'An absolute honour': St. Thomas native new head coach of Oxford University's basketball team
About six weeks ago, Greg Robertson came across an Instagram post advertising an opening for head coach of Oxford University’s men’s basketball team.
As of Tuesday, the St. Thomas native has been in the U.K. for 15 days, relishing his new role with The Blues, Oxford's top-tier men's team.
It all happened "really, really, quick," he said.
It’s been a whirlwind six weeks for Robertson, 44, who thought, upon submitting his resume, “What’s the worst that could happen? They're not going to call me back."
Robertson said it is surreal and exciting to be at Oxford, one of the world's oldest universities.
“It's an absolute honour. Just in the history books of basketball alumni, like Bill Clinton was a basketball player here. It's so weird to be in the middle of all that and to be a part of that,” he said.
The father of three boys started coaching basketball when his oldest son’s team needed a coach.
“My son was going into Grade 5,” Robertson said. The "London Ramblers program was looking for a Grade 5 coach and my wife texted me and said, 'Why don't you try it? You know, you've played the game your whole life. You love the game. Why not get into coaching?' ” he said.
In coaching his son's team, Robertson fell in love with the role and has been involved in the game ever since.
Robertson’s resume includes stints as assistant coach at Lambton and Fanshawe colleges, but the Oxford job will be his first as head coach of a university team.
Robertson said he was nervous about making the trek across the Atlantic Ocean, but has since settled into his new surroundings.
“Up until I got here, I was freaking out. There were a couple of times where I was like, 'Hey, Never mind. Cancel my ticket,' because it's a huge leap,” he said.
Robertson said the support and warm welcome from his colleagues and the players has made him feel more comfortable.
The journey to head coach of a university basketball team, coupled with the trip overseas, is a big step for Robertson who said his wife is the traveler in the family, not him.
The 15 days he's been in the U.K. is the longest he’s been separated from his family, surpassing the previous record by one day.
Despite being far away from home, Robertson said the opportunity is a dream scenario for him.
“I miss my family, unbelievably bad. Thank God for Zoom. (But) I wanted to be a head coach of a university for so long, and you just kind of think of it that way. It's like you're living your dream,” Robertson said. “I wouldn't have believed it when I sent in my resume.”
Robertson said the opportunity to coach at Oxford is a win in itself.
“I kind of just told myself when I left, I said, 'I'm not going to try to be anybody else. I'm going to be me,'" he said. “I'm going to do it my way, and at the end of the year when my contract’s up, if they don't like it, I don't get re-upped, and I go back to Canada, and I live a dream. That's the worst-case scenario.”
Robertson will make his Oxford head coaching debut on Wednesday against Coventry University. He said he's calm now, but that could change on the ride to the game.
Brian Williams, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, London Free Press