Meet Chris Cobb

As a youngster, Chris Cobb began mapping out a life plan. Not the least bit starry-eyed, he knew where he wanted to perform as a player, what he wanted to do after his playing days concluded and understood that surrounding himself with quality people was a must in order to achieve his bucket list goal of entering coaching.

Currently a third-year assistant basketball coach at Chico State University, Cobb is someone who would also have a bright future in cartography should he choose such a direction.

It all began with desiring to attend Bishop O'Dowd in order to play under a legendary coach. 

"I grew up in Castro Valley and as a kid I always wanted to play at Bishop O'Dowd. Being around Coach Phelps as a teacher and coach helped me understand that I wanted to be a coach and teacher for my career."

Cobb departed the Stearns Avenue campus with First-Team All-League status in his junior and senior seasons plus three consecutive Hayward Area League team titles and a 2004 appearance in the California state high school championship game.

Then it was off to Menlo College. A four-year career on the Peninsula included becoming a a two-time All-California Pacific Conference first-team honoree as well as an integral part of Menlo's 2008 conference championship team. He left the Oaks as the all-time record holder for career assists and 3-pointers.

Most importantly, he played for Kevin Nosek (head coach there for three years, now an assistant at UC Davis) and Brandon Laird (head coach there for three seasons and now the Associate Head Coach at Sacramento State) while in Atherton. His connection with them continue to this day. "With Nosek and Laird, I chose to play for them because we had similar values and the way they ran a program. The strong relationships and similar values have them in my life as mentors."

Known as a superb shooter and passer during his playing days, Cobb spent focused time in the gym in order to reach his success. "I worked hard at it, 500 shots a day, and at being tough and a leader. I took a lot of pride in getting better and helping others get better. I had great experiences as a player. Plus, I always liked winning."

Cobb's academic bonafides are a business management bachelor's degree from Menlo as well as a Fresno Pacific master's degree kinesiology, with an emphasis on sports administration.

In 2009-2010,  it was a year of developing his coaching legs as an assistant to San Francisco State Coach Bill Treseler, who earlier was ultra successful at Dominican University and also had stops at Cal, George Mason and UC Davis. As Cobb put it, "I always wanted to teach and coach, especially at a college. It's the relationship you can have and the positive impact you can have on people. Working with Coach Treseler was a dream come true."

Next came the move to Chico after being hired by Greg Clink. He was amenable to the change in address because "Greg is a good X's-and-O's coach and an incredible person. He really cares about his players and knows what it takes to build and maintain a culture."

Cobb was the newbie, the low man on the Wildcat coaching totem pole, if you will. Gus Argenal, now the new head coach at Cal State East Bay, was already there and Cobb will be forever thankful to be taken under Argenal's wing. "I learned how to be a high level assistant coach because of my experience with Gus -- how to work, what to do and how to do things the right way. I am so appreciative."

Intent on paying that forward, Cobb acknowledges it is now his time to perform the same role. "It's important to teach the younger guys what it's like to do things at a high level because of what was done for me." 

The Wildcats, in the midst of four straight winning seasons and an equal number of consecutive post-season appearances, are now ensconced as a top tier member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

Like the venerable standard with Hewlett Packard, Clink and Company have developed a Chico State basketball way.

Cobb said, "it's important to have a brand."

"Watch our guys work out in the weight room and you'll see it's intense, he offered. "When we get on the floor, we play with intensity. We want people coming away saying 'those guys play hard.'"

Regarding recruiting, the Wildcat methodology is distinct -- "I'd like to think our reputation is as different. We want to really get to know a kid and take the time to do so. It's rare that we'll talk with someone for two or three weeks and then take him."

Cobb added, "when guys gets here they see the bare minimum is to play hard every day. You can even see on visits that its assimilate to the culture or go elsewhere."

Getting the right people, getting in with the right people, it's a one and the same blueprint to success and beneficial to all who take part. There are walking, talking examples of such living large in the City of Trees. The question is what athletic director at the DI level is going to bring this contingent in to perform a makeover and when?