newfound family dynamic of the Falcons.
“Every team I’ve been a part of has preached that culture of family mentality, but this team takes it to a new level, it actually feels like we are a family,” said Spurgin.
While Spurgin only appeared in five games for the Falcons this season, he is adapting to Simon’s new culture perfectly.
“He exemplifies everything that we’re trying to be about,” said Simon. “Even though he doesn’t get the time yet as a young player, his enthusiasm and his buy in is off the charts every single game, there’s no inconsistency about it, he’s one that stands out that’s all about the team.”
Spurgin wasn’t the only thing that improvised for BG, as they recorded their best season in recent memory.
In the 2023-24 season, BG made the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament for the first time in three seasons, finished with a 20-14 record and defeated Central Michigan 65-56 in the quarterfinals of the MAC tournament.
Even after all the improvement, Simon is more than ready to build upon the successful season for years to come.
“As you establish that in year one, it becomes who you are, it’s becoming this is what you do, one guy goes down the whole team picks you up,” said Simon. “Guy makes a basket, the whole team is excited and up and now that becomes our culture, not my culture.”
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