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NHS alum Kerbs named freshman basketball coach
Former Nevada High School two-sport standout Cory Kerbs was recently tabbed as the school's freshman boys basketball coach, as well as assistant varsity hoops coach on Shaun Gray's coaching staff.
Kerbs replaces Blake Howarth as NHS freshman coach. Howarth was also an assistant on Gray's varsity staff. The school announced in May that Howarth had been promoted to the position of Lady Tigers associate head basketball coach.
"My primary goal for the freshman team is to make sure that day-in and day-out they get better by pushing the varsity and junior varsity teams in practice," Kerbs told the Daily Mail. "These kids are potentially competing each day in front of the coaching staff for a chance to stand out and possibly move up."
Kerbs, who was handed starting point guard duties during the second half of his sophomore season at Nevada, and for the entirety of his junior and senior seasons (2010-12), was also a four-year member of the NHS baseball team.
"I want to continue the tradition of the Tiger basketball program in putting a team on the floor each night that is willing to compete and play hard for the duration of the game," he said. "I hope to be able to help the guys take their skills to new heights so they can have success at the next level."
Gray said he anticipates Kerbs bringing a lot of enthusiasm and energy to his staff.
"We are very excited about the addition of coach Kerbs to our staff," Gray said. "He will be an energetic relationship-builder with our athletes. Cory will help a lot with our guards ball-handling and passing fundamentals."
Kerbs said he looks forward to implementing Gray's system at the freshman level while also utilizing some of his own offensive and defensive sets.
"Being a coach at the freshman level, it is my job to prepare the guys for the years ahead," he said. "I will be incorporating some of the same schemes and ideas that both coach Gray and (junior varsity head coach) Kyle Talley utilize."
Kerbs said his strategies will center around his teams strengths.
"Coach Gray and Talley have given me some flexibility in running what I see fit," he said. "Ideally, I would like to try and seek possibilities that best fit the group of guys and the assets they bring to the table."
"His knowledge of our system makes him a valuable addition to our staff," Talley noted.
Kerbs said his biggest influences in relation to coaching, are his father Bobby, former NHS varsity basketball coach John McNeley (now the school's athletic director), and his college baseball coach Rob Ramseyer.
"My dad started coaching me in baseball and basketball as a young kid," Kerbs said. "In doing so, he gave me the opportunity to begin my sports career early in life.
"Coach McNeley has also been influential in my decision to not only become a coach, but a teacher as well. He always pushed me, along with my teammates on the court and in the classroom."
Upon graduating from NHS in the spring of 2012, Kerbs signed a letter-of-intent to attend and play baseball for the Hesston (Kan.) College Larks.
"Rob Ramseyer pushed me athletically, academically, and in my faith," Kerbs said. "All three of these individuals genuinely cared about each one of their players in all aspects of life, and that's what mattered to me the most as a player."
Another influential individual in Kerbs life is his older brother Jordan.
"We used every chance we had to be outside playing against each other as kids," he said. "I also knew the second he signed his letter-of-intent to play baseball at the next level that I too wanted to do the same. He always carried himself the right way and played the game the way it was supposed to played."
Kerbs said he has many fond memories competing in two sports at NHS.
"Being a two-sport athlete at Nevada was great," Kerbs said. "It meant a tremendous amount to me to play night-in and night-out with the words 'Tigers' or 'Nevada' across the chest. Even more-so, it is a time I will never forget getting to play four years with childhood friends."
Kerbs said one game in particular stands out the most amongst his golden moments.
"My fondest memory would be Senior Night at Wynn Gym against El Dorado Springs," he said. "The atmosphere was intensified due the rivalry we had with them, and also being our last home game.
"We came out victorious, with the crowd giving us an ovation for our four years of hard work we had put in. I also think many other players can relate to walking off the court for the last time and just sitting in the locker room with teammates reminiscing on the previous years."
Entering his first season, Kerbs said he isn't feeling an immense amount of pressure due to the comfort level he has with the current coaching staff.
"In talking with coach Gray I know that he is always open for new ideas and is willing to listen," Kerbs said. "He values the other coaches opinions and input and isn't afraid to ask. I admire the way he holds his players and coaching staff to a high standard, as well as the job he has done with the program since he has taken over. I look forward to being a part of what could very well be a special season for the program."
Gray added, "Anytime you can get someone who cares deeply about the program, and that is going to work hard as well as being knowledgeable in the sport, then you have a really good candidate, and that is what we have with coach Kerbs.
"He has already started working with his freshman team this summer, and we look for a lot of success from that group this year."
After earning his Associate of Arts degree in May 2014, Kerbs enrolled at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin and is currently on track to graduate in December with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. For the upcoming semester, Kerbs will be student-teaching at Truman Elementary School.
"I will be working closely with fifth-grade teachers Mrs. McCallister and Mrs. Sanders, along with the rest of the staff at Truman," he said.
While at Hesston College, a two-year, private institution, Kerbs met his girlfriend, Sierra Brodin, who is currently a Registered Nurse at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. Cory's parents are Bobby and Deana Kerbs of Nevada.