5-ON-5 WITH MERCER'S MARK SLONAKER                                                                                                                    >>> CollegeInsider.com

DAVE MAGARITY: From a personal standpoint, being the first recipient of the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year must be special?

MARK SLONAKER: Winning the first Jim Phelan award was special to me in many ways. First, I was pleased for my staff and players. Any time you win a coach of the year award, it is the result of all the hard work they put in to making the season successful. Secondly, I was stunned that Collegeinsider picked one of the "little guys" to win the award. Typically only the coaches from the power leagues win any national awards. I was greatly appreciative of being recognized. And lastly, this award is extra special because of my history with Coach Phelan.

I played high school ball at Rahway H.S., N.J. and my coach, Dave Arnold, had us go to team camp at Mount St. Mary's. I got to know Coach Phelan and he recruited me to play at the Mount. The greatest moment of winning the award was at the Final Four in New Orleans. I went to visit with Coach Durham at his hotel. When I left his room I was waiting on the elevator and the doors opened to Coach Phelan, his wife and two of their life long friends. I introduced myself immediately to Coach and in an instant his wife give me a big hug and shouted with glee how happy they were that one of their campers had won the award. I'm not an overly emotional guy, but right there I got goose bumps from her reaction and it hit me how great our profession is
and what grows from the relationships we form over the years. I was able to visit with Coach and his friends for awhile, I could have spent all day listening to Coach Phelan!

MAGARITY: You missed, by one year, of playing with someone I know pretty well, Billy Magarity.

SLONAKER: Billy Magarity (a.k.a. "The Worm") was my host when I visited Georgia on my official visit in high school. I was in awe of this stud from Philly who it seemed every good looking coed knew! Billy had just finished an outstanding career at UGA and I was impressed with the time he took with me during the visit. He obviously made a good impact on me. I left Jersey in a snow storm
and when I got to Athens it was in the upper 70's. UGA played Stanford in a tennis match that drew 5,000 fans to a hillside to watch. The atmosphere was incredible. I saw game film of the previous season and Billy was unstoppable in the game I watched! I understand you "owned him" in your 1 on 1 games in the driveway! H e had a great career at UGA!

MAGARITY: What were the most important things you learned, while serving as an assistant to Hugh Durham?

SLONAKER: I was blessed to both play and coach for Coach Durham. As a player, I was on his first team at UGA. He was extra tough on us because he had to change the mentally of the team from a losing mentally to that of a winning mindset. The things his staff and he impressed on my teammates and me have lasted a lifetime. First, you need to be in great physical condition to be your best.

The way they pushed us in conditioning, developed mental toughness necessary to win in the SEC. His approach to practice and games, the intensity he always showed, made us realize how important basketball is, and this got us focused. When I became a coach on his staff, his approach to practice, games and recruiting only reinforced to me the organization and intensity needed to be successful in this business.

Coach Durham always takes something away from the other team's strengths when he prepares for them and this still influences me to this day in my preparations. Coach and I don't like having to compete against each other in the Asun. We have a close relationship and I want him to be successful. Being in the same league makes it difficult on both of us.

A side note for all Dave Magarity fans. I almost lost my job at UGA when I scheduled Marist College and the Red Foxes almost upset the Dawgs in Athens! Coach gave me a hard time for weeks over that one!

MAGARITY: Talk about your new arena, which will hold many more fans than your 500-seat facility.

SLONAKER: We have the smallest Division I gym in the nation right now. I'm the only D-I coach in America who has to watch the Weather Channel to see if we are going to play that night or not! Cozy Porter Gym will be missed on game nights. A distinct home court advantage! We open a new $45 million dollar complex this January. Our place will hold 3,100. Just the right size for our school. We can't wait. Everything in the place is brand new and first class!

The only concern we have now is the exact opening night. We plan on Jan. 8 vs. Gardner Webb, but we may be delayed. It is frustrating because we want to market the opening, but we aren't sure which date will be the one.

MAGARITY: As a kid, what was the best Christmas present you ever received?

SLONAKER: When I was 9 or 10, I wanted an electric race car track. I ran out to the living room in anticipation very early in the morning and after opening my presents, no racetrack. I was happy with my presents, but I was dejected in not getting the racetrack. My parents were laughing and I couldn't figure out why. They told me to look in the hallway. In my rush to get to the living room, I had run just inches away past the racetrack! This made for a special present!

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