Book Private Basketball Lessons with Coach Cyrus
I have over 40 years of Division I Collegiate Coaching Experience , and was Head Coach of six (6) teams that participated in the Division I NCAA Tournament. I was also Head Coach of seven (7) MEAC Regular Season Championship Teams, while earning five (5) Coach of the Year Awards and one (1) National Coach of the Year Award. I have the ability to "DEVELOP CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL SKILLS." I have produced over 100 Professional Athletes ranging from the NBA , G LEAGUE and EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL LEAGUES. I would love the opportunity to work with your son or daughter to bring out the CHAMPION within their INTERNAL COMPASS. Mike Kryzyzewski said about Coach Alexander: "I have the utmost respect for the manner in which Cy Alexander runs his program. He is a top notch coach and I hope that great opportunities come his way in the future.” Retired Head Men’s Basketball Coach Duke University Dick Vitale shared about Coach Cy: "Coach Alexander’s teams always demonstrate discipline and that has reflected his teaching and motivational talents. One thing you know about Cy Alexander teams, they are always prepared and he always gets the maximum out of his players. That is what you would call a superb job in the profession we call coaching.” ESPN College Basketball Analyst
Nashville, TN
Available: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat
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Try Coach Cyrus risk free. If you don't love your first lesson, we'll switch you to another coach or give you a full refund.
Weekly Availability
Monday
12:00 AM - 1:00 AM
1:15 AM - 2:15 AM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 1:00 AM
1:15 AM - 2:15 AM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 1:00 AM
1:15 AM - 2:15 AM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 1:00 AM
1:15 AM - 2:15 AM
Friday
Unavailable
Saturday
4:00 PM - 5:00 AM
5:15 AM - 5:30 AM
Sunday
Unavailable
Don't see your preferred date/time? This is only general availability - alternative times may be possible.
Get to know Coach Cyrus
About Me:
Cyrus Walker Alexander III (born September 10, 1953) Winston-Salem, N. C. native,
son of HBCU graduates and protégé of legendary basketball coach Clarence “Big
House” Gaines, endured the rigors of big-time college hoops during a 39-year
career that began with an 11-year stint as an assistant at Howard University.
He was also a longtime men's basketball coach at South Carolina State University
for 16 seasons (1987-03) where he he won five MEAC tournament titles. Coach
Alexander also made coaching stops at Tennessee State (2003-09).
His career also includes six 20-win seasons and 31 MEAC tournament wins, second
all-time behind former Coppin State coach Ron “Fang” Mitchell. His six MEAC
titles are second to only former N.C. A&T head coach Don Corbett, who had seven.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
In 2018, I authored a book entitled, BEYOND THE BACKBOARD: My Unique HBCU Experience in the Shadows of Big-Time College Basketball. During the course of my collegiate Men's Head Coaching
experience, I lead six teams to the NCAA tournament, beginning in 1989. Five of the teams were with South Carolina State University and one was with North Carolina A&T State University.
HONORS & AWARDS
Named MEAC Coach of the Year in 1989, 1996, 1998 and 2003.
- Named the MEAC Outstanding Tournament Coach in 1989, 1996, 1998, 2000,2003,2013
- Named American Sports Wire's National Coach of the Year in 1998
- Inducted into three Hall of Fames, Catawba College, Howard University and South Carolina State
University
- Honored as the 2013 Trailblazer in Sports Award from the Rainbow Coalition that was presented to
me by Reverend Jesse Jackson in Chicago, Illinois.
How I can help you improve your game:
My approach to helping someone improve their game will be thru focusing on the fundamentals of their game. IMPROVING THEIR WEAKNESSES AND STRENGTHENING WHAT IS THEIR STRONG SUIT.
It is said that "PRACTICE MAKES PREFECT" , I say " PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT".
HAVE A LAZOR VISION IN REACHING WHATEVER GOALS WE SET , remembering one of my basic philosophies - DISCIPLINE IS AN ORDERLY PROCESS , BY WHICH YOU SET OUT TO REACH A GOAL.
What a typical training session looks like with me:
A TYPICAL TRAINING SESSION WILL LOOK LIKE
1. STRETCHING
2. CONDITIONING
3. BALLHANDLING
4. OFFENSIVE SKILL DEVELOPMENT ( Form shooting)(Foot Work Development)(Hand ,Eye Co-ordination)
( Learning the right way to play the game)
5. DEFENSIVE SKILL DEVELOPMENT ( Stance) (Balance) (Communication)
6. REPEAT UNTIL IT BECOMES 2nd NATURE
7. DEVELOP A CHAMPIONSHIP MENTALITY
Career summary and accomplishments:
COACHING SUMMARY I started my coaching career at Howard University as an Assistant from 1976 to 1987.Our 1981 MEAC Tournament Championship team was the first MEAC Team to participate in the NCAA Tournament. We played the University of Wyoming in the West Regionals at Pauley Pavillion on the campus of UCLA. I began my Head Coaching Career at South Carolina State University in 1987 , and finished in 2003. Thirteen out of the Sixteen years at SCSU , our teams either finished 1st or 2nd (1st - 7 times & 2nd - 6 times ). We also made five (5) NCAA Tournament appearances. I coached at Tennessee State University from 2003 thru 2009. We took the worst Division 1 program in the country (2003) to the OVC Championship game in 2008. We also beat a 'POWER 5" team , University of Illinois during that season. I began my coaching tenure at North Carolina A&T State University in 2012 thru 2016. In our first season , we led the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament in 2013. We won our First Four contest vs Liberty , 71-70. I came out of retirement in 2022 to become the Associate Head Coach at Alcorn State University , where we won the SWAC Regular Season Championship in 2022. Overall as an Assistant and Head Coach , I've been involved with ten (10) Championship teams.
Best coach I ever had:
The best coach I ever had was my high school coach , Tom Muse. He coached me at Parkland High School in Winston-Salem , NC. , from 1969 to 71. We won two (2) Conference Championships (70 & 71 ) and played for the NC State Title in 1970.
He taught me the meaning of being disciplined , hard work and how important being fundamentally sound was in the development of your total basketball game.
What athletes and parents should know about me:
Parents should know , that I'm going to work very hard to bring out the very best of their basketball ability. That I am going to treat them with RESPECT and work from a Positive Frame of Mind.
My Coaching Philosophy revolved around these four (4) statements
1. Things work out best , for those who make the best , of the way things work out.
2. Work Hard , Work Smart.
3. Discipline is an orderly process , by which you set out to reach a goal.
4. Play Hard , Play Smart , Play Together , & Play with Confidence.
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