Selfless, Tough, Compassionate

“(Those) are three words in our discussion that we came up with, that sort of represent the core values of how we want to be,” the University of Portland basketball coach said. “You can talk about this screen or that screen, or this technique, but really getting back to a certain style of play, a certain core value of how we play.”

Those three words, echoed in practice after practice in the run-up to the Nov. 8 home opener against UC Davis, will set the tone for what  Reveno hopes to be a breakout season for the Pilots after two disappointing years in conference play. Rather than focus on the nuts and bolts of solid basketball, Reveno hopes to instill an enduring philosophy that will translate in to selfless, tough and passionate play.

“The biggest consistent message is trying to establish how we’re going to play,” Reveno said. “Not what we’re going to do as much as how we are going to play.”

Six years ago, Reveno arrived at UP with a resume full of experience at the upper echelons of college basketball. Reveno started at center for Stanford in his 1988-89 senior season, and helped lead the Cardinal to the NCAA tournament for the first time in almost 50 years while averaging 9.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game along the way.

After a four-year stint playing basketball abroad following his undergraduate years, Reveno returned to Stanford as an assistant coach in 1997 after receiving his master’s degree in Business Administration from the university. Under Reveno’s tenure, the Cardinal experienced unprecedented success, reaching the NCAA tournament each season he coached, and making it to the Final Four in his first season on the sidelines. Reveno focused on the development of Stanford big men, including Jason Collins, who became famous this past year as the first openly gay athlete in one of the five major North American sports.

“I was happy for him,” Reveno said of Collins’ decision to come out to the public. “I felt in terms of gay rights, I felt strongly that there couldn’t be a better spokesperson. Articulate, thoughtful, compassionate and with a sense of humor too.”

After nine seasons at Stanford, UP approached Reveno about a head coaching opportunity. In Portland, Reveno found an opportunity he could not turn down.

“The commitment to both academic and athletic excellence, and the idea that you can be great in both,” Reveno said of what drew him to UP. “There’s a lot of places where there’s a large deviation between the makeup of the athletes and the students. I’m proud of the fact that I think our student athletes represent the student body pretty well.”

UP clearly thinks highly of Coach Reveno as well since he is the highest paid employee at the University. According to the most recently accessible Form 990, he made $360,265 in 2011. This figure includes salary, bonuses and other compensation.

Reveno lives in Portland with his wife and two children, a boy and girl, aged 8 and 11, who take up almost his entire focus off the court and keep him busy with their own unique endeavors.

“My daughter’s actually, of all things, excited and way into synchronized swimming,” Reveno said. “She’s been doing it for four years now. She’s in the 11-12 age group and doing really well and she really enjoys it, and what’s neat about is she works at it. I don’t think you could pick a sport I know less about. When I first saw it, when they first did, when she was 8, it looked like an SNL skit. But now, it’s pretty impressive. I’ve grown to appreciate it for being really hard and physically challenging.”

Coach Reveno’s players reflect the pride he proclaims through their dedication and work ethic. The Pilots received recognition from the NCAA last May for their high academic achievement, in addition to eight WCC all-academic honors since Reveno’s tenure began.

“He’s one of those coaches that genuinely cares how the student athlete is doing in the classroom, how they’re doing on the floor, and as importantly, what they do in the future,” said UP Athletic Director Scott Leykam of Reveno’s commitment to his players. “Eric’s a very good fit for this community.”

The care Reveno exhibits for his players can be felt both ways.

“That’s my boy,” junior guard Kevin Bailey said. “ I love playing for him.  He gives me lots of freedom on the court to make my own decisions.  I don’t have to play fearing that I am going to make a mistake. “

Despite his repeated calls for a more philosophical approach to the game, there are a few glaring issues Reveno seeks to resolve before the 2013-14 season gets underway.

“It’s such a simple thing, but gosh, it’d be nice to be taking care of the basketball,” the coach said, laughing. The Pilots turned the ball over 15 times per game last season, while their opponents averaged 12.

“When you’re turning the ball over as much as we did, it’s playing with one hand tied behind your back,” Reveno said.  “Your offense, you’re not getting as many shots, and defensively you’re always in transition.”

Beyond the scope of the Chiles Center, Reveno has taken issue with the NCAA rules and regulations that he feels hamper the true mission of the collegiate institution. On May 29, Reveno tweeted, “Just heard about two NCAA violations in WCC. 1) athlete using Univ. water to wash car, 2) coach text recruit "who is this?”.  #stopinsanity.” It has been retweeted 402 times since then.

On Oct. 28, Reveno once again voiced his frustration, tweeting, “The fact that anyone in NCAA or NABC is talking about which day/nights we recruit in July is maddening. We have bigger issues. Need focus.”  While frustration with the NCAA is nothing new among college coaches, Reveno feels an acute dissatisfaction with the organization.

“Philosophically I think the NCAA has gotten itself in a position where it’s trying to solve too many problems with its rules,” Reveno. “Things that are outside the scope of their mission … Things that they can’t really control. With basketball a lot of it has to do with the summer league high school events. The rules are not focused in their intent. There’s too many of them, they’re too complicated and they’re really hard for all of us, most of us, who are trying really hard to follow them strictly. And there’s some that don’t care about following them, and they get the advantage.”

Reveno will continue to hammer out the facets of the game that hampered the Pilots in their 2012-2013 season while maintaining his signature, philosophical outlook on life and basketball at UP. Reveno attributes his demeanor to the coaches and players that helped him get to the position he is in now, as mentor and coach to a talented and intriguing group of Pilots players.

“I really try to take the good away from what (my old coaches) do and make myself better as a teacher and a mentor,” Reveno said. “You give yourself a daily check where you ask yourself, ‘are you staying true to those core values of why you got into coaching? At the end of the day after a tough loss or a big win, are you behaving in a way that players can respect or appreciate? Are you behaving the way that you want to be?’ I’ve learned from a lot of real good ones.

Cassie Sheridan contributed to this report.