Austin Ash repeats the same word aloud.Working his way down the sideline bench, the Earlham High School basketball coach offers a fist bump to each of his players. It’s less than a minute until tip-off, and Ash needs to set an early tone. His voice calm yet determined, he makes eye contact and utters the same mantra he once told himself. 

“Positive.” 

A blow of the whistle snaps Ash’s attention back to the court. His palms drop to rest on his knees as he inspects the action. Ash is no stranger to basketball observation. Before he patrolled the sideline in a quarter-zip and khakis, he sat on the end of the bench in sweatpants and a warm-up shirt, patiently waiting for an opportunity. His career as a boy’s varsity basketball coach is 18 games old, but his 74 games as a collegiate basketball player feel like yesterday. 

Ash is just three years removed from his collegiate playing career, one defined by humble beginnings, persistence, and a blossoming cut short. He spent five seasons at Iowa, evolving from overlooked walk-on to beloved role player, but never averaged more than five minutes a game. 

A transfer to the Citadel offered him a chance to prove his talent, and Ash delivered, but a torn ACL ended his playing career. Now following a family lineage of coaching, he carries a bundle of philosophies from numerous mentors and lessons learned from past struggles. All the while, he never let go of the same enthusiasm and joy he exuded as a player. 

“I’m not out there on the floor, so I’m just trying to give them confidence to be the best players,” he said.

Ash is nothing but optimistic. After all, he achieved his dream before his senior year of high school at Mount Vernon. That summer, Ash’s recruiting interest consisted of in-state NAIA schools Clarke and Mount Mercy University, Division III Loras College, and at best, Division II Northwest Missouri State. 

But once the kid from Cedar Rapids received a preferred walk-on spot from Iowa’s Fran McCaffery, Ash ended all speculation about his future. With no promises of playing time or financial support, he’d become a Hawkeye. 

Similar to any walk-on, Ash found himself at the bottom of the pecking order. He earned all-state honors averaging 23 points per game in his final season at Mount Vernon, but now his talent paled in comparison to teammates and future NBA players Tyler Cook and Luka Garza. Lacking athleticism, Ash gave himself an edge with his shooting ability, working to increase his accuracy while quickening his release. 

Shooting before and after practice, connecting on at least 8-of-10 shots from the wing or the corner wasn’t impressive but rather the bare minimum. A video from March 2022 features Ash casually draining 30 consecutive triples. 

Ash’s shooting prowess earned him time on the floor, and while his minutes were scarce, the guard produced memorable moments. On senior night against Northwestern in 2022, Ash, who was awarded a scholarship prior to that season, drilled a three-pointer from the beak of the Tigerhawk at midcourt. With fans at Carver-Hawkeye Arena chanting his name, Ash felt no pain when he broke his nose diving for a loose ball a few plays later. 

“Adrenaline takes over,” he said. 

Ash recorded 52 points over his final season with the Hawkeyes, more than his previous four years combined. The guard proved his worth as a role player in the Big Ten and was now eager to define himself as a main scoring option. He found such an opportunity at the Citadel, a military school in Charleston, South Carolina, with Division I athletics programs. A member of the graduate program, Ash wasn’t on the same regimented schedule as his teammates. No 10 p.m. curfew.  No early-morning formations. Just basketball — and his best season on the court. 

Ash passed his first test with a 19-point debut against Clemson, shooting 5-of-10 from beyond the arc. He finished the season with 102 made triples, connecting on a near-40 percent clip while ranking second on the team in scoring with 15.2 points per game. 

“It proved the belief I had in myself,” Ash said. 

The guard’s improved numbers portended a potential professional career overseas, but a torn ACL in his penultimate game and the following rehab process shut the door on that future. Ash took a sales job in Des Moines but felt compelled to stay in basketball. He coached elementary school teams, and when the Earlham job opened up, the son of two high school coaches followed family tradition. 

Meeting his players for the first time that summer, Ash laid the foundations of his program — fundamentals first, starting with the strict man-to-man defense he learned from coach Ed Timm back at Mount Vernon. His free-flowing offense emphasized the three-pointer, reminiscent of McCaffery’s schemes, but also featuring the same set plays he learned from his father in sixth grade. In-game adjustments mirrored those of the Citadel’s Ed Conroy. Rebounding was never optional. 

Yet most importantly, after years spent supporting teammates from the bench, Ash expected nothing less than unselfishness from his players. 

“They care more, they cheer more, when their teammates score than when they score,” he said. 

Earlham senior Griffin Messer calls his coach “intense.” Assistant coach Zac Reynolds labels his colleague as “go, go, go, all the time.” It’s easy to see their descriptions unfold as Ash cycles through a range of emotions. A turnover or foul prompts an eye roll and an annoyed glance at the rafters. An offensive rebound and put back generates a right fist pump, followed immediately by both hands waving in the air, directing Earlham’s ensuing press. 

This high-energy demeanor is replicated in practice. Ash would fill in during five-on-five runs over the summer and will challenge his players to one-on-one battles. 

“Whenever he hits shots, he’s just always trash talking,” senior Blaine Tiedemann said. 

“He likes to let us know we can’t guard him,” Messer added. 

Most Earlham players are Iowa State fans, and Ash will often reference his three-pointer in a win against the Cyclones. Yet the coach also uses his playing experience as a guide. Ash knows any right-handed shooter should plant their left foot first, and the coach altered Tiedemann and Messer’s forms as such. 

Part floor general, part teacher, Ash is also a disciplinarian. A missed rebound or bad pass elicits a yell of “wake up!” Yet Ash’s harsh words are later replaced with encouragement. Tiedemann committed a turnover but then nailed a triple from the corner in Earlham’s next offensive possession. 

“That’s the thing we preach,” Ash said. “Make a mistake, forget about it.” 

After about two hours of standing, pacing, and hopping up and down, Ash finally takes a seat. His hands no longer grip his knees but rather rest comfortably behind his head. He can finally relax. Earlham is less than a minute away from a 12-point win at Interstate 35, marking the Cardinals’ seventh conference win, matching their total from last season with three games remaining. 

Ash is glad everyone on his team got minutes, but he is well aware playing time is no guarantee. He knows better than most the work ethic and selflessness of bench players, but also the exhilaration and pride of being a routine starter. Ash’s basketball journey embodied both of these archetypes, and now as a coach, he’s reminding the next generation to embrace their current situation with positivity. 

“Be an all-star in your role,” he said.