“cinco” boone profile
Eventually the lights in the arena fade and it gets quiet. The crowds are gone, and the nerves have died down. That’s when it’s time to figure out what the next move is, whether it’s continuing to the next one, or hanging up the ropes for the last time. For South Plains College’s Patrick “Cinco” Boone, he knew it was time to hang his hat up and trade it in for a clipboard and a court.
Boone is the new head coach for the men’s basketball team at South Plains College. He has been coaching basketball for 22 years and has coached at prominent schools including Abeline Christian University and Angelo State University.
Coach Boone didn’t always live on the court; he grew up on a ranch in Eastern New Mexico, working alongside his dad. Before he turned in the ropes for a whistle, he spent his college days roping calves in the arena.
While in college, Boone helped coach the varsity high school basketball team in the area as well as competing in college rodeos for Eastern New Mexico University. As his team was coming up on a chance at a state championship, Boone was also drawn up in Saturday slack, the same day as the big game. After switching draws and a flight from Albuquerque to DFW to make his run, he not only made it, but qualified for the short go, which just happened to be right after the game. There was no way he could make his run and the game; he chose coaching.
“Back then I made the choice, the team and coaching over rodeo. I think I knew that even back then that I wasn't gonna be a pro-rodeo guy. Coaching was kind of my calling,” said Patrick Boone, Texans’ men’s head basketball coach.
That calling hasn’t faded. It’s not often people know exactly what they want to do with their lives, but for Boone, he has known since he was 5-years-old. By fourth grade, he was the manager for his high school basketball team, and he had fallen in love with every aspect of the game.
“I think I could tell even back then that coaching was somewhere in my future... I wasn't the guy when people would ask, what do you want to do someday, that I would say, I don't know,” said Boone “I would just straight up tell you; I want to be a high school math teacher and a high school basketball coach... I knew that that's what I was gonna do.”
Amidst the West Texas dust, Boone has found his home coaching here in Levelland. And with his wife being the assistant women’s coach for Texas Tech, they have fallen into their roles smoothly. In his 22 years of coaching, the hospitality and support system in the South Plains make this job stand out amongst others.
“This one's unique in the fact that this is just in a part of the world that I believe in, and it's not necessarily that I haven't believed in the people at other jobs, but West Texas people and just the people of this area, they're who I am,” said Boone.
The competitive spirit of the game might have gotten Boone into the sport, but the most rewarding aspect of the game to him is watching his players grow whether it be here or after SPC.
“When you see the growth of every person on the team, from their skill set and their knowledge of the game, but just also see their growth in life. [Being] able to see where they started and where they end up too... This isn't the end of their careers. This is a jumping board to go to their next place. I think that it's rewarding to be able to see guys change their careers, and their career paths, by coming here and seeing what they do next,” said Boone.
The roaring crowds and arena dust may be long gone, but Boone’s competitive fire still fills the gym. Only now, it’s not about his next run; it’s about helping his players chase theirs.
Written for my news writing class
