Modesto Christian grad Midgley growing into role as program’s hoops coach

Fatherhood changed Richard Midgley long before he and his wife welcomed their first child into the world.

As the basketball coach of one of the most successful and highly scrutinized high school programs in Northern California, Midgley has learned to manage all types of scenarios and personalities.

Including his own.

“I’m around these guys so much throughout the year, like parents are with their kids,” said Midgley, the former Crusader who returned to his alma mater after a collegiate career at Cal and a short professional stint in Europe. “I see how much time and how much hard work they put in. I want to see them all be successful, and hopefully those opportunities come for them.”

That day has arrived.

Second-seeded Modesto Christian (29-1) will face No. 1 Folsom (27-3) in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I final on Saturday evening at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento.

The game is a rematch of their season opener at the Prep2Prep Tip-Off Classic at Newark Memorial High over Thanksgiving weekend. The Bulldogs won in the final seconds, 53-51.

Since then, the Crusaders have reeled off a section-best 29 consecutive victories. On Wednesday, point guard Christian Ellis scored a career-high 32 points, steering Modesto Christian past No. 3 Sheldon in a battle of state-ranked teams.

The stakes will be even greater Saturday as two blue bloods clash on a royal court. Modesto Christian has won a section-best 17 titles, including four straight across three divisions. Folsom looks to defend its Division I title, while collecting its eighth banner.

For Midgley, the time has come to let his boys find their way. Sure, he’ll make the lineup, call out sets and send in subs. But mostly he’ll try to stay out of the way, allowing their creativity and talent to shine.

Midgley returned to Modesto Christian in 2010 as an assistant coach and was elevated to co-coach alongside Gary Porter in 2012. He served in that capacity for two seasons before taking over for Porter, who retired in 2014 with a career record of 510-123.

The program hasn’t skipped a beat under Midgley, who has approached coaching with the same work ethic and drive that spurred his playing career. The Crusaders went 30-4 and won the D-II title in his first full season as head coach.

He says there are fundamental differences between being a player and coach, but the approach is the same.

“It’s a little different as a coach because I spend a lot of time watching film and studying who we play. As a player, I did a little bit of that, but not as much,” Midgley said. “My mindset is the same, though. You have some things you focus on. Even as a coach, there are things I challenge myself to do in games, whether it’s not getting emotional and frustrated. I try to stay even-keeled to help our players be successful out there.”

That wasn’t always the case.

“When I first started coaching, I used to put a lot of pressure on the team. I used to feel like however my team was playing was a reflection of me,” Midgley said. “If they were playing soft, I would get upset and get fired up on the guys.

“I’ve been coaching for a little bit now and you evaluate yourself through the years. After games, I would think about how I could help my guys be successful out there.”

What he discovered was that his emotions – sometimes overbearing and insatiable – detracted from the product on the floor. His frustration or disappointment created an added layer of pressure for his boys.

As he’s calmed and settled into his role, the Crusaders have blossomed and flourished, particularly in the big games.

Modesto Christian has beaten defending state champion Bishop O’Dowd, Archbishop Mitty, Salesian Collegiate Preparatory, Long Beach Poly and Capital Christian en route to Saturday’s section final.

“You don’t want to add extra pressure. I calm myself, relax everyone and allow them to execute,” Midgley said. “I’m just trying to keep everyone on the same page together, especially in the big game when the pressure is bigger and the magnitude higher. There’s a lot of pressure on our guys to have success, so you want to have their minds free as possible.

“It’s hard. I have to control myself at times because you want everyone to look good. When they don’t, it can be frustrating. You just have to relax yourself.”

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 5:35 PM with the headline "Modesto Christian grad Midgley growing into role as program’s hoops coach."