ETSU’s Forbes speaks at Elizabethton Rotary

Days are getting cooler and football is winding down, and that all means one thing to East Tennessee State University head men’s basketball coach Steve Forbes.

It is almost basketball time at ETSU.

Forbes took some time Tuesday afternoon to speak during the Elizabethton Rotary Club’s weekly meeting at First Christian Church. The meeting also included members of the Elizabethton Kiwanis Club and Elizabethton Lions Club.

Since taking over in 2015, the ETSU men’s basketball program has seen significant growth. Over his first three seasons with the Bucs, Forbes, who is entering his fourth season as head coach at ETSU, has led the Buccaneers to three straight 20-plus-win seasons, recording 24 wins in 2015-16, 27 wins in 2016-17, and 25 win in 2017-18. This gives Forbes 76 wins at ETSU during seasons that saw the Bucs make three appearances in the South Conference Championship and a berth into the NCAA Tournament in 2016-17. That tournament appearance comes on the heels of a win over UNGC in the SoCon Championship.

While ETSU is seeing success, on the court the Bucs are also seeing progress around the court as well. During Tuesday’s meeting, Forbes pointed out that last season, ETSU sold a record-setting 2,200 season tickets, and the program is already at 2,500 season tickets sold as the new season closes in.

“When I took the job, one of the first things I said was, “I want to fill Freedom Hall,” said Forbes. “We have filled it a couple times but haven’t been able to fill it consistently every game. That is the goal. As we grow this program, with your help, we will get closer and closer to fulfilling my goal.”

Overall last season, the Bucs had 71,000 fans in attendance at home games for a program record, said Forbes. Forbes went on to say that, during the 2016-17 schedule, ETSU had 60,000 fans overall at home games.

“That two-year span of 130,000 fans is the most in the history of the program,” said Forbes.

While taking questions, Forbes was asked about the possibility of ETSU’s home games, which are played at Freedom Hall in Johnson City, being moved back to the ETSU Campus. Forbes said he didn’t see that happening anytime in the near future.

“Probably not,” Forbes said in response to the question. “I don’t see it happening during my career at ETSU.”

Forbes talked about more than numbers during Tuesday’s presentation. Forbes drew attention to the way in which he likes his players to conduct themselves on and off the court. His philosophy can be summed by the acronym “GRACE”—Gratefulness and giving, respectful, accountable, committed, and enthusiastic. His philosophy of conduct acts as a tool to get players ready for action in basketball and in life.

“Since I have been head coach, I have had 15 seniors, and all 15 of them have graduated,” said Forbes. “That is a credit towards our university. It is “books and basketball” and not “basketball and books.” I keep a flat ball in my office for the simple purpose of when my basketball players ask why the ball is flat, I tell them that is because the ball is going to be flat someday and isn’t going to bounce. You are going to have to have something to fall back on.”

The Buccaneers will kick off their new season on Nov. 2 as they host Southern Wesleyan to Freedom Hall for an exhibition game. On Tuesday, Oct. 30, ETSU will host its Holding Court: Pasta and Practice with Steve Forbes inside the Ballad Health Athletics Center Mini-Dome. Tickets are $50. For tickets, individuals can call 423-439-ETSU or visit  etsubucs.com.