Boulder City coach has special bond with Duke basketball

Special to the Sun

Several players from the Boulder City High basketball program attended summer camp at Duke, where Eagles’ assistant coach John Balistere helps run the defensive station for Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski. The children spent time in Krzyzewski’s office and posed for a photo. Pictured, from left, are Nate Hafen, Krzyzewski, Caleb Bailey, Tyson Tenney, Michael Walker, Cade Delangis, Robbie Jackson and Balistere.

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Monday, July 13, 2009 | 4:26 p.m.

When John Balistere first met Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski eight years ago, the Boulder City High assistant coach was tempted to strike up a conversation.

Balistere was working at the Mirage spa when the vacationing Krzyzewski was his customer.

Balistere could have easily bragged about how successful his team was at Boulder City or how he had played college basketball. However, he decided it was best to let the coach enjoy his vacation.

But when he arrived for work the following day, Krzyzewski, back for another session at the spa, approached him to talk. Turns out co-workers at the Mirage told the legendary coach about Balistere’s involvement in the game.

Krzyzewski took a liking to Balistere and invited him to work Duke’s summer camp.

“You are just so excited and hyped up to be there,” Balistere, 42, said. “After the camp, coach told me I earned the right to be there and said I could come back (each summer) for as long as I wanted.”

The rest is history.

Balistere worked the defensive station at his eighth camp this summer and has become part of the program’s inner circle. In addition to his relationship with Krzyzewski, Balistere considers assistant Steve Wojciechowski a close friend and was invited to sit behind the bench with his wife, Rebecca, for home games at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

“It’s hard to grasp the atmosphere for a Duke game until you are there,” Balistere said. “The students show up hours before the game to start with their chants. It’s an amazing experience. You basically stand for the entire game.”

The relationship has also proved beneficial for Boulder City athletes.

Balistere arranged for four from the Eagles’ squad to work as ball boys last summer when the Krzyzewski-coached U.S. National team trained for the Olympics at Valley High. The players got an up-close look at the likes of national team members Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

Players from Boulder City also participated in Duke’s summer camp. This year, because of Balistere’s influence, the children were able to meet with Krzyzewski in his office and practiced prior to the camp in Duke’s new practice facility with former Blue Devils’ standout Gerald Henderson. Henderson was picked by the Charlotte Bobcats in last month’s NBA draft.

“Coach K's message to us was to follow our hearts,” said Michael Walker, a rising sophomore center at Boulder City who attended the camp. “It was cool getting to meet him personally and having him sign stuff for us.”

Others who went to the camp from the high school were: Nate Hafen, Caleb Bailey, Tyson Tenney, Michael Walker, Cade Delangis and Robbie Jackson. Balistere’s son, 9-year-old Carson, also attended.

“It’s more about the message than learning basketball when the kids got to talk with coach,” Balistere said.

Balistere is a Duke fan for life — and, when you are living in Southern Nevada, that’s not necessarily a good thing.

UNLV and Duke played each other in consecutive Final Fours in the early 1990s and several locals have a deep hatred for the Blue Devils.

“Honestly, I was a Duke fan before I met coach because of how hard his kids played,” said Balistere, who cheered for UNLV during those memorable games with Duke, years before he met Krzyzewski.