UT Assistant Has Bright Coaching Future

Assistant Coach Justin Pecka next to a Spartan mural in the Bob Martinez Sports Center. Pecka graduated from UT in 2009. |Samantha Battersby/The Minaret

Justin Pecka came to the University of Tampa to pursue his Bachelor’s degree in Finance. The South Windsor, Conn. native was mainly just looking for a new experience, but found a love for the area.

“I just wanted to get away from Connecticut and go off and experience something new,” said Pecka. “It’s a great place. I don’t want to leave.”

He quickly got involved with the men’s basketball team upon his arrival. Pecka had developed a passion for the game long before, as he and his father played in high school. Pecka served as team manager until he graduated, performing such functions as filming, managing equipment and assisting with practices.

“After I graduated, I worked a full-time job with the government and I volunteered here. The other assistant left and opened up a spot here and I decided to quit my desk job to take it,” said Pecka.

Now, Pecka’s duties include recruiting, overseeing team workouts and watching a lot of film.

Another function of his position is to run Coach Richard Schmidt’s business, Tampa Boys Basketball Camps. They hold camps over the summer for kids in the area and have their players help run the camps.

“I’ve worked other camps around the country so I kind of take what I’ve learned at other camps and try to make it be the best it can be. It’s fun being with the little kids,” said Pecka.

The camps allowed some of the players, including junior Callum Townsend, to get to know Pecka in another role.

“He’s an awesome guy, a fun guy to hang out with,” said Townsend.  “I worked with him all summer doing camps and everything so he’s a good employer and a good coach. I’m happy playing for him.”

Cultivating relationships with these players is Pecka’s favorite part of his job.

“A lot of them are my good friends, even though I’m a little older,” said Pecka.

Former Spartan guard Rashad Callaway has perhaps known Pecka the longest, since before Pecka took over the assistant coaching position.

“Ever since I’ve known him, he’s just been a hard-worker,” Callaway said.  “Day one, he was just a manager and after two, three years now he’s a coach, so I commend him for that.”

That sentiment was echoed by other players as well.

“He’s done a lot for the program. He puts a lot into it—like 60, 70 hours a week and he’s only considered a part-time employee by the University of Tampa,” added Townsend.

“He tries really hard; he’s one of the hardest guys I’ve ever seen coaching, ‘cause he’s trying to learn everything,” said junior Ted Amendola. “He does a lot of the little tedious work that coaches need to get done and he gets it all done in order for the program to be up and running and he just does a good job doing it. He’s really young so hopefully he’s got a long career ahead of him in this field.”

Even though Pecka is an integral part of the team, Callaway remembers a time when Coach Schmidt couldn’t get Pecka’s name right.

“Coach always calls people by their wrong name. Coach always used to call him ‘Pecker.’ One time we were having a meeting, going over the SEA rules or whatever and coach was like ‘Pecker, Pecker’, kept calling him Pecker and he’s like ‘Coach that’s not my name.’

“And coach’s real name is ‘Norbit’ so I just shouted out to him like ‘Coach would you want anyone to call you Norbit?’ and he was just like ‘Alright Pecka.’ Coach was always getting on everybody, so I stood up for him.”

Even though he’s only been here for a few years—and just a couple in the assistant coach capacity—Pecka has already been a part of a couple milestones, events he counts as some of his favorite moments during his tenure here so far.

“Last year when we were undefeated, 16-0, it was the best start in school history. Everything was going great. It could have ended a little better.”

“Also, coach getting his 600th win this year. That was pretty good. Big milestone for him; he deserves it,” Pecka added.

Pecka aspires to be a head coach one day, but in the meantime, he’s just trying to learn as much as he can from Head Coach Schmidt.

“You got to be like a sponge. You got to try to absorb as much as you can— just try to learn every day. Every coach is always learning and trying to take new things from other coaches. I think even Coach Schmidt is still learning every day—everyone is,” Pecka said.

Perhaps the best part of Pecka’s job though is that it is enjoyable.

“You go to work at a desk job, it seems like work. This doesn’t seem like work. That’s why it’s great.”

April Weiner can be reached at april.weiner@spartans.ut.edu.