Bloomburg coach returns to basketball court at 82

By Tim Emmons
temmons@casscountynow.com

In the midst of coaching a basketball game last season, Bloomburg Athletic Director Chad Sheffield noticed one of his former coaches sitting in the stands.
Over the course of the season, David Murphy made as many home games as he could, and afterwards spoke with one of his former pupils.
Murphy is a legendary-type coach who has more than 45 years coaching under his belt, and now the 82-year old mentor has made his way back to the sidelines.
“Coach Murphy was hired to lead the varsity boys’ basketball team my senior year here in 1995, and during his time here I respected him for how he treated us as student-athletes and admired his style of coaching; a style I took with me and use to this day,” Sheffield said. “When I saw him last year and began talking with him I saw the gleam in his eyes when we discussed basketball, and I started gleaning and extracting information from him. I thought of how we’re trying to develop a program here at Bloomburg built on some of the things Coach Murphy used to teach us and I thought I couldn’t find a better person than him to help guide the program in a better direction.”
It’s sort of like finding a “diamond in the rough” which is a person with exceptional qualities or characteristics, and with that Sheffield hired Murphy to head coach the junior high girls and assist with the varsity girls.
“Coach Sheffield took me in and as we got to talking he asked me if I would like to help coach the junior high kids this year, and I gladly accepted,” Murphy said.
Murphy was born in Bloomburg and always took a liking to sports.
“By the time I could walk I found a passion for athletics and maintained it throughout high school,” Murphy said. “Over my coaching span I coached football, baseball and basketball with the latter being my main interest.” 
After high school Murphy’s collegiate journey took him to East Texas State University, which is now Texas A&M University at Commerce, the University of Houston and Texarkana College, but the wealth of knowledge in which Murphy possesses began at Wolfe City in 1962 where he took his first coaching job.
From 1963-1983 Murphy enjoyed great success in different locations.
For 10 years he coached both the boys’ and girls’ squads at Avinger where his teams consistently competed well with all the top teams in the state.
In his time at Avinger his teams made it to the state tournament five times.
Afterwards he coached the Atlanta Rabbits’ basketball program for five years, and then made his way to Dalhart where he led the varsity girls’ program to their first district title in 33 years.
Murphy led Dalhart to the finals after beating the defending state champions from the year before, but his team lost a heart-breaker as they were beaten by one point on a last second shot.
From 1983 to 2002 Murphy saw his journey take an unexpected turn into the college ranks, and then back down to the high school field.
In 1983, Murphy accepted a job at Frank Phillips Junior College in Borger as the head women’s basketball coach.
In his eleven years he took a two-win team from before he started to a national powerhouse among junior colleges where his teams were consistently rated among the top 10.
He also coached two All-Americans during his tenure at FPJC, and was inducted into the Western Junior College Athletic Conference Hall of Fame after turning in an impressive tenure at FPJC.
In 1994, Murphy retired from the college ranks but the love of the game kept him hungry for the sidelines once again.
For the next three years Murphy coached at Bloomburg before returning to Avinger and leading the girls’ program back into the playoffs.
In the 2000-2001 school year, he assisted the girls’ basketball coach at Saltillo, and helped manufacture a state championship run only to be beaten by Nazareth in the final game. That state appearance was the schools first at that time.
The next year, he was placed over the varsity boys’ program where he led the team to a 28-0 regular season record and a No. 1 ranking.
From 2002 to 2003 Murphy spent a year as the head girls’ basketball coach at Loop ISD while his grandson played basketball at Texas Tech University.
From 2003 to 2009 Murphy accepted the head coach role of the junior high girls’ team at Saltillo while also helping with both varsity programs. In 2006 he took the varsity boys’ head coaching job and had two 25 plus wins in three seasons.
Health concerns sidelined the basketball prodigy until that significant conversation with Sheffield.
When asked what motivated him to return Murphy simply said, “I have a love for the game and enjoy teaching it. It makes me feel alive and I love the atmosphere with the young, sparkling personalities here at Bloomburg.”
“The kids have been very respectful. Bloomburg is one of the better schools of respect I have coached at,” Murphy admitted. “I have to give praise to the superintendent, teachers, coaches and AD for how they have helped mold such great students. 
“From pee-wee to college I have never found a difference in coaching basketball. The basics are simple and the goal is the same.” 
His résumé is saturated in knowledge, his record is bursting with success and his philosophy is acclaimed.
“Winning basketball is preparation and practice built around a solid philosophy of fundamentals, high percentage shooting and a heavy dependence on suffocating defense,” Murphy said. 
“Fundamentals should be taught as much as possible as part of one’s offensive and defensive game. A coach is well advised to be teaching fundamentals integrated with half and full court offense and defense. Decision making and deception should be as much a taught fundamental as passing, catching, dribbling and shooting. Otherwise a coach is failing to tie everything together.”
Aldous Huxley once said, “The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm.”
That can definitely sum up 82-year old coach with a gleam in his eyes.
“I am getting to the end of a long, enjoyable and successful career,” Murphy stated. “My physical capacity is diminished, but my ability to coach and get desired results have never been better.” 
C.S. Lewis said it best when he quoted, “You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.”
Such can be said for a coach who still graces the sideline of a basketball court, and if anyone questions that statement then they have looked past notable legends and their accomplishments such as Bloomburg’s own Coach Murphy has been able to achieve.