Greg Turcott to take over SCC Men’s Basketball Program

SCC’s men’s basketball coach, Butch Estes gave his letter of resignation to Athletics Director Doug Palmer on Monday, June 28, 2010. Estes has accepted a full-time coaching position at Palm Beach Community College in Florida.

Due to a timing restraint, Palmer will not be able to complete a full scale search for Estes’ replacement before fall, so he has hired Greg Turcott in a temporary interim position for the 2010-11 season.

The decision to hire Turcott came easily for Palmer. Estes had named him as his top assistant for the 2010-11 season and he had a lot of experience.

“He is already familiar with the players and recruits – so he will be able to keep the continuity of the program together,” Palmer said.

Turcott reached success as the head coach of the basketball programs at Archbishop Murphy High School and Kamiak High School. He was named Coach of the Year at Archbishop after leading the team to a league title, and he led his team to qualify for district tournaments during his tenure as head coach at Kamiak. Turcott was also an assistant coach at Bishop Blanchet High School.

Growing up the son of a college coach, he worked with his father running a basketball program, gaining experience scouting opponents, helping players develop skills, evaluating talent and recruiting.

“I have seen first hand how a successful and positive basketball program can energize a college environment,” Turcott said.

Additionally, Turcott learned from some of the best coaches in the basketball business, spending time at campus with the likes of athletes like Rick Majerus, Bill Evans, Joe Scott, Jeff Hironaka, and Fred Litzenberger.

Turcott has been connected to basketball community in Seattle for the past 12 years, running tournaments and camps. “I have also made friends with college coaches and high school coaches alike, and have started an AAU program,” he said. He pointed out that the relationships he has made with college and high school coaches could be great resources for recruiting efforts for Shoreline. !

Estes, who has been head coach at Shoreline for two seasons, took the struggling program from last place to first place in the league during his two-year tenure.

“We were 0 and16 the year he came on board in 2008-09,” Palmer said, “and by the end of his second season, we placed first in the Northern Region (of NWAACC) with 13 wins and only three losses.” Estes’ overall record was 25 wins/28 losses.