Volunteering keeps former Bull young

Some folks remember Keith Starr as a former NBA player with the Chicago Bulls. Many Las Vegas basketball fans remember him as a UNLV assistant coach during the Jerry Tarkanian golden years, 1984-1992. To the Foothill High School boys basketball team, he is simply coach Starr, someone who believes in them as players and people.

For the past 12 years, Starr, a business owner and insurance agent who played briefly for the Bulls in the 1976-77 season, has been volunteering his time and talents to the sports program at Foothill High School, 800 College Drive in Henderson. He sees this as a way to help form young men's minds and help get them to the next level, which is college.

"A lot of the kids nowadays don't have a father figure, so I try to give them that, too, if they give me that opportunity," Starr said.

The hardest coaching job for Starr came in 2008-10 when he took on the task of coaching the Foothill girls basketball team. His daughter was on the team, and when the previous coach left suddenly, Starr stepped in to fill the void. With a smile on his face, he said it was harder than he ever could have imagined.

"The crying and boys get in the way of what they needed to accomplish," said Starr, a father of two. "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

As challenging as it was to coach the girls, "It was fun to see them grow, because they listen to everything you say," Starr said. "That part was really enjoyable."

Starr's son, Austin, 15, a member of the Foothill basketball team, has been coming to practices with his dad since he was 4. He doesn't see his dad's volunteer coaching job as anything special. "He loves helping the kids," he said.

Senior team captain Greg Cox disagrees. To him it is a big deal. "When coach Starr talks, we listen," he said. Teammate Taylor Montgomery, also one of the top prep golfers in the state, said Starr helps with the important "mental game."

Bobby Watkins, 24, works in Starr's insurance office. He said that when he was in college, he could count on Starr when he had a problem. "He has always had an open-door policy," Watkins said. "We could call him and he would help us."

Deanna Wright, vice president of the Clark County Board of School Trustees representing District A, said people such as Starr are living examples for students. "Personal mentoring shows kids that when you are dedicated to something, you can accomplish it," she said.

Starr encourages others to volunteer at their local schools. He says there is some red tape involved, but it is worth it. "Watching them grow -- you get more benefits than they do," he said. "It helps me stay young. It hasn't helped me with my weight, but it keeps my mind sharp and keeps me involved."