James Cosgrove believes that coaching and teaching go hand and hand. A successful coach must also be a successful teacher. The single most important factor in running a successful college program is to have a good rapport with your players. “If your players believe in you and respect you, then they will go out and play and work for you as hard as they possibly can. I believe that there are no short cuts to success whether it be in the classroom, on the basketball court, or in any phase of your life.  Hard work and perseverance are the keys to great achievements,” states Cosgrove.  “This philosophy will be the backbone of our program.”
 
Cosgrove also believes that coaching and teaching should be fun for his students.  Cosgrove states, “If playing basketball becomes burdensome for the student-athletes, they will lose that competitive spirit that makes teams great.”  Cosgrove believes that these are the two most important factors in running a top-flight program, whether it be in the classroom or on the basketball court.  “Having kids that believe in you and respect you, and keeping the day-to-day operations of your program challenging yet enjoyable will result in a successful overall program.”