Reginald Figgs is Berkeley High School’s new head varsity girls basketball coach. Growing up in Oakland, he has always loved basketball and played the sport throughout his life. He hooped from elementary school to college, where he played for Fayetteville State North Carolina. He last coached at De Anza High School where he was the head coach for eight years. During his time there, he was able to bring the boys basketball team to victory over 100 times, along with an NCS title.
Figgs shared that he chose to start coaching at BHS because he “felt like it was time for a change and a new challenge.” It is his first time coaching a girls basketball team and he decided to take on the challenge influenced by his daughter. He has been coaching his daughter since she was seven, and she was the one who suggested that he try coaching a girls team.
Figgs also explained his goals for the season. “Our goals for this season, and every season: start with winning our league, building the foundations for the program’s future, and hopefully guiding a few students to earning a college scholarship,” he said.
The girls basketball program has struggled in recent years, and Figgs hopes to bring the team back to glory.
“I hope to lift the program back to its rightful place in contention for a state playoff run,” said Figgs.
As a coach, he gets much of his coaching style from his own previous basketball coaches. In particular, he is greatly influenced by Coach Ric Duckett, who was his coach at Fayetteville State North Carolina in college.
Figgs believes that coaching “allows (him) to help shape young people and give them a voice.”
He feels that it is important to give students different opportunities to try new things. Though there are times where he has to be serious, he takes pride in his ability to also be loving towards his players.
“De Anza was a rebuilding project and it was fun going from the bottom to the top. We are hoping to replicate that success here at Berkeley with the girls program,” said Figgs.