Hixon has not spent a single year away from Amherst College since he entered as a freshman in 1971. Following his graduation, Hixon was awarded the Hitchcock Fellowship. The fellowship, which is designed for a student who wants to find a career in teaching and coaching, paid Hixon to stay and coach athletics at Amherst while also attending graduate school. Having taught at the local high school during his senior year, Hixon had planned on teaching and coaching at the high school level after he finished his fellowship. Unfortunately, Deerfield High School did not hire the promising coach and mathematics teacher. "If I'd been offered that job I would have taken it and I don't know where I'd be today," reflected Hixon. "It's funny how things turn out. I almost didn't apply for the job at Amherst and when I got the position it was truly amazing for me."
'Hopelessly devoted'
Although he is best known for his successes as a basketball coach, Hixon spent 21 years coaching all levels of both women's and men's soccer, as well as football and even spent 12 years coaching track and field. Currently, Hixon budgets his time between his role as the head basketball coach and his role as the Assistant Athletic Director. He said that his eventual goal is to be the head athletic director, though he knows that assuming that position would mean giving up coaching-something he is reluctant to do. "My problem is that I fall in love with every new group of kids that comes in and I want to coach them through their four years. When does the cycle end? Maybe I could do both for a couple of years. And then I could honestly tell people, 'Okay, 2 years from now I am no longer the coach, so make your decision on that.' I have a lot of people that I am recruiting who say to me, 'Are you going to stay here? Are you going to coach me? Are you going to coach my son?'"
Hixon, with his quick wit and easy laugh, is certainly a draw for prospective student-athletes. Men's basketball captain Pat Fitzsimons '03 remembers how welcoming Hixon was when he was a freshman. Fitzsimons said that their relationship is still strong. "I always talk to him about everything. Sometimes I'll go into his office and stay for an hour without even mentioning anything about basketball." John Casnocha '06 has only known coach Hixon for a short time, but said, "He's definitely one of the reasons I came here. The assistant coach of my high school basketball team graduated here in '98 and absolutely loved Hixon. He only had great things to say about him." Hixon hosted Casnocha as well as other prospective Amherst basketball players in his home this past summer. While living with Hixon's wife and kids for a week, the prospective students had an opportunity to work at a kids' basketball camp located on campus. Casnocha said that this is typical of how Hixon builds close-knit relationships.
Like father, like son
Perhaps the reason that Hixon forms such tight bonds with his athletes is because of the impact of his relationship with his favorite basketball coach-his father. Hixon's father was the head basketball coach at Hixon's secondary school, Andover High School in Andover, Mass. Hixon speaks proudly of his father, whose name is listed in the high school hall of fame for achieving over 400 career wins. (Sound familiar? Dave Hixon ended last season with his 416th win.) Hixon remarked, "The reason I am a coach here at Amherst College today is my father's discipline. I think one of the things that got me the job here was that even though I was only 24, people thought I was mature beyond my years. I think my dad gave that to me. He gave me an incredible amount of discipline."
Understandably, a certain amount of tension comes from being coached by one's own father. "I was the only person he ever threw out of practice and he threw me out three times-for doing much less than everyone else did. But that's okay. We had to live together and we kept communication open. I think that any kid that has the chance to play for their parent will find that 20 years down the road the experience is irreplaceable. You cannot find anything else that can match that," said Hixon.
Any Massachusetts basketball fan knows that four trips to the Boston Garden for the high school basketball state championships is also an unmatchable experience. "One of the top moments of my athletic career was playing for my dad in the Boston Garden," said Hixon. "It was hard for me coming to college because nothing could top my high school years."
Hixon had some unfortunate experiences while he was playing as a 6'0'' guard for Amherst. During his three years playing on the varsity team, he had to deal with both a broken wrist and a broken ankle. Hixon also recalls much unrest within the team. The coach at the time, Rick Wilson, was groomed by experiences from the Depression and war years and often clashed with the young and rebellious students of the '70's. Hixon described his college years as a time of "anti-authority." Hixon said, "At 60, 65 you become pretty set in your ways. A lot of the older coaches in that era really struggled. Just with simple things like hair length, facial hair, changing attitudes, disrespect for discipline."
