Playoff-bound Norwin boys can talk the talk under first-year coach, alum Auld

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, February 6, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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At 26, Cam Auld is one of the WPIAL’s younger coaches, but he admits to having an old-school side.

“I dabble in a bit of old and new,” he said.

Norwin’s first-year boys basketball leader and Knights alum is all about his players talking and understanding rather than the alternative: keeping quiet and going through the motions.

He wants voices to be heard.

“I’d definitely say I have an old-school approach to coaching, and some things that I do with our guys, as far as making them talk or putting them in those situations, that approach probably seems a bit outdated to most,” he said.

Maybe. But he still uses it because he sees results. Norwin is headed to the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2021-22.

Hear that? It’s the Knights (10-10) talking about the postseason.

All of the talking keeps the team honest and detail-oriented, but it sometimes can get Norwin players and coaches into rabbit hole debates about sports.

“I know there is a big Jordan/LeBron debate that exists, and I’ve got guys 12 years younger than me on the Jordan side,” said Auld, a Waynesburg alum. “While I’m on the LeBron side, so that’s funny.”

Then there are times when Auld gets a big swing and a miss.

“There is nothing worse than quoting a movie or a show and nobody knows what I am talking about,” he said. “Those are the times I feel old, but the guys do a good job of keeping me young.”

Auld might be young, but even he loses touch with his group sometimes.

“I cannot stand some of the music our guys listen to,” he said. “But every so often, they play one, and I enjoy it.”

Or they play a great game. That is enjoyable, too. But the open line of communication can mean a license for constructive criticism.

Tough love is earned, just like post-win Wendy’s Frostys on bus rides home.

During a game last week at Hempfield, Auld pulled a player aside in a huddle during a late timeout and told the player, “I am yelling at you because I love you. You know that.”

“I like our guys to communicate. It is something that is very important,” Auld said. “I have two guys every practice take 15 minutes to talk to the guys about themselves and open up a little. It is important for us to know each other.”

And Norwin players have gotten to know their coach. Auld spent two seasons coaching the Greensburg Salem boys before taking over at his alma mater.

“He is a fun guy to be around,” Norwin guard Alex Graney said. “He wants us to be able to trust each other. He pushes us to be better versions of ourselves.”

Hempfield interim coach Mark Katarski was impressed with how Norwin played against his team last week.

“It fits their personnel,” Katarski said. “The measure of good coaching is: Can you make the system fit the players? Cam has done that.”

Auld told the Hempfield seniors to keep their heads up after the Spartans lost coach Bill Swan after an undisclosed investigation and Swan’s eventual resignation.

“It’s their season,” Auld said. “I told them to make the most of it. Coach Swan did a lot for me when I was at Greensburg Salem. I always respected him. The Hempfield kids seem to have the fight to keep going.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin