When Coach Zack Alvidrez calls out a play or pushes the team to hustle harder, he’s not just speaking as a coach; he’s speaking as someone who has lived basketball at every level. Long before he was leading Rowland Hall’s boys’ basketball team, Alvidrez was playing varsity basketball in Las Vegas, chasing a national championship in college, and competing professionally in Mexico for seven years. Basketball hasn’t just been a job for him, it’s been a lifelong commitment. That experience and that passion is exactly what he brings to the court every time Rowland Hall plays.

What makes a good coach? A good coach is someone who knows the game, someone who can communicate to all types of players, someone who wants to see each member of the team succeed. One student described Zack by saying, “Zack’s a great coach because he’s always pushing us to get better, and not only does he teach us lessons about basketball, but he also teaches us life lessons as well and tries to make us better people.” This is exactly what makes Zack such an effective coach. Zack is dedicated to coaching, but also to helping his players, not only in skill but in their social lives. He pushes his players to work harder while still supporting them when they struggle, and he focuses on building trust and teamwork. Zack doesn’t just coach basketball, he teaches lessons about responsibility, confidence, and working together, which helps his players grow both on and off the court. 

He played three years of high school varsity basketball in Las Vegas. He then went on to play at Northwest College and then Mayville State University, where his team competed for a national championship in 2007. He also played basketball professionally for seven years in all three major leagues in Mexico. He then went and coached a competitive youth program since 2014 and also coached running skills and training camps since 2009. Now he coaches basketball here at Rowland Hall and doesn’t think he would go back to playing basketball competitively; he enjoys coaching more. When asked if he would ever consider playing professionally again, Zack said, “I physically can’t do that anymore as I’m too old, but I enjoy where I’m at now.”

During our interview with Zack, it was clear that boys’ basketball is about much more than just the game. Zack claims, “Being a coach, it’s really important to me that I give back and I give to those who want to be better. It’s important to me that I stay and coach. I have a lot of fun with this.” He clearly wants to help his team grow and improve as players instead of just being the best team, while it feels like a lot of coaches at other schools only care about being the best. Zack explained that this year’s team is growing together at the right moment, saying they are “molding into more of a team as the season goes on” and “peaking at the right time.” He emphasized that his job is helping players buy into roles that benefit the team, not just themselves. When asked about his favorite part of coaching, Zack said it’s “building relationships,” especially with former players who come back to help coach, showing how lasting those connections are. He finished by stressing that “it doesn’t matter about stats or anything else. Everybody on the team has equal importance and it’s important for me as the coach to make sure that they all understand and reiterate that.” His team values unity and relationships over individual success.

The boys’ basketball team isn’t just a team, but rather a unit. They play with coordination, communication, with trust in each other and with an intensity that shows every time they step onto the court, from the second the game starts, the first basket, til the last buzzer. Even if a player misses a shot, the team doesn’t blame them, but instead, supports them for trying. The players celebrate each other’s successes, pick each other up after mistakes, and stay locked in together. Everyone knows their role and commits to it, whether that’s bringing pressure on defense, passing the ball, or making the extra effort to play. That shared mindset has helped the team grow stronger as the season goes on, turning hard practices and close games into opportunities to build relationships. More than anything, this team plays fast, plays hard, and plays for each other, and that collective energy is what makes Rowland Hall's boys’ basketball stand out. Thanks to Zack’s coaching, the boys’ basketball team works together and stands out against other high school teams.