Sports

New Basketball Coach Will Stress Defense and Character

Abrom Roberts was the Big Blue junior varsity coach last season.

 

The new high school basketball coach played point guard, believes in tight defense and wants his players to be of good character.

"Basketball is not the be all and end all," said coach Abrom Roberts.

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Education and how the young ladies carry themselves will help them as they move forward with their lives as adults, he said.

As far as basketball goes, Roberts wants to stress fundamentals. He and his palyers will hold clinics for the younger kids in town to teach them fundamental basketball skills including ball handling and passing.

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He coached the Big Blue junior varsity team last year under varsity coach Jack Hughes, who retired in the spring.

Hughes, who was a teacher in Beverly, brought Roberts aboard after getting to know him in Beverly.

Roberts is a paraprofessional in the special education department at Driscoll Middle School in Beverly. He is on the verge of earning his bachelor's degree in special education.

Roberts is 28, engaged to be married and lives in Peabody.

He went to high school in Baltimore at Hammond High School, where he played basketball for four years.

As a youngster, he grew up in Florida, in Daytona Beach. The Miami Heat is his favorite pro team. Lebron James his favorite pro bsketball player.

For college hoops he likes the Duke men's team and the University of Connecticut's women's team.

Right now he is getting organized and preparing for the upcoming Swampscott season.

The team has six or seven seniors returning, and they are a good group of players, he said.

Basketball is a passion for Roberts. He loves the game and enjoys coaching it.

He has coached AAU teams in Beverly and around Boston the past five years.

His goal was to become a varsity basketball coach.

He has reached that goal.

And now he wants to help his players get better at the game of basketball.


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