1,000 games for Coach K

Steve Konchalski, coach of the St. Francis Xavier University men's basketball team, reached a major milestone Thursday as he coached his 1,000th game.

Konchalski, better known as Coach K, graduated from Dalhousie law school in 1969. But basketball is his passion.

"I like to think I use my law degree every day, although not in a traditional sense," he said. "The game of basketball, working with young people, I get to do what I love every day."

Coach K guided the team to national championships in 1993, 2000 and 2001. The team has finished first in the Atlantic basketball conference each of the past seven years, and won five Atlantic championships in that time.

This year St. FX is once again on top of the Atlantic University Sport standings.

"The magic of Steve is really he puts the players first as people. If you look at his graduation rate and what his graduates and alumni are doing, that's the magic to it," said Ed McHugh, a team manager in the mid-1970s who's now with Basketball Nova Scotia.

Power forward Alex Stephen has one word for his coach: "Awesome."

"He knows the game inside and out and he cares more about the players than just the game. He cares about how we're doing off court rather than just on court," Stephen said.

Coach K's 1,000th game was a win over the Brandon Bobcats in exhibition play at a tournament at Dalhousie University.

His record is now 637 wins and 363 losses.

Although he's in his 39th year of coaching, he's not about to slow down. Coach K says that he may stay on another five to 10 years.

"I enjoy going to work every day. I don't know what I'd do if I retired. I'm not one of these people that gardens or golfs. Basketball's my passion."