Leopold's new boys basketball coach has ties to new Mizzou coach

~ Corey Brownsberger spent the last four years working for Kim Anderson

In his first full-time coaching position, Corey Brownsberger is bringing something he learned from Missouri's new basketball coach, Kim Anderson, to Leopold.

"I've taken a lot from coach Anderson," Brownsberger said about his mentor and former boss. "Not just what he did on the basketball court as a coach, but who he is as a human being."

Leopold introduced Brownsberger as its new boys basketball coach April 24. Brownsberger replaces Andy Beck, who coached the Wildcats for three seasons.

Brownsberger, who grew up in Montrose, Mo., about 80 miles south of Kansas City, said he was excited about taking the job but visiting Leopold for the first time made the decision easier.

"Leopold reminded me a lot of home," Brownsberger said. "It was important for me to find a place that had an atmosphere I was used to as well as a tradition of winning and talent in basketball."

Brownsberger spent the past four years as a student assistant at the University of Central Missouri.

When he graduated from Montrose High School, Brownsberger said his coach, Mike Arnold, who is friends with Anderson, got him an interview with the former UCM coach. Brownsberger held some interest in being a coach but said the interview with Anderson made his desire to make a career out of coaching even stronger.

"He told me from day one that it was going to be hard work if I wanted to be good at this," Brownsberger said. "Coach (Anderson) said he couldn't promise me a lot except for the fact that if I was around the program I would have a better understanding of what it takes to be a good coach on any level. Now I can honestly say I have that after four years."

During his time in Warrensburg, Brownsberger learned the fundamentals of coaching and the work ethic a coach must put in to a full season. Brownsberger watched as Anderson took the Mules to two consecutive NCAA Division II tournament appearances before wining the national championship this past season.

"He's a great individual to be around if you want to learn about the game of basketball," Brownsberger said. "Coach (Norm) Stewart is probably one of the greatest basketball minds in the state of Missouri, and that's where Anderson got all of his knowledge from."

While he has yet to meet his team, Brownsberger has come up with a philosophy and set of goals he will introduce. That philosophy is: energy, attitude and effort.

Brownsberger said his time at UCM helped him to mold these ideas.

"I definitely considered it a basketball internship while I was there, and I learned more there than I would have at any other job," Brownsberger said. "I want them to focus on these three things -- energy from the standpoint that we're going to be excited about playing the game and supporting one another, attitude from the standpoint that we're going to conduct ourselves the right way both on and off the basketball floor, with the officials and in the community."

Brownsberger considers effort to be the most important part of his philosophy.

"The effort angle means that for 32 minutes we're going to be playing Leopold basketball," Brownsberger said. "And what I want that to be about is defense, executing offensively, sharing the basketball and playing for one another every day in practice and in games and not focusing so much on individual goals."

Brownsberger is focused on teaching his young players the fundamentals of the game but also to mold them as men. His roles will go beyond the realm of the basketball court because he is set to be the athletic director and a physical education teacher at Leopold.

Brownsberger said the most important piece of advice he's received came from Anderson early in his time at UCM.

"Something coach Anderson always said was, 'If you want to be a good coach, you have to be a good teacher,'" Brownsberger said. "At any level, there is always something a player and coach can learn."

That piece of advice will be passed down to the Wildcats in the upcoming season.

"I think I bring a good work ethic to Leopold," Brownsberger said. "That's something I got from Anderson and my coaches and something I'll pass along to my players."