Perhaps the best way to become a great coach is to surround yourself with passionate coaches who dedicate themselves to their craft. In addition, undoubtedly, coaches don’t climb up the ladder without hard work and dedication.
Kevin Franklin’s coaching journey falls under those categories.
Franklin, a Lynn native, is currently the owner and coach of three semi-professional basketball teams in Houston: men’s and women’s Team Havok and the Houston Warriors. Franklin balances his responsibilities as a coach and owner along with his full-time job at United Airlines.
Franklin began his athletic career in the East Lynn Pop Warner football program. That’s where he learned firsthand how impactful coaches can be in the lives of their players.
“When I played for East Lynn Pop Warner, that’s what really engaged my mind into coaching,” Franklin said, 57. “I had the best coaching, all the way up in all levels. Coaches Pat Kiley, Bill Dutch — these coaches back then were so far ahead.
“The foundation of coaching came from them. These guys were volunteers. They were doing what Buddy Ryan was doing with the (Chicago) Bears. Those coaches kept us out of trouble and off the streets so we could succeed.”
In his years at Lynn English, 1975-1978, Franklin played football, hockey, baseball and ran indoor track.
“All those players in Pop Warner came together in 1976,” Franklin said. “We played Classical in a great game at Manning Bowl and we lost 7-0. Classical went onto the Super Bowl that season. All that came from the foundation of East Lynn Pop Warner. It was amazing.”
After graduating from English, Franklin attended LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tenn. Franklin came back home to Massachusetts after graduating from LeMoyne-Owen, and began his coaching endeavors.
Franklin received his first high school coaching job when he was hired to direct the boys basketball program at Essex Tech as a 24-year-old. One of the keys to his coaching career was the role he played in participating in Salem State’s camps, where he learned from a pair of great Vikings coaches.
“The biggest thing that took off for my coaching career was coaching in the fundamentals camp at Salem State,” Franklin said. “Coaches Jim Todd and Tim Shea ran the best basketball you could ever imagine. When I was coaching in the basketball camp at Salem State, that was the camp to go to. The kids were learning drills and skills. In order for them to play the game, they had to learn those skills and use them.
“Don Nelson and Satch Sanders ran another great camp in Nashua, N.H.,” Franklin added. “I went to that camp in the ’70s.”
His journey includes stops as an assistant on the baseball team at Endicott and the men’s basketball team at Newbury.
“I’ve been around some great coaches in my years,” Franklin said. “One of them is Jay Young, who gave me a coaching job at Newbury and now he’s at Rutgers (as an assistant). I learned my coaching tools from them. I leaned discipline, hard work, accountability and doing what’s best with the abilities you have. You have to know that you have to bring your best to the game, whatever that may be. The players that recognize that turn out to be better players.”
Now, with 27 years of coaching experience on his résumé, Franklin works closely with semi-professional players who aspire to take the next step. Team Havok competes in the Universal Basketball Association. The men’s team is currently 8-5 this season with six games remaining on the schedule.
“The biggest thing the players really have to learn is how to become a pro,” Franklin said. “A pro is being consistent and knowing what your goals are. The semi-pro level is a great level. A lot of players don’t have the connections, the know-how or they don’t do the research. There’s a lot that comes with it.”
Franklin has also coached on the international stage, representing the United States. In January he coached a group of UBA players who brought home the Mitchell Cup after an international tournament in Dominican Republic. He has also been named head coach, for years 2017-2020, of the USA Select team that’ll compete for the William Jones Cup in Taiwan.
“The UBA has a lot of connections with FIBA,” Franklin said. “Those connections have allowed us to create cups with different countries. A lot of our American-born players will play in front of teams from other countries and get signed to play internationally.
“Seeing the world through coaching has been amazing,” Franklin added. “I’ll be coaching the women’s Havok team in France in June and in May I’ll coach the men’s Havok team in Spain.”
Franklin received the ultimate Houston honor when mayor Sylvester Turner proclaimed February 24 as “Coach Kevin Franklin Day.” Franklin moved to Houston in 2001 and has lived there since.
“It was awesome,” Franklin said. “When I went down there to get it, I was with my publicist and I didn’t know the details. When I got home later that day my son (Khristian) said to me ‘Dad you’re not from Houston. Beyonce’s from Houston and she doesn’t have a day here. You’re from Lynn and you got one?’ I said, ‘things work that way sometimes.’ It was a great honor. It was amazing.”
