Legacy through Character,
Character, through Commitment.
“If recruiting is the lifeblood of college coaching, then integrity is the core value of a character coach.”
— Gary Waters, Character Coach & Former Head Coach at Cleveland State
Coach Waters Has Been Featured on:
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Coach Gary Waters
Announces His Retirement
Cleveland State coach Gary Waters, the winningest men’s basketball coach in school history, has retired after 11 seasons.
Coach Waters Character Coaching Model Is
Supported by the Likes of…
John Calipari
Head Coach, University of Kentucky Men's Basketball Team
C. Vivian Stringer
Head Coach, Rutgers University Women's Basketball Team
Mike Krzyzewski
Head Coach, Duke Men's Basketball Team
Tom Izzo
Head Coach, Michigan State University Men's Basketball Team
"The value structure has changed drastically within our society today, character examples are badly needed."
spent 11 seasons (2006-2017) as Winningest Coach in Cleveland State University’s Program History. As Head Coach for the Vikings, he led CSU to six postseason invitations during his tenure, including reaching the second round of the 2009 NCAA tournament. In 2008 Waters was named the Horizon League coach of the year.
In addition, all seniors who were in the program during Waters' tenure have graduated with their degree, and the program received four consecutive public recognition awards from the NCAA (2012-16) for having an academic performance rate that was in the top–10 percent nationally.
With over two decades of experience in coaching, Waters has seen many changes within the profession over the years, and has worked tirelessly to instill a core of values and integrity, both on and off the court.
Gary Waters is a Detroit, Michigan native and a 1969 graduate of Mackenzie High School. Waters graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from Ferris State in 1975, a B.S. in Business Education from Ferris State in 1978 and an M.A. in Educational Administration from Central Michigan in 1976. Waters is also a member of the Ferris State University Hall of Fame. He is married to the former Bernadette Amos, with two children Sean and Seena.
Ten Principles of a
Character Coach
Learn how to create and maintain character with a clear and easy-to-follow course of principles, along with real-life examples from a former head basketball coach for Cleveland State University.
