Derrick Rowland of the Steuben Athletic Club

Derrick Rowland is the Director of Leagues at the newly reopened Steuben Athletic Club.  Derrick was most recently the head coach of the Albany Legends basketball team where he led the team to an IBL Championship.  Derrick has previously coached the Albany Patroons and played for the Milwaukee Bucks. 

1)    You made the jump from Division 3 to the NBA, what was that like?

Going from Division 3 to the NBA was quite a journey. It was a dream come true-from the time I was a kid it was something I wanted to do. I had no idea how difficult it would be and how much work was required. It took a lot of patience and confidence to stay on track because you were always the underdog and had to prove yourself every step of the way. Once I got there it was an unbelievable feeling to play with the best in the world everyday.

2)    Tell us about your new position at Steuben Athletic Club.

My position is the Director of Leagues. Part of my job involves organizing and running the different team sports we will be offering such as basketball, squash, volleyball, wallyball and racquetball. I really like my position because I enjoy the team spirit that our members bring. Many of them are familiar with my past and the competitive nature with which I played, so I feel it brings out the best in them.

3)    Do you offer a basketball class at the club and if so, what kind of skills do you teach?

Here at the club I offer a basketball skills class for our members and league players. I teach the fundamentals of the game, ball handling, shooting, defense, etc. One of the main things I focus on is how to make the game easy with control movement and getting the most out of your ability. As we get older we should depend on the fundamentals such as developing proper foot work.

4)    How many teams competed in your leagues this winter?

In our first basketball league since we reopened, we had 8 corporate teams join. The league is very competitive and fun.  The teams play with a lot of pride and the desire to win. In the area of squash, which is one of our most popular activities, we have many in-house tournaments and round robin play. Our squash community is growing every day which is very encouraging.

5)    What new leagues are you running this summer?

Our leagues this summer will depend on the demand of our patrons but I can confirm that we will have basketball, wallyball, and squash. We also have a running club that started this spring. We are really looking forward to our future here at the Steuben. We want this to be the place for health and wellness in downtown Albany for many years to come!  I also want to mention that we are running a summer special where potential members can join for the months of June, July and August with no initiation fee.

The Steuben Athletic Club is located at 1 Steuben Place and can be contacted at steubenathleticclub.com or by phone at 518.434.6116.