In his 14 years as an LCM faculty member, head basketball coach Darin Harley has racked up many wins for the varsity basketball team and educated many students.

Although he is a well-loved coach by many players, next year students will carry on his legacy at LCM while he creates a new one in a different area. Harley plans to continue teaching and coaching in Tyler, Texas where his wife recently moved for a job opportunity.

“I have enjoyed my 14 years here at LCM,” Harley said. “However, time marches on. It is now time to ‘go to work’ in another time, and in another place.”

During his many years of working in education, Harley said his favorite part of coaching has been instilling hard work and a “never say die” attitude in his students, including all three of his sons, whom he coached.

“My dad has always pushed all of his players to be the best they could be both on and off the court,” Harley’s son and LCM alumni Seth Harley said. “Some people say he expects the unexpected but what he really does is see the potential inside us all and pushes us to reach for it and not be satisfied with being where we are. Always keep pushing forward especially when times are tough. He instilled that into all of his players, to use on the court but more importantly in life.”

According to Seth, having a father for a coach was a very interesting experience and a memory that he and his brothers, Christian and Caleb, will never forget.

“He pushes you and holds you to a standard that is way above the rest,” Seth said. “He never wanted people to say we played because our dad was the coach, so we had to prove our worth three times over.”

Harley said seeing his players succeed after their years of playing basketball is the true measure of success as a coach.

“Long after the games are over, and the scores are forgotten, the experiences of overcoming and adapting are life lessons,” Harley said. “Many student athletes realize this long after their high school playing days are over.  Some thank me. These offers of appreciation mean the most to me as a coach.”