Kyle Anderson emerged as one of the finest high school basketball coaches in Hudson County. When the young and energetic Anderson took over the Ferris basketball program in the mid-1990s, he was a rising star, a guy who had paid his dues as a dutiful assistant during Snyder’s glory years and two state championships, a hard-working and dedicated mentor who only needed his own program in order to make a name for himself.Anderson got that opportunity at Ferris, replacing a former Ferris legend in Tony Holm, who spent decades as an assistant to Ferris’ most successful coach of all-time Tom Favia. Holm was groomed to be the head coach of the Bulldogs with years of nurturing and learning behind Favia. So when Holm stepped down, it was thought an insider would take over, not a guy who was brought along at the rival Snyder.
But Anderson took over the Ferris program and instantly made it his own. In just his second year, Anderson guided the Bulldogs to the HCIAA championship, taking a talented backcourt of Jason Bush and Amin Wright all the way to the county’s pinnacle.
However, as rewarding as it was for Anderson to win a county championship in just his second season, he said that last year was probably his most rewarding campaign.
“We had only seven players,” Anderson said. “We didn’t have a returning starter. I didn’t think we’d win five games. I never expected us to do anything.”
But the Bulldogs won 13 games and qualified for both the HCIAA Coviello and the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group IV state playoffs.
“I thought it was the best job I did coaching,” Anderson said. “It helps going out like that. They gave me 110 percent every night and I will never forget that.”
After eight memorable seasons, Kyle Anderson announced his resignation at Ferris recently, ending an era that saw him bring the Bulldogs back to respectability, etching his reputation as a solid basketball coach.
But Anderson decided that there were several reasons for him to step aside and pursue other options.
“I want to further my education and pursue my master’s degree (in athletic administration),” Anderson said. “I can’t do that while I continue coaching. I’m 41 years old now and I had to make a move if I wanted to get my masters.”
There was another legitimate reason why Anderson decided to step down _ namely his 10-year-old son, Kyle, who is considered one of the rising stars in local youth basketball.
“He’s a fine talent and I want to watch him play,” Anderson said of his son, who has already made an impression at several youth basketball camps throughout the Northeast. “It’s going to be fun to watch him develop. He’s a point guard that some college coaches have already compared to Jason Kidd. He’s getting better every day.”
However, Anderson felt a sense of burnout as well, not getting the same dedication from the players at Ferris that he once received.
“I couldn’t see myself coaching from only November through March,” Anderson said. “If I’m going to do it, I have to do it all year round.”
During his heyday, Anderson was taking his team all over the place during the summer, playing in as many as four different summer leagues, getting in as many as 80 contests during the summer months.
“But now, I didn’t see the same dedication,” Anderson said. “They didn’t want to play AAU basketball. They weren’t showing up for Jersey City (Recreation Summer League) games. I couldn’t do that anymore. I needed more from them.”
So it was the combination of everything that caused Anderson to submit his letter of resignation.
“I have nothing but great memories,” Anderson said. “It’s not often that you can leave someplace after doing your best coaching job. I was able to convince them to play hard with what talent we had. It was a tribute to them. I really enjoyed myself at Ferris, but it was time to move on.”
Anderson is not totally done with coaching basketball. He’s spending this summer coaching the 15-and-under AAU team from the Tim Thomas Playaz organization, run by former Paterson Catholic coach Jim Salmon.
Some of the players that Anderson is spending the summer with include St. Anthony youngsters Miles Beatty of Guttenberg and Kaihrique Irick of Jersey City, both of whom are considered top-flight prospects.
“Miles is our best player,” Anderson said. “We’re getting the chance to play in Atlanta, Indiana and Las Vegas this summer. So I’m still getting my basketball fix. I’m happy. I’m still coaching basketball.”
And you can be rest assured that Anderson will emerge again someday as a local high school basketball coach, maybe even coaching his son someday down the road.
“Believe me, if I can get this masters degree in three years, I’ll be back somewhere,” Anderson said. “I’m not getting out of basketball.”
And basketball just simply can’t get out of Kyle Anderson’s blood after all this time.