October 19, 2018

O’Leary: Trestman, Nurse benefiting from coaching wisdom

Marc Trestman doesn’t go to a lot of Raptors games, but when he does his routine is always the same.

The head coach of the Toronto Argonauts gets to Scotiabank Arena a few hours before tip-off and just watches the coaches work with players. It didn’t take Nick Nurse long to notice him.

“You could tell that he was a student of coaching because he was there at five o’clock watching our development guys work out,” Nurse told TSN on Wednesday night, as his Raptors team was on its way to winning its season-opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I just went over there and talked to him and we ended up having a couple of really long conversations.”

From there, a coaching kinship was born. Nurse has met with Trestman and his coaching staff and the Argos to talk about coaching and leadership.

“We spent two, three hours together talking football, talking analytics, talking about player personnel, we just got (info on it) from a basketball perspective,” Trestman said.

“I’m a big basketball fan. I’d gone to a few of the games and got a chance to meet Nick in the pre-game warmup. We started talking and that just segued into him coming in and spending some time with our staff.”

“I really believe there’s a connection. He’s a brilliant offensive mind,” Nurse said during Wednesday night’s broadcast.

“I believe that there’s a connection with football offence and our offence and spacing and the numbering system and all the different things that happen. We talk a lot about how he sees offence, how I see offence, how he sees leadership. He’s a really, really good person a really good coach and a really good friend.”


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As his coaching career has progressed, Trestman has tried to take advantage of these types of opportunities wherever he could. When he was coaching the Alouettes, he built a similar relationship with then-Detroit Red Wings head coach and of course now the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mike Babcock. On Tuesday, Trestman welcomed the coaching staff of Raptors 905 as guests to the Argos’ practice.

Trestman is frequently in touch with college and pro coaches, both football and basketball, in the U.S. There aren’t enough opportunities to brainstorm, learn and get better, he said.

“I’ve got a bunch of basketball coaches that I’m very close to that I text with,” Trestman said.

“We send leadership articles (to each other). I’ve met with Div 1 college coaches at hotels and we’ll sit around and brainstorm for four hours about how to coach millennials. You’re constantly in your profession trying to learn because you’re getting different kids from different places. Every coach has nuances to how they teach.

“Nick Nurse does. He gave us some insights from a basketball side of it, from an analytic basketball side of it that was intriguing to us that we use and will continue to use.”

The info exchange can go both ways. Trestman said that after the 905 staff had visited, he got a text from coach Jama Mahlalela about how a football staff deals with the dozens of players on its roster in a confined amount of practice and meeting time.

Marc Trestman — seen here in 2014 with the Chicago Bears — had a similar relationship with former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson while coaching in the NFL (Bill Smith/Chicago Bears).

“It’s interesting to exchange ideas and thoughts. There’s always something to learn. We never stop learning,” Trestman said.

A philosophical coach that always speaks of lessons translating beyond the field, it’s no surprise that one of Trestman’s favourite meetings was with legendary NBA coach Phil Jackson. Jackson won 11 championships coaching the Chicago Bulls and L.A. Lakers. He also won twice as a player with the New York Knicks (1970 and 1973).

“When I was in Chicago I went to New York and spent the day with Phil Jackson. I took a couple of players with me,” Trestman said.

“He’s a guy that I really read a lot about as a young coach. I had an opportunity to go to New York through a connection and it was so enlightening to spend (time with him).

“There’s always something there to gain. I’m always in pursuit of learning. That’s the beauty of the game. We get to interact with a lot of great people. Not just players but coaches as well.”