Meet Our New Head Basketball Coach + Director of Spiritual Development
We are thrilled to announce the hiring of Greg Hawkins, who will step into the role of our Director of Spiritual Development and Head Basketball Coach for our men's and women's teams.
Coach Hawkins is formerly the Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at Midwestern State University and has also coached at Dallas Baptist University. Hawkins graduated from Arizona State and has post-graduate degrees from Northern Arizona and Dallas Theological Seminary. He also served in the Navy. He and his wife, Keri, have been married for eight years and have two children, Adeline and Charlie.
Let's hear from Coach Hawkins and his hopes for this next year.
CA: Let’s start with what led you to Christ Academy!
GH: The opportunity & the challenge of marrying two passions (basketball & my faith and helping others learn and apply God’s truth to their life) together was too good to pass up.
CA: What is your experience in private school education or education in general?
GH: I didn’t experience private school until I worked at Dallas Baptist as a basketball coach. I’ve enjoyed education, teaching others and learning is fun. I’d like to stay connected to education in some form or fashion. It’s life-giving in many ways.
CA: What about your experience in coaching basketball? Can you tell us a little about that?
GH: Coaching is both fascinating and scary. I got into coaching much later in life, so I don’t have the luxury of time. I’m constantly learning new things and working to figure out how to best integrate what I learn in real-time. One of the most convicting reasons I am in coaching is to do it right. The amount of abuse and trauma in athletics (in general) is disheartening. I want to model (like so many others already do) how to do it well.
CA: What do you hope for your student-athletes?
GH: I hope my student-athletes leave CA with an appreciation and understanding of what it means to be coached positively and loved simultaneously, all while striving to do our best, be our best, leaving the results to be what they may. And glorifying God through it is honoring Him. It’s about the journey. Not the destination.
CA: What is the most important thing they should know about you?
GH: I don’t know if it’s the most important thing, but it’s worth sharing. I know I am not perfect. I will mess up. But I will apologize and seek forgiveness.
CA: Since you will also assume the role of Director of Spiritual Development, what does that mean to you?
GH: It means I have so many other opportunities throughout the day/week/year to walk alongside them in life and live out that iron sharpens iron thing. :)
CA: What do you like to do outside of work?
GH: I still love to hoop. I enjoy being active (mountain biking, team sports, etc). I cherish the time with my kids and wife – especially as they are becoming more coordinated and interested in things!
CA: Is there anything else you’d like to share with CA students + parents?
GH: I’m probably more intentional than most, which is from a place of interest and curiosity. I’m not very good at small talk, I much prefer real talk.