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Class of 1963 physical education major scores rewarding coaching career

Going into ������˾�� with the hope of coaching professionally, Reggie Minton �63 dove into the physical education program and took away life experiences that aided his future success. Growing up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Minton hoped to find a life away from the violence he grew up witnessing. �I saw a person killed and watched him bleed to death. I grew up in a situation where it wasn�t long before I knew that I did not want to stay,� said Minton. �Getting a chance to go to a place like ������˾��, even though it was different, was good.� A recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2025, Minton�s experience at ������˾�� opened the door to coaching opportunities that shaped his professional career.

As a physical education major at the College, Minton immersed himself in athletics opportunities. He played basketball and coached a sorority flag football team before entering the United States Air Force upon graduation. Serving in the Air Force from 1969-1983, Minton became an assistant basketball coach with Hank Egan for the Air Force Academy�s men�s basketball team, the Falcons. In 1983, Minton started his first head coaching job for Dartmouth College�s men�s basketball team before going back to the Air Force in 1985 as the head coach for the Falcons. �������˾�� being on my resume immediately got people�s attention, particularly at an academic school like Dartmouth,� shared Minton. �������˾�� opened horizons that I hadn�t seen before.�

In 2000, Minton joined the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) on a tenure track, working alongside other basketball coaches with the goal of making the sport more inclusive, ethical, and community-based. He served as the deputy executive director starting in 2004 until his retirement in 2020. While working with the NABC, Minton developed a relationship with Coaches vs. Cancer, a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the NABC that aimed to raise funds for cancer research. �We�ve raised more than $200 million for this cause,� said Minton. �I got some awards from the cause that I don�t think I�m all that deserving of. I just did the right thing.�

Looking back on his time at ������˾��, Minton emphasizes how impactful the College was to his future career. �������˾�� helped me learn how to communicate with everyone and come to grips with some things that I hadn�t ever dealt with growing up,� he said. �I enjoy telling people I went to ������˾��. I feel blessed.�

Featured image: Reggie Minton �63 and President McCall pose for photos with the Distinguished Alumni Award at the ceremony during Alumni Weekend.

This story originally appeared in the .

Posted in Alumni, Magazine on November 17, 2025.