When Calhoun played little league his father would attend his games, but he would not coach his son. Even today if a parent wants their child to play quarterback or pitcher, then that parent will most likely become the coach of the team. At a very young age Calhoun learned to, "Just do it yourself and to take care of your own business" (p. 44).
When he would come home from school, he would always take this one particular shortcut. One day, a group of five older kids told him that the path belongs to them and he could no longer use it. After a few days, his father began to notice him taking the longer route. His father demanded that Jim tell him why he takes the longer way home and he eventually gives in and tells about the older boys. Upon hearing this story, his father makes him follow him to the path and his father picks out one of the boys for Calhoun to fight. To Calhoun this was one of the many lessons his father would teach him. Calhoun says, "I've never tried to take the long way again. I go straight down the middle".
In seventh grade he was spotted by Fred Herget, a local basketball coach. Calhoun believes Herget was ahead of his time in his coaching methods. Herget made sure basketball was a year round sport. During the off season, Herget made sure his players would fine tune their weak points like foul shooting. This style of coaching is what made Calhoun take a big interest in basketball. The next year Calhoun's eighth grade team would win the state junior high school championship of Massachusetts. Later on in his life Calhoun would replicate many of Hergets philosophies and coaching techniques.
One event that would change Calhoun's life forever was the untimely death of his father. He credits this for his strong sense of family, which includes his best friends and people associated with his teams. For this reason it could be said that Calhoun has some professional manager traits and characteristics.
