McGreal, Dolphins clinch first winning season in 13 years
BY SCOTT PAGE Gulf Breeze News scott@gulfbreezenews.com

The Dolphin basketball team, led by second-year coach David McGreal, has turned in a winning record for the first time since 1995.

Coaching is a family tradition for McGreal, who played high school basketball at Rockledge, Fla. High School, for his father Jerry. McGreal says his father's guidance has been a huge key to his success, both as a player and a coach. He may have had it a little tougher than most, but he also got some extra perks.

"Since my dad was the coach, I had a key to the gym," McGreal said. "I could go whenever I wanted."

McGreal went on to letter for four years at Maryville (Tenn.) College, where he played in three Division III tournaments. It was there he realized he wanted to coach.

"It was probably my second or third year in college when I knew I wanted to coach down the road," McGreal said.

He didn't, however, begin coaching right after college. "I had an opportunity to be a graduate assistant at several schools," said McGreal.

McGreal went into the restaurant business instead. "I worked for Panera Bread, where I became the youngest general manager in the nation. I even opened my own pizzeria."

McGreal knew he had to get back in the game.

"I went back to my college coach, Randy Lambert, and told him I wanted to coach," McGreal said. "And I started out as a volunteer assistant at Maryville."

After a short term at his alma mater, McGreal got the phone call he was waiting for. "My dad called me one day and said the Rockledge job had opened up," McGreal said.

It was an opportunity too good to pass up, so he applied and got the job. When coach McGreal took the head job at his high school alma mater in the '02-'03 season, the program had suffered four straight losing seasons.

"The program was in the cellar, and I wanted to go back and try to revive it," said McGreal.

In his second season at Rockledge, McGreal led his team to its first winning season since 1998. Rockledge finished District runner up in McGreal's fourth season, and he was nominated to coach the North- South All-Star Game.

It seemed that he was doing a perfect job at a perfect place. Taking over the program his dad once led, turning the program around and accumulating individual accolades in the process. The reality of the situation, however, was anything but perfect for coach McGreal.

"The one thing about being back in my home town was the fact that my name wasn't David, or even coach McGreal," said McGreal. "People just called me Jerry's son. It was really hard to coach in his shadow, and I wanted to get out on my own and make my own name."

Then came a perfect opportunity. "I found Gulf Breeze on the Florida High School Athletic Association website," McGreal said. "I felt like it was a great place to coach, and against some of the best competition in the state."

Much like his first head job, McGreal has revitalized Gulf Breeze basketball. After a tumultuous first year, his and his players' dedication is paying dividends. So, what has changed at GBHS?

"Our kids' mentality is the major thing that's changed from last year," said McGreal.

That is something that is truly a credit to coach McGreal. Since his arrival, he has set up an AAU system in order to build a competitive spirit in the younger kids. That competitiveness is what will sustain the success of the program.

"The one thing I want the kids to get out of playing for me is learning how to be competitive," McGreal said. "I'm really proud of these guys. They overcame a lot of adversity and won a lot of close games.

"I've really gotten close with this group, we're like a family. You can always count on your family and I want these kids to know that they can count on one another."