FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Somewhere on Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski’s coaching tree is a rogue branch, set off from all the former pupils of the legendary basketball coach who have gone on to become hoop mentors themselves.
Surprisingly, that branch is in the world of soccer – not basketball. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it has bore fruit.
The seed that was sewed on Tobacco Road when New England Revolution head coach Jay Heaps played both soccer and basketball at Duke in the mid-1990s will come to fruition when he leads his team in the MLS Cup title game Sunday against the LA Galaxy (3 pm ET on ESPN, UniMas, UDN, TSN1, RDS2).
For Heaps, his four years playing for legendary Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski - first as a walk-on and then a scholarship player - are the basis for where he is today, a successful coach at the age of 38 who has the Revolution on the verge of their first MLS championship.
“Having been around that program for four years and not playing a ton, I had a great opportunity to observe from sitting behind as a player and watching Coach K’s work ethic and the relationship and the honesty and the integrity he has with his players,” said Heaps. “That was something that always stood by me. It was honesty at all times.”
Already at Duke on a soccer scholarship, Heaps auditioned for Krzyzewski as a freshman in hopes of earning a walk-on role, which the scrappy guard was able to do through hard work and determination.
It didn’t take long for Heaps to become a bit of a fan favorite, as well as a favorite of the coaching staff, as he earned a basketball scholarship for his remaining three years, helping to defer costs not covered through soccer.
“Jay Heaps really was one of the best competitors and athletes to play any sport at Duke,” Krzyzewski told MLSsoccer.com. “It was all about winning, and that’s what a coach needs to understand. It’s about coordinating everybody with one purpose, that’s to win. That’s Jay.”
Heaps didn’t see much of the court during games but made his mark behind the scenes with his dedication to the program and ability to push the higher profile players throughout the week of practice, getting them ready to compete against the best teams and players in the country.
Absorbing the lessons in all of those hours helped shape Heaps into the coach he is today.
“The most important things I’ve taken from Duke basketball and Coach K’s philosophies is the preparation, the small things, how you put a lot of the small things together,” said Heaps. “That’s what brings you to the big things.
“Whether it’s a set piece or in basketball an out-of-bounds play, knowing where to be and having your players be prepared for that moment to me is something that I strive to do.”
In Heaps, Krzyzewski knew he had a player who was willing to sacrifice day in and day out, despite minimal time in the spotlight.
Not surprisingly, Heaps’ Revolution players mirror that style, working hard and forcing teammates to get better with each day.
“Everything I thought about him as a player, I thought would make him a successful coach,” Krzyzewski explained, “the ability to maximize his talent, to coordinate it with other outstanding players, to be a constant source of energy, enthusiasm and courage.”
Heaps left the program early his senior year to pursue his professional soccer career, never having won a title with the Blue Devils, something that followed him during his MLS playing days as well.
But Krzyzewski’s championship pedigree as a coach is undeniable, with four NCAA national championships and two Olympic gold medals. Now, Heaps has a chance to build a coaching legacy of his own – spawned all those years ago learning the profession under one of the greats, regardless of the sport.
“I would say be you,” Krzyzewski said when asked if he had advice for his former pupil. “If your players are you and have your spirit, your direction, your heart and courage, you’re going to have the best chance to win.”
