The first head coach of the Guelph Nighthawks has a varied and well-travelled resume.
He's also a familiar face in Guelph basketball circles.
Tarry Upshaw was unveiled as the team's coach Wednesday morning at the Sleeman Centre.
The Nighthawks will be one of six teams in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, which is set to begin play in May of 2019.
The Nighthawks will play their home games at the Sleeman Centre.
Upshaw once played for the University of Guelph and since then has coached many teams in many places.
They include time as an assistant coach with the Gryphons in the mid-90s, head coach of Georgian College, an assistant coaching stint with the University of Waterloo, professional coaching gigs in Iceland and Lebanon, head coach of the Jamaican under-17 team and most recently as head coach at Ridley College and the REDA elite development team.
Given the CEBL's summer schedule, Upshaw will remain head coach at Ridley College.
"My goal is to build an exciting team so that when you come to the gym it's an exciting event," said Upshaw, who will also serve as the team's general manager.
"With my contacts and my players that have played for me, I think we can recruit some of the best athletes to come back here in the summer. My goal is to make sure we play our butt off on the floor and we represent Guelph the best that we can."
Upshaw played at the U of G when a sold-out 'House of Slam' was the norm and knows there are many passionate basketball fans in this town.
"I'm trying to bring back that energy and passion," he said. "I know people in Guelph love this game ... I remember (at the U of G) when it was reading week and we still had 2,000 people at the game."
Guelph Nighthawks president Cameron Kusch said that the league's schedule will be released soon and that season tickets will be going on sale Nov. 15. Nighthawks merchandise will go on sale shortly after.
The six-team CEBL starts play in May with each team playing a 20-game season. Tickets for the NIghthawks 10 home games range from $16 per game to $81 per game.
As far as the players are concerned, Kusch said that a draft of graduating Canadian university players will take place in March and then free agents will be signed after that.
CEBL teams will have seven Canadians on their roster.
