Discover the inspiring journey and valuable advice from Jack Castleberry, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Meet Jack Castleberry, the Head Coach of Fairleigh Dickinson’s Men’s Basketball Team. In a recent interview, he shared his story and left us with some truly valuable advice.
Jack Castleberry’s Journey
Early Life and College Career
Born in Virginia Beach, VA, Jack Castleberry kicked off his college basketball experience as a walk-on at VMI under Coach Duggar Baucom. He earned a scholarship and became a two-year starter and captain for the Keydets.
Coaching Beginnings
After graduation, Castleberry began his coaching career as an assistant coach at UT Martin for a single season before returning to his alma mater to serve as an assistant coach for the VMI men’s basketball team from 2008 to 2012.
Unique Career Path
Castleberry’s career path stands out for its uniqueness. A connection from his playing days led him to Ali Jaques and a two-year stint coaching women’s basketball at Siena.
📹 Jack Castleberry, head coach of @FDUKnightsMBB, recently sat down with us to share career tips and coaching advice.
— Intercollegiate (@intrcollegiate) July 15, 2024
Here, he speaks to the uniqueness of his career path and how a connection from his playing days at @VMI_Basketball led him to @CoachJaques and a two-year stint… pic.twitter.com/qTvRWm9S5A
Exploring Other Fields
Following his time at Siena, Castleberry left basketball for two seasons to try his hand at financial planning. In 2016, he reunited with Baucom at The Citadel, where he stayed on staff as an assistant until 2022.
Recent Achievements
He joined Tobin Anderson on his first coaching staff at Fairleigh Dickinson and was part of the Knights’ historic 16-seed over 1-seed upset of Purdue at the 2023 NCAA Tournament. After Anderson left to take the head coaching position at Iona, Castleberry was promoted to head coach on March 21, 2023.
Photo via Fairleigh Dickinson University
Insights and Advice from Jack Castleberry
Castleberry shared the valuable lessons he learned from tough times along the way.
Fairleigh Dickinson MBB (@FDUKnightsMBB) Head Coach @JackCastleberry gives advice to coaches who may feel that they’re stuck or unable to advance in the profession.
— Intercollegiate (@intrcollegiate) July 25, 2024
Castleberry’s unique career path includes a stint on the women’s side at Siena as well as a break from college… pic.twitter.com/hnvALaYSEp
As Castleberry heads into his second season as FDU’s head coach, he offered some insightful perspectives on making the most of every opportunity, much like he has done throughout his career.
🎙️ @JackCastleberry shares why coaches should relish opportunities and recalls insightful advice from @CoachDuggar during their time together on the @CitadelHoops staff:
— Intercollegiate (@intrcollegiate) July 19, 2024
"Coach B used to always put it in perspective for us as assistants... There's fewer Division I men's… https://t.co/MLDkEko6YF pic.twitter.com/FzyhV4fb63
Conclusion
Jack Castleberry’s journey from a walk-on player to the head coach of a prominent basketball team is truly inspiring. His story is a testament to perseverance and seizing every opportunity. As you search for your perfect career opportunity, make sure to use the go-to source for finding every job at every school: visit Intercollegiate and start exploring job openings across all schools today!
