David Joseph (basketball) facts for kids

David Joseph is a Canadian basketball coach who has helped many players succeed. He used to play basketball in college and was even named the Canadian College Player of the Year in 1982. He also won a national championship with his team, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. David Joseph has almost 30 years of experience coaching basketball at different levels, from high school to professional teams.

Early Life and His Start in Basketball

David Joseph was born in Trinidad and Tobago. When he was 12, in the 1970s, he moved to Canada and settled in a place called Scarborough, Ontario. He first played soccer, but a friend introduced him to basketball.

He went to high school at Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute and later at Jarvis Collegiate Institute in Toronto. He became a star basketball player for his high school team, the Bulldogs. They started winning a lot of games in the Toronto high school league around 1978. Even though he was just under 6 feet tall, David Joseph was famous for his amazing dunking ability. He was known as a very athletic guard. Paul Jones, who is now a broadcaster for the Toronto Raptors, played against David Joseph in high school. He said that Joseph was "a smart player, a good defensive player, a scorer."

College Basketball Success

David Joseph went to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). He led his team, the Trojans, to win the 1981–82 CCAA national championship. He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the championship and the Canadian College Player of the Year. He earned a degree in civil engineering. He also played basketball at Mount Royal College, where he met his future wife, Connie, who was also a basketball player.

Joseph played in the George Brown College summer league, where many professional Canadian players and national team members competed. He once scored an incredible 50 points in a college game!

After his playing career, he decided he wanted to be a coach. He went to the University of Guelph and earned a degree in sports management. While playing for the Guelph Gryphons, he was named an OUA West First Team All-Star in the 1984–85 season.

Coaching Career Highlights

David Joseph started his coaching career at Centennial College from 1987 to 1989. He led the Colts to win a silver medal in the OCAA in 1988.

From 1991 to 1999, he coached at Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute. His team, the Saints, won eight Toronto city championships and two Ontario provincial championships in a row in 1995 and 1996. He also coached at his old high school, Jarvis Collegiate Institute. Later, from 2003 to 2008, he was an assistant coach at Pickering High School. The Trojans there won five league championships and back-to-back Ontario provincial championships in 2007 and 2008.

Professional Coaching

In 2011, David Joseph became a professional coach for the first time. He was named the head coach of the Oshawa Power in the National Basketball League of Canada. Because he also worked as an assistant coach at Centennial College, he only coached two games as head coach. He then stayed with the team as an assistant coach, helping players improve their skills.

He became head coach again for the 2013–14 season after the team moved to Mississauga. Even though the team finished in last place, they won a special wild card game and made it to the playoffs. After that season, he continued coaching at Centennial College until the end of the 2015–16 season.

David Joseph also coaches young players at summer basketball camps in the Greater Toronto Area, helping them learn and love the game.

Family Life

David Joseph married Connie, and they settled in Pickering, Ontario. They have four children: Chantal, Danielle, Devoe, and Cory. Their youngest son, Cory, plays in the NBA. Devoe plays professional basketball in Europe. David Joseph even coached his sons when they played together at Pickering High School.