Razorback Basketball head coach John Calipari speaks on leading players at Catholic High School alumni event in Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – On Thursday, Arkansas Razorback’s head men’s basketball coach John Calipari was in Little Rock to speak at Catholic High School for their 29th annual alumni dinner.

The Basketball Hall of Famer is Catholic and spoke about his faith and how it guides him to lead his team.

“My faith is a part of who I am,” Calipari said.

During Coach Cal’s first news conference after accepting the position, he spoke on the advice from his pastor who told him to take a walk to think about the decision.

Calipari was advised to think about remaining the head coach at Kentucky and also being the new head coach at Arkansas.

He said while on that walk, it was the thoughts he had while thinking about being the head Hogs that he liked most.

Calipari said to make no mistake about it, he isn’t perfect, but he’s blessed to be in a position to impact families.

“I’ve been blessed because families have entrusted me with their sons,” he said.

As a coach for 32 years, many families have trusted him to lead their son to being a better person.

Calipari said he wants “to put them {the players} in a situation where they understand where it’s about what you are doing for other people.”

Multiple NBA players who played for Coach Cal have won the NBA Community Assist Award.

“They all have money so it’s not who gives the most money, it’s who has the biggest impact,” he noted.

Calipari said to create that mindset, it takes prayer and care.

“My job is to get them to change and be on a path,” the coach said.

Coach Cal said this weekend the Hogs will be going to Hot Springs and Pine Bluff for the Samaritans Feet Internationals event where they will be giving out more than 6,000 pairs of tennis shoes.

“I think you cheat the position when you’re coaching in a state like this at a university like Arkansas and you don’t reach out,” he said.

The Hogs will be in action for the first time in an exhibition game against Kansas on Friday, Oct. 25 at Bud Walton Arena.

Calipari, who is taking the reins from former head coach Eric Musselman, won a National Championship with Kentucky back in 2012, was named Naismith College Coach of the Year three times and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

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