Crarey’s promise to his son could make FAMU a winner

By St. Clair Murraine
Outlook Staff Writer

Just three years ago, Patrick Crarey II had to explain to his then 7-year-old son why the family was moving to South Florida from Washington, D.C.

He had to have the same conversation with Patrick III not too long ago. Crarey reiterated his reassurance to his son again when he was introduced as the 15th head coach of the men’s basketball program at FAMU.

At the point that he was saying thank you inside the Lawson Center in front his family, Crarey looked directly at his son. When their eyes made contact, the older Crarey said, “Love you. Make you proud.”

Later on, Crarey told reporters how his son has helped to keep him on track at other programs where he was a winner. That included the moves to St. Thomas University in Miami three years ago.

“People say the right thing, like you say. I say the real things,” Crarey said. “I want my son to be proud of me. My son is my hardest critic. All I want to do is be like my dad my whole life. My son is tough on me. He is great. He is his own person.

“Doing this for him, letting him see positive Black figures like my dad. My dad gave me a lot and if I don’t give him more than my dad gave me, then I’m a failure so I am really trying to make him proud. I trying to do it for him.”

Crarey also promised to make anyone who has anything to do with FAMU proud. He obviously knew nothing else will be acceptable for a program that has had too many seasons end before the madness of March.

“It makes me excited because it’s an opportunity for growth,” Carey said about having to turn around a program that this past season was 6-23 overall and 4-14 in SWAC games. “I think I have a big-time growth mindset. I like the challenge. I don’t think anything is easy. You’ve got to work hard.”

Crarey was introduced by Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes and FAMU president Larry Robinson, Ph.D.

Robinson called Crarey, who has a history of winning in his previous jobs, “an outstanding candidate in this position.”

When Sykes announced termination of former coach Robert McCullum in March after seven seasons, she also said a search committee was formed to find the next coach. She said Crarey comes highly touted by basketball insiders, including Brian Wright, general manger of the NBA Spurs.

“The one thing I heard over and over again from our student-athletes, alumni and fans is that they want a winner and that’s what we have done again,” Sykes said.

This is Crarey’s third collegiate head coaching job, although it’s his first at a NCAA Division I program. His path to FAMU started when he was an assistant La Sierra University for three years, starting in 2005. In between that and his first collegiate head coaching job at Washington Adventist, he was the boy’s team at Takoma Academy, a Seventh-day Adventist high school in Maryland.

His success at those programs, Crarey said, was based on relationships that he established.

“I’m here on the highest of seven hills just for that,” he said. “I’m here to build real substantial relationships that will last a lifetime.”

During his 10-year tenure that started in 2010 at Washington Adventist University, Crarey coach his team to the USCAA Men’s Division I National Champions in 1014. That year he was also named coach of the year in the ICAA. His success continued when he was hired by St. Thomas University three years ago, winning the Sun Conference regulars season championship at the NAIA level. He was also Sun Conference coach of the year this past season.

Part of his immediate task is to put in place a staff of assistants. Meanwhile, recruiting remains a priority, he said.

Crarey even took time to note his coaching style, which he said won’t change from what has brought him success.

“We will be a schematically, analytically based team,” he said. “I do things based upon the numbers. We will look at the numbers on our team, understanding the things to get better at and it’s going to start with our winning percentage.”