Old school friends Michael Turner and Alvin Williams used to help each other with their homework back at Germantown Academy when they were high schoolers, but now as adults, they’ve both come to work at The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr. While Turner is the head of school, Williams is the Gators’ new boys basketball coach, writes Michael Bradley for Main Line Today.

The goal of bringing Williams on as a new coach is to ensure Shipley’s team is on par with rivals like Westtown School, Haverford School, and Malvern Prep. With Williams’ background working as an assistant coach for the Raptors and helping the Wildcats get the 1997 Big East title, he seemed like a good choice for Shipley in Turner’s eyes.

“It came down to a Venn diagram of what the school needs and knowing who Alvin was when we were younger and tangentially over the past 25 years,” Turner said. “He won’t be just about wins and losses.”

Despite the low-key description of the program’s aims, both Williams and Turner aren’t looking to finish second – even when facing national powerhouse Westtown.

Williams’ current focus is on building a program “from the ground up,” that prioritizes skill development – something that he believes has been missing from high school basketball culture.

According to Williams, he has no interest in coaching college or professional level basketball. He much prefers teaching the game to younger players without having to worry about recruiting or any outside forces that can corrupt coaching.

“I’ve worked at the NBA level, but I’ve never coached in college,” Williams said. “High school is the purest form of basketball. I don’t have the desire to be a part of the other things.”

While Williams couldn’t provide many details about this year’s current team, he said he was very impressed with the players’ character and commitment, as well as how eager they are to learn and develop.

But Williams isn’t trying to be the center of attention here.

“I can say that it’s not about me,” said Alvin Williams. “It’s about the team. I want to lead them and be part of their development.”

Read more about The Shipley School’s new basketball coach Alvin Williams in Main Line Today.