WHS graduate Brown continues to give back to basketball program

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School 2020 graduate Cameron Brown was a star on the court, while succeeding in the classroom. He’ll be a senior in the fall at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, majoring in media studies, with a minor in athletics coaching. He’s been volunteering his time with Windham High School’s basketball program coaching the boys’ first or freshmen team, the summer junior varsity team and the varsity team during the fall season. His goal is to get to the highest level of college coaching he can.

Windham High graduate and University of Southern Maine
senior Cameron Brown focuses on the ball during a
preseason basketball game at Southern Maine Community
College in South Portland last November.
PHOTO BY JAMES LIEBOWITZ,
USM ATHLETIC PHOTOGRAPHY    

“One of the biggest reasons I got involved with the boys’ team at Windham High School was the culture that Chad (Pulkkinen) has built since I was a player,” said Brown. “We had some close-knit teams when I was at WHS but never the culture he has brought to the team this past year. This is a very special group. They work out together, eat together, and genuinely enjoy each other’s company on and off the court. Chad ... is a huge inspiration to me and has always had my best interest in mind.”

Basketball has been something Brown remembers being around from the earliest days in his life. His father was a basketball coach, so he’s always been around the game and was drawn to it from the first moment he could pick up a ball.

“Just having one of the guys back like him, who can relate to the kids and what experiences they are going through is important,” said Windham varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen. “He understands the commitment it takes and has been able to play at the next level which allows players to pick his brain. He brings a maturity and love for the game that is contagious within the group. He has really evolved his basketball IQ and has become a really good teacher of the game. He’s a basketball coach’s kid, so he understands the game from a different perspective and shows incredible composure and focus while working with our guys.”

Volunteering for Coach Pulkkinen’s staff as a behind the scenes assistant last season was a lot of fun for Brown. The entire staff was very open to everything he had to offer and that really speaks to their character, allowing a young college kid to step into a role and value his opinions. Coaches George McCrillis, Geoff Grigsby, Noah Estey and Pulkkinen are lifelong friends of Brown’s and have all played a crucial role in helping him in his playing and coaching career.

Since Brown is a 22-year-old kid who’s had the experience of playing at the next level where a lot of his players want to go, Brown has brought a different perspective to the program. He believes it’s easy for the players to relate to him, because not long ago he was in their shoes.

One of the things Brown wants to bring to the game and stress to his players as a coach and teacher is being where your feet are. A lot of players worry about things down the line in their career, being scouted, rankings or upcoming games. Brown used to have similar worries until someone told him to just be where his feet are and stay focused on what you can control.

“Coach Cam is a great coach because of the experiences he’s been through as a player at Windham and also the University of Southern Maine,” said Windham junior AJ Moody. “He’s helped me by calling me to come workout with him and pushing me to my best ability. He helped during the championship season by being at some of our practices and showing us the little things that are very useful in the long run. He has helped this program by just bringing a better connection with us. If we are playing down in my gym, we will invite Coach Cam; he’s great to be around.” <