Trinity basketball has been a great program for some time now but faced some big changes in the coaching staff this year. One of those coaches, Jon Bufford, found his way back to Trinity after being a former student manager.
In an interview with ECHO, Coach Bufford expressed himself as an honest person with enthusiastic traits while coaching. While serving as a substitute teacher, mainly covering for Coach Mike Szabo, Bufford is at Trinity High School every day. “I love being around the guys.” Before filling in for Coach Szabo, Bufford spent time in the library. “I spent a lot of time in the library which was a lot of fun. I got to see a lot of students come in and learn and utilize everything Trinity has to offer.”
Looking back at his time here at Trinity, he described it as very “different.” Although, he also included, “The fundamental Trinity culture has not changed. I came to Trinity as a boy and left a man.” During his time at Trinity, he was a student manager all four years, and he loved every minute of it. Although not having the talents to play, he wanted to be involved with the basketball program. He was a true brother and stayed committed to managing his class. “I was a freshmen manager, and when we became sophomores, I became a JV manager strictly. I wanted to be with my classmates and that made it a lot of fun.” Bufford looks back and is proud of this choice because this allowed him to watch everything come to fruition. His teams had success over the years. He watched them win their first seventh region title and book a trip to Rupp Arena.
Memories and relationships were created during his time as a manager, but he talked about a close relationship with another manager, Robert Sampson. “We talk every week in the state of Trinity basketball.” Out of all his memories, Bufford reflected on a specific speech given by Coach Szabo. The team was having a great season, and it was time for regional play. The team had given itself the label “quiet storm” … “You don’t see it coming ’til it hits you.” He recalled Coach Szabo saying, “I know how good we are. You know how good we are. Now let’s go show the seventh region.” That speech still gives Bufford chills to this day.
With the love for basketball, Bufford kept having a “reccurring dream” of coaching at Trinity. The dream appeared once a month and nagged at Bufford continuously. With the intentions of coaching, Bufford ran across Fern Creek High School’s head coach, Ellis Myles, one day. Bufford got the job and became an assistant coach for Fern Creek. “I enjoyed it, but I really wanted to get back to Trinity.” Bufford and his dad then went back to the drawing board and formulated a plan to get back to Trinity. Bufford traveled the country learning the game with aspirations of coaching at Trinity. While working a summer league game at Fern Creek, Bufford ran into Coach Szabo. “Hey Coach? I’ve been emailing you. 5 or 6 times and I haven’t heard from you.” Coach Szabo invited Bufford to come work Trinity’s summer camps.
Bufford showed up each day before camp setting up and getting things running. After the second week of camp, Coach Szabo asked Bufford to be a substitute teacher here at Trinity. Bufford replied, “Coach, there’s no way I can be a substitute teacher and get over to Fern Creek High School to Coach.” Szabo then gave Bufford the news that he was hiring him to the Trinity coaching staff. Bufford later went home with his wife. “I didn’t celebrate, I cried.” He gave credits to his wife who is raising their son at home while also being his “rock.” Basketball takes up a lot of time for Bufford, but his wife is there to support.
Now here at Trinity, Bufford takes everything in as a sponge, and wants to get more involved in years to come.
