St. John’s Head Coach Steve Lavin updated the status of his return to the sideline during a Big East conference call by announcing there is no update.
The timetable of Lavin’s return to the sideline has not changed and will continue to be dictated by the recuperation process and a full recovery, he said during the January 5 call with members of the media.
Lavin coached four games in November after missing the season opener, but has not returned to the sideline since as he recovers from October surgery to treat his prostate cancer.
While the strain of manning the sidelines during games is still too taxing, Lavin has continued to undertake many of the other jobs that fall on the coach of a major college basketball program.
Attending practices, hitting the recruiting trail and meeting with his staff to prep for games and plan practices, Lavin described his new role as akin to that of a general manager.
“I’m trying to strike a balance at this stage in terms of adding value while I’m away from coaching the games,” the Johnnies coach said. “I’m trying to burn my fuel or energy more efficiently in ways that I can move the program forward during this period of time.”
The coach credited his time as a broadcaster as helping him watch a game removed from the sideline.
“There is some value, I think also, in the time and distance to watch the game at home or watch the game up top in a box because you see things more clearly, more objectively than when you’re actually in the midst of competition on the sidelines,” Lavin said. “So I try and bring that perspective to the staff and players at practices and meetings.”
The 7-7 (1-2 Big East) Red Storm will try to climb above .500 Saturday in Cincinnati against the Bearcats at 1 p.m.
