John McPhail is starting what he called a "dream job" after being named head coach of the Lady Movin' Mavs, The University of Texas at Arlington's women's wheelchair basketball team.
"This is something beyond my wildest dreams," said McPhail, who was introduced as head coach Thursday at College Park Center. "Wheelchair basketball is my life. It's what I want to do, and I want to be here for as long as I can."
McPhail, a Peakhurst, Australia native, played for the Movin' Mavs men's program from 2009–14. He spent the last four seasons as a volunteer assistant coach with the Lady Movin' Mavs. He took over on an interim basis last season when then-head coach Morgan Wood went on maternity leave and is now in the full-time role after Wood left to focus on her family.
For UT Arlington, elevating McPhail felt like a natural fit.
"This is probably one of my easiest hires ever," said Cezar Olivas, UTA's assistant director of adapted sports and recreation. "He brings a trophy case of accomplishments—world champion, Paralympian, five-time champion with the Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks, and a UTA alumnus and Movin' Mav. He checked all the boxes as far as what we look for."
McPhail takes over a program with national championship aspirations. The Lady Movin' Mavs won championships in 2016 and 2018 and have made it to the national championship game the last four years.
"Four straight appearances in the national championship game don't happen by luck. We need to keep what works, move on from what doesn't and continue building," McPhail said. "Alabama has won six straight national championships. They're a magnificent team with a great coach. But dynasties are meant to come to an end, and ours is ready to begin."
McPhail addressed several other topics during his introductory news conference.
How would you describe wheelchair basketball to a casual fan?
McPhail: It's fast. It's intense. I remember people coming to games and saying, 'You fell on the floor 37 times in 40 minutes. I wanted to come help you.' Then they realize half a second later you're back in your chair and ready to go. It's a different sport. We can't move laterally and we can't dunk, but it's intense. The women and men competing at this level are Division I athletes in every sense of the word. From individual workouts to national team camps to representing Team USA, they're elite athletes.
UTA moved under UTA Athletics last spring. What does that mean for the program?
McPhail: Everything. We've always had the backing of the University, but being part of Athletics is a line in the sand. We can't go backward. A lot of the things that used to be invitations are now expectations. The players understand that. It's about adding to Athletics, not just being here. It's not about having UTA Athletics on the front of our chest. It's about earning it. We're not coming in here thinking we run anything. We're going to work day-by-day and make sure we're contributing. We want relationships with all the other sports and coaches. We're not trying to box ourselves in. We want to support everybody else as much as we want them to support us.
How has your experience prepared you for this role?
McPhail: One of the biggest things is that I've had connections throughout the wheelchair basketball world since 2006. Recruiting is always hard, but I have strong connections in Australia, Canada and Germany, where I played. It's also about being true to myself. A lot of people get to this point and think they need to change. You'll figure those things out over time. I want to stay true to who I am and to what I've learned over the last four years with Coach Wood. She was a rock for me when I didn't know what I was going to do next. I know what I'm about, I know what this University is about and I know what this core group of players is about. It's about staying true to myself and staying true to them.
What has kept you around UTA?
McPhail: It's the people. I came here when I was 19 years old and the people made the difference. My coach, Doug Garner, taught me that good coaches don't just teach basketball; they teach you how to be a well-rounded person. It's the people you meet from different walks of life, different states and different countries. When you're 19 and trying to figure out who you are, being around people who want to work, win championships and earn a degree makes you want to be better. Since 2009, it's always been the people. I love the community. I love the University. I love the growth I've seen on this campus. Every corner of this campus has amazing people.
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation's top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 300,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.
