Curtis senior-turned-coach Braden Ash helps team in different role

Braden Ash would rather be playing for the Curtis High School boys basketball team than coaching.

But the senior wanted to somehow, some way stay part of the program despite the four concussions that forced him to quit basketball — as long as it didn’t mean handing out towels or water bottles.

So Curtis coach Tim Kelly asked him to coach.

“He goes and scouts — we’ve sent him everywhere,” Kelly said. “But this is the kind of kid he is. He’s a bench leader. He was always the first guy off the bench when he was playing.”

And Ash’s high school career has now come full circle.

He’s back on the Curtis bench at the Tacoma Dome after sitting there as a freshman videographer when Curtis last reached the Tacoma Dome, winning the state title in 2013. Curtis didn’t allow freshmen to play varsity sports.

His brother Logan was a senior on that team.

“Not many people can say they are a state-champion videographer,” Braden Ash said.

All four of Ash’s concussions happened playing basketball. He was a role player on Curtis’ 2014 and 2015 teams before his final concussion. His head hit the floor hard after taking a charge against Kentwood, which, coincidentally, ended Curtis’ state-title hopes with a 66-59 victory in the 4A state semifinals on Friday in the Dome.

He approached Kelly to tell him he wouldn’t be playing. But asked what else he could do.

“He said, ‘OK, we’ll talk about it’ and I didn’t go to the first day of tryouts,” Ash said. “That next school day he came and talked to me and said, ‘I want you to come help coach.’ I was excited.”

He said he’s usually sore from all the passes he has to throw during practices. But he’s not just a body on the bench.

He spoke at halftime of Curtis’ state quarterfinal game against Central Valley. Curtis was trying to get over high screens defensively near half court and Ash told the team to stop — don’t get over those screens so far away from the basket. Go under.

“He brought that up at halftime, and that was pretty cool,” Kelly said. “He’s got his eyes on everything and he’s not afraid to say stuff. It’s been awesome.”

He’s a senior and can drive, so Kelly said he sent Ash on scouting trips, including one with Kelly’s daughter — another coach-in-waiting, Kelly said — on a trip to Vancouver, Washington.

“He’s a great kid and comes from a great family,” Kelly said.

This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 2:02 PM with the headline "Curtis senior-turned-coach Braden Ash helps team in different role."