Alex Meacham is not a man that panics. He had been there before – in those circumstances, in Shoemaker Center.

With time running out in Walnut Hills’ chances of an improbable win against heavily-favored Lebanon Feb. 28 in the Ohio boys high school playoffs, Meacham – Walnut Hill’s assistant coach – sat calmly on the bench, sipping a cup of water, taking it in stride.

As for the Walnut Hills’ head coach and the other assistant coaches? They were yelling and screaming as if a rock band was playing in the Shoe as well.

Walnut Hills lost that night, and ended yet another chapter of Meacham’s Shoe experiences.

Meacham’s coaching career ended that night as well, after two years of service for the Eagles’ program, but even though he may not be on their bench next season, his coaching philosophy will remain.

“I’ve learned a lot of things about basketball, but I’ve also learned a lot of things about life,” said Meacham. “Though coaching, I’ve tried to teach a lot of things about life and use basketball as a vehicle. The most important thing that I have done in coaching, I’ve taught them how to dribble, how to shoot, but more importantly, off the court, I’ve taught them a life lesson.”

Among those life lessons: Poise under pressure.

Poise is something learned, not taught. Meacham learned his poise during his playing days in a Bearcat uniform. The man who taught the lessons: Bob Huggins. And while those two coaching styles seem to be polar opposites, Meacham said – in this case – looks don’t always reveal reality.

“A lot of (Huggins’ style is like mine),” said Meacham, “but I really don’t get into the screaming and yelling. I am a bit more of the hard-nosed, put every effort into every drill, going all out (kind of guy). There’s a lot of things I do that are based around what I learned from (Huggins).”

But before he could bring UC’s student section to its feet every time he checked into a game, he had to make the team. It became a journey that inspired Meacham first book, “A Walk of a Lifetime.”

Meacham took it upon himself to prove he could compete for a national power. He became the crowd favorite at UC, a symbol of hope for up-and-coming athletes that working for one’s goal can result in a fulfilled dream. Now, Meacham is trying to instill that work ethic onto his players – Scott Lampkin in particular.

Lampkin, a senior for the Eagles, has become Meacham’s latest “project.”

“I had a kid last year that just asked for extra help,” Meacham said with one of his trademark grins. “He wanted to become better and it became my little unique project that I wanted to but a little extra time into. People thought he was a very average player and I thought I could make him into something better than that. I told them ‘you wait and see’ He turned out to one of our better players. That was one of my more rewarding experiences of my coaching career.”

Project complete? Feb. 20, Lampkin scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds in 27 minutes of work. Not bad, but he has a pretty good mentor.

“All the stuff (Meacham has) learned at UC, he’s brought to me,” said Lampkin. “One of the biggest things he’s brought to me is (knowing) how to win. He’d just get so pissed off when we lost, when he lost. He’s brought more of an attitude to the team. He told me ‘whatever I want to do, he’s going to help me.’ I know if I wanted to try and walk on at UC, he’s going to do everything he can to help me.”

It wasn’t all good times at first for Walnut Hills. The Eagles’ coaching staff had to ask Meacham three separate times to join the program.

“It wasn’t something I was real interested in,” said Meacham. “I just didn’t want to try it. By the third time (they asked me to coach), I said ‘this is a sign. I better go ahead and try to do it.’ So I went ahead and did it.”

It was a decision that benefited not only the Walnut Hills’ basketball program, but Meacham himself as well. Both found new identities and rediscovered a yearning to compete.

Meacham never puts himself first – the true sign of a team player. He is there to help the people around him, on an athletic and personal level. That is something one rarely sees in this modern day and age. Meacham is a breath of fresh air in a sport where politics and the term “me” have dirtied the athletic atmosphere.

While Meacham is only 25 years old – and most of his players 18 years old – one might think the Eagles’ players would resist listening to a young coach. Meacham said this is not the case – not even close.

Meacham said his bond with the Walnut Hills players has become a bittersweet experience, as he has grown close to his players and now must watch as they move on in life without him by their side.

Walnut Hills loses seven seniors this season, seven athletes who were juniors when Meacham joined the program two years ago. The loss of those guys, Meacham said, is one of the reasons he will not return to the Eagles’ coaching staff next season.

“We have seven seniors this year, and I feel really close to them,” said Meacham. “They’re going out and I’m going out. It’s been a good time.”