Joe Schwartz (’14) recently joined the LSU Basketball program under the leadership of Coach Kim Mulkey as the assistant director of operations. Joe played for Vanguard and coached at Vanguard. Here’s what he took away from his experience at Vanguard.
“Spending a year back in Waco and coaching at Vanguard allowed me to press the reset button. I had been going nonstop since I graduated in 2014. Vanguard prepared me for college in many ways, but the biggest one was in the classroom. I was able to graduate undergrad at UT in 3 years while playing basketball. I give all the credit to the teachers and coaches who taught me about time management not only to be more successful as a student but also to create time for other hobbies and activities.
Once I got to college I had a very rigorous schedule with class, practice, study hall, travel, and more, so it was very important for me to stay on top of the task at hand. After I graduated I accepted a job with the New Orleans Pelicans and Saints and spent a year there working as an operations associate. The COVID-19 pandemic brought me back to Waco where I decided to take a quick break from sports and get my real estate license. After a few short weeks back home I decided I couldn’t be away from basketball and needed to get back onto the court in some capacity. Coach Curtis and Mr. Borg presented me with the opportunity to coach at Vanguard. The school year was difficult on everyone but we managed to get through it. Being around the kids every day constantly reminded me how much joy and excitement the game of basketball can bring.”
“Coach Mulkey’s son Kramer has always been a very close friend of mine and after covid 19 sent him home from AAA Baseball with the Cardinals, we spent a lot of time together while we were in Waco. During this time I was able to start learning about how Coach Mulkey operates and became even closer with her staff. When Coach Mulkey asked me to join her staff shortly after she took the job at LSU, without hesitation I said yes. As I reflect more on the conversation I begin to realize how lucky I am to be in the presence of greatness. In the short time, I have been at LSU I have already learned why Coach has been so successful and I am continuing to learn and absorb so much from her on a daily basis. I am excited and honored to be a part of a staff that is going to rebuild LSU Women’s basketball. Vanguard is always going to have a special place in my heart and I am so thankful for everything that was provided to me to help me be successful in life.”