Thanks to his father's influence, Hixon was not as affected by the turbulent age as many of his classmates. "I didn't have long hair. I was a disciplinary type kid. People thought I belonged in the army versus here. So I didn't go through the 70's with as much unrest as most. I've sort of stayed the same from there to here," he said.
Despite the discipline that he has carried with him from his childhood, Hixon can regretfully recall one moment in his coaching career when he forgot about his dedication to discipline and defied the authority of the referees.
Although Hixon prides himself on not getting technical fouls, and has not had many over the years, he was thrown out of a game two years ago in Maine. "It was not for swearing, or even yelling, but for using my Amherst wit. And I said something that was inappropriate to the guy. It was a little pun. But as soon as it came out of my mouth I knew he was going to toss me … That was my most embarrassing moment. I wish I could have taken it back," he admitted.
Secret to his success
Along with having fun, Hixon has also created a very successful team. With 416 wins, five NCAA tournaments, 13 ECAC tournaments, 10 Little III titles, two NESCAC Tournament titles and a 2001 NESCAC Coach of the Year award and under his belt, Hixon is the most successful basketball coach in Amherst's history. "I'm not really interested in honors," said Hixon sitting in his office, whose walls are plastered with medals of accomplishments. "I'm not really interested in number of wins and plaques and trophies. Each honor for me just gives me memories of the kids who were a part of that honor. When they made me coach of the year I wished I could give everybody else a plaque because I didn't get Coach of the Year by myself. All the players had to do the things we were doing," he said.
In his long list of victories, one stands out-a victory during the 1993-94 season over Franklin & Marshall College. Ranked number one in the country at the time, Franklin & Marshall had won 11 straight NCAA games on their court. "There was an expression at the time, 'The road to the final four goes through Franklin & Marshall,'" recalled Hixon. The victory was especially rewarding because it was something nobody in the country thought Amherst could do. "We saw something on the film that others hadn't seen and believed we could beat them. We didn't [defend against] one of their players and doubled their best big guy-playing him back and front." The Jeffs jumped to a 37-28 lead at the half. Franklin & Marshall made some adjustments but Amherst hit 11 of 12 free throws down the stretch to hold on, winning with a final score 80-71.
Because he is so successful, it was inevitable that over the years Division I schools would try to pry Hixon away from Amherst. In fact, even after his very first season coaching here at Amherst, at the age of 25, Hixon was offered the job of being an assistant coach at a Division I school. But Hixon turned it down because he believed he could learn much more by coaching his own team than by being an assistant. Years later, Hixon was once again offered a job by another Division I school, only this time as head coach. "I spoke with a friend of mine at Connecticut and he said that the only downside to coaching Division I is that you really don't get to see your kids grow up. That was the end of the discussion for me. The next day I said, 'No, I'm not interested,'" he recalled.
Hixon enjoys coaching at the Division III level not only because it allows him to spend time with his family, but also because of the atmosphere that it creates for the student body. Every five years the coaches at Amherst reexamine their programs and evaluate whether or not they expect too much of the student athlete or if the sport is taking too much away from the students. "I am glad we are held in check by faculty and admission," said Hixon. "Our teams are still strong. We are doing it right."
Perhaps what makes Hixon a particularly great Division III coach is that he played Division III himself. He understands the demands on student athlete at the College from first-hand experience. Fitzsimons added, "I think the reason he's so easy to talk to is because he went here himself, so he knows exactly what we're going through. He knows what it's like to spend three hours on a bus, get home late and have to get up early for class the next day. That's another reason why he's such a good coach at this level; he can totally empathize with his players."
Building relationships has always been Hixon's number one priority. "I've never been an egomaniac when I need to be on TV or have 50,000 people tell me I'm good. We live in obscurity here very often, which is fine with me. I am a family guy and I want to spend time with my wife and children." Hixon's wife, Mandy, is Amherst's diving coach. Before coming to Amherst, Mandy coached diving at Williams College. Always cracking jokes, Hixon remarked on her move, "That was my biggest win against Williams."