For the Dixon family, basketball is a family affair. Coach Dixon heads the varsity basketball team, junior Darius Dixon is now a two-year returning starter at point guard, and Chance Dixon is a freshman who is doing the unthinkable; starting on varsity at shooting guard.

This year marks the first time all three Dixons will be on the same court. Coach Dixon has inspired his star point guard Darius Dixon to play to his potential.

Darius Dixon, now in his second year as starting point guard is leading his team to a hot start. Dixon plays because basketball is a tradition in his family and he loves the game more than anything. This season, he was now the main spark for the Chiefs’ offense after being a role player in his first two seasons.

“Sophomore year I didn’t score much, however I played a bigger role this season,” Darius Dixon said. “The offense is under my control and runs through me at the point.”

Darius has stepped onto the court and led the Chiefs’ day in and day out, and Chance has noticed Darius’ game has risen this season to an entirely new level.

“My brother has progressed a lot from last year,” Chance Dixon said. “He has become a better leader on and off the court, especially to me just coming into the high school game.”

Darius believes without coach Dixon his game may have not become what it is today. Darius has improved after every game and will only continue to get better.

Coach Dixon has loved the level of play he has seen from his second year starting point guard.

“He’s playing well, every game I am seeing an improvement,” Coach Dixon said. “He’s only going to get better, and I can’t wait until he reaches his greatest potential.”

Chance Dixon is doing what others dream of. Starting on varsity as a freshman is something few student athletes will ever accomplish. Chance plays a crucial role player position, but also shares the number one class rank spot.

Coach Dixon has been the real difference maker in making Chance’s transition from middle school to the varsity level easier. Coming from a perennial powerhouse Congress middle school in terms of basketball success  to a returning district champion in Santaluces is a huge transition.

“The transition from middle school was thought at first, the players are not only bigger, faster, and stronger, they also are play better and smarter,” Chance Dixon said. “It is still a long season and I will keep working to get better every day.”

Coach Dixon  is very proud to see the way Chance has transitioned from playing at the middle school level to playing varsity in a span of one year.

“I have loved what I have seen from Chance so far,” Coach Dixon said. “Every game is an improvement from the last, each game he’s getting more confidence which is key to succeeding on the varsity level.”

Darius Dixon loves taking the court this season over any other season because Chance is right there with him, both brothers feed of each other to get the game going.

“It is fun to play with Chance because we push each other to play our hearts out,” Darius said. “We feed of each other’s play and when we get on the court, it’s all business.”

The Chiefs fell short of their plans after a loss to Spanish River in the district quarter-final this season, but Coach Dixon is excited for the talented group of kids he will coach next season.

“This team has been up and down of recently,” Coach Dixon said. “It was a good season, and we have a lot of returning varsity players for next season.”

Most coaches have a plethora of reasons why they coach, however coach Dixon believes in teaching kids the fundamentals of not only basketball, but life as well. Coach Dixon is not just known for the ultimate basketball coach, but is one of the more popular teachers at Santaluces. Dixon works his humor into his math lessons to make his lectures more interesting to students in his class.

“I coach to give back to the kids at the school and because I love the game,” he said. “Trying to make a difference in kids’ lives is a great joy that I have; also build long lasting relationships with these young men, and to make them better young men is why I do what I do.”

Coach Dixon has 83 wins over his seven years as head coach at Santaluces, but no win compares to winning the district championship last year. Dixon emphasized it’s not winning the district championship that makes the victory the most important to him, but it’s seeing the group of young men progress and accomplish something great for the school.

“The one memory that sticks out from the others was winning the district title in 2016. It was very emotional to defeat a county powerhouse at home for the district title in triple overtime,” Coach Dixon said. “That was a game I will never forget, because the group of young men played the game how it was meant to be played.”