Impromptu Basketball Coach Daniel Rinaldi Leads Youth Basketball Team

Last Monday I sat in the top row of Westchester County Center with my younger brother Daniel and saw one of the two Harrison 7th and 8th grade teams get off to a very slow start against an Eastchester team. The team's head coach had not shown for the game and the team was being coached by another parent.

Daniel, the coach of Harrison's other team in the tournament, had no shortage of opinions during the first quarter of the game and he had no problem talking my ear off for the first six minutes of the contest.

Rinaldi has been confined to a wheel chair for the majority of his life and, while that may keep other 17-year-old high school juniors away from competitive sports, Daniel realized that his playing days were over but his coaching career had just begun.

Toward the end of the first miserable quarter, Daniel Rinaldi was approached by a parent to come down and coach the team because he had knowledge of the players on the squad and a good understanding the of the game of basketball. Daniel was hesitant to take the reigns and coach the team because he did not want to impose on the team's current staff.

After the first quarter, the team was down by 12-6 and it was looking like the opposition could turn the game into a blowout quickly.

Daniel made it to the sideline as the second quarter began and his impact could be seen immediately and even heard from stands. He was shouting instructions and offering suggestions to the players on the court and to the parent who was coaching the team.

At halftime the team cut into the opposition's lead and got the deficit down to single digits. During the halftime break, Daniel took the team into the corner of the gymnasium and really laid into the players, reminding the squad that they needed to step up the defensive intensity and slow it down and play smarter offense.

Immediately his speech was heard by the team and the plan was implemented. The two teams battled throughout the second half, as each team went on several runs. But at the beginning of the forth quarter, Harrison was still down 32-22.

In the fourth quarter, Harrison continued to struggle but the final 45 seconds were as hellish and hectic as I have ever personally seen in a basketball game at any level. The Harrison team came down and scored a quick two point basket to narrow the deficit to four points. Then, with the press Rinaldi implemented, the team was able to steal the ball quickly and fire up a three pointer to bring Harrison within a single point.

After the basket was made, Eastchester took the ball out with just over 20 seconds left. Even though they had the ball and the lead, it was apparent that the momentum had shifted to the Harrison side.

Eastchester inbounded the ball and an inadvertent buzzer sounded, and everyone but Rinaldi and one of the Harrison players stopped playing. Rinaldi screamed at his players to continue to play and one of his kids took the ball from the Eastchester player and hoisted it from beyond the arc and made the basket giving Harrison the lead that would last until till the end of the game.

Rinaldi went on to lead his own team to an easy victory later in the night, putting both of the Harrison teams into the tournament's final four.

Both teams went on to lose in the semi-finals. But Daniel Rinaldi is a great example for players at any age. Although he may not physically be able to compete in athletics or sports, he has never lost his competitive fire or willingness to work.

Best of luck and continued good health to Daniel Rinaldi, Harrison's athlete of the week for March 7 - 13.