Oct. 22, 2009
By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Before every UCF practice, senior guard Drew Speraw (Oviedo, Fla.) can be found on the court, talking to younger teammates. Every day, he is there to provide advice and instruction. Now in his fifth year in the program, Speraw is more than just a student-athlete; he is a student-athlete/coach.
The good news for the Knights is that Speraw is content with his role.
"I like it. If anyone comes to me, I am happy to help them," he said. "It is something that I enjoy doing and I am happy to have that role."
Speraw appeared in 19 games a year ago as a reserve. This season, he is UCF's lone senior and one of just three upperclassmen. As a result, he should see increased minutes at shooting guard.
Still, as the son of a coach, he knows that he can make a bigger contribution to the team by sharing his knowledge of the game, and most importantly, familiarity with UCF's offensive and defensive systems.
"After five years, I always know what is going on at all times," Speraw said. "I sometimes bring things to the coaches that maybe they have not thought of yet. Sometimes I can help out in that way too."
Speraw, who received his undergraduate degree in finance, is currently working on a master's degree in leadership and coaching. His career goals are no surprise.
"I have always had a strong desire to coach. It is really nice having such a younger group, because I get to help them so much. It is actually going to help me prepare to be a better coach after college," he said.
UCF is set to open the 2009-10 campaign on Nov. 13, hosting Massachusetts at the UCF Arena. Season tickets begin at just $79 and are available by calling (407) UCF-1000 or by visiting UCFAthletics.com.
On Nov. 1, fans can select their season-ticket location in person by attending UCF Pregame Madness. The event, which begins at 5 p.m. at the UCF Arena, will include a short inter-squad men's scrimmage and an autograph session with the men's and women's teams.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Notes: Former Knight Lavell Payne has signed a deal with Ostrava, a professional team in the Czech Republic. Payne who played for the Knights from 2005-07. A year ago, the forward suited up for Pardubice in the Czech Republic. He averaged 12.7 points and 6.5 boards per game.