When Coach Craig Everson was hired as the Boy’s Basketball Head Coach at The Gregory School in 2017, TGS had not won a basketball state championship in about a decade. The moment Everson stepped foot on the TGS campus, he completely transformed the school’s basketball culture. It is not a coincidence that in his first two years at The Gregory School, Everson’s teams won two 1A state championships.

Everson moved to Tucson for the opportunity to coach TGS basketball players from grades 5-12. “Being able to coach fifth graders and middle schoolers that would feed into our high school team was a very attractive part of coming to The Gregory School,” said Everson. He believes in growing the school’s basketball program from the ground up. 

Even though he spends the winter season coaching the high school team, his spring is occupied by coaching middle schoolers. Throughout the year, he directs a basketball academy where TGS middle school players work on their ball-handling skills, shooting form, and toughness. Growing TGS middle school basketball looks to pay off for Everson: “In the past two years, we have had 12 to 14 guys on our varsity and J.V. rosters combined. But next year, we are going to have 20 to 25 players.” 

This huge growth in the size of the high school roster will be due to the addition of players that Everson has coached from sixth to eighth grade. He finds that if he is able to provide one-on-one attention to middle school players, a chain of events will occur. The coaching by Everson and his assistant coaches will improve the player’s basketball skills. This will cause the player to like basketball more and stick with the sport. In turn, after the player graduates middle school, he will become a productive member of the TGS high school team.

Along with improving the middle school basketball program, Everson’s coaching has reshaped The Gregory School high school team. He credits the success the team has seen to the style of play he has taught his players. Under Everson, TGS teams have championed “an aggressive Midwestern-style defense and a fast-paced and fun West Coast offense.” Everson says he is lucky to have inherited talented players when he came to the school and to have the opportunity to work individually with them on improving their basketball ability. 

Prior to moving to Tucson, Everson resided in Madison, Wisconsin. He was deeply involved with basketball in Madison as he coached an Amateur Athletic Union, or AAU, team and led a basketball academy. Everson found great success as the Executive Director for the Madison-based PDP Basketball Academy. He has coached over 100 high school players who went on to play at the Division 1 Collegiate Level. 

Aside from basketball, Everson is a self-employed consultant. He has worked to add value to numerous corporations across the United States. Currently, he spends a lot of time in Missouri consulting with an insurance agency. During the high school basketball offseason, he has a very heavy schedule. 

In the months where TGS plays fall and spring league games on the weekends, Everson “will fly from Madison to Missouri and be in Missouri from Monday to Thursday. Then, [he] will fly to Tucson and [the team] will do workouts and then [the team] will have a fall or spring League game. On Saturday, [he] will fly to Madison and spend the weekend there and on Monday [he] will do it all over again.” In his tiring schedule, Everson’s hard work ethic serves as a remarkable example for his players to follow. 

Everson’s first two years coaching at The Gregory School brought great success to the school. He has been able to bring out the best in his players and enhance their basketball acumen. In addition to bringing great success to the high school team, Everson’s work with the middle school will prove to be invaluable as he is heightening both his players’ basketball love and skill. 

His background in consulting and running a basketball academy gives Everson the tools to be very successful at The Gregory School. Between his strong work ethic and exemplary coaching, look out for Craig Everson to not stop anytime soon in his collection of state championship trophies.