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Don Meyer hasn't lost his love, focus or discipline for basketball.

On Dec. 16 - his 65th birthday - he kicked his players out of practice. “It probably isn't easy to practice during finals week, but we just didn't feel right about the way things were going,” said Meyer, the South Dakota Sports Writers Association's men's college coach of the year. “You do what you have to do sometimes. You need to get players to think.”

Some people spend their days in chemotherapy dealing with curve balls being thrown at them from all angles, said Meyer. Many times, we don't realize how fortunate we are.

Basketball is a privilege, not a right.

The Northern State men's basketball coach is in the middle of his 37th basketball season. As he is every season, Meyer is concerned about and for his team. In gathering an NCAA-record 914 career victories, Meyer knows this year is the most important year to those currently in the program.

That is the way it always is for Meyer. One of the most important messages he tries to get across is to make the most of today, because you never know what tomorrow will hold.

“Every team is different,” Meyer said. “You find out as you go along what you have to do with them. Every team has to figure out life - and that is a big deal - develop toughness and grow up. We have been dealing a lot with injuries, but you can still play the game the right way, even if you are down to two people.”

In September 2008 on the way to a team retreat, Meyer survived a life-threatening car accident - his players helped save his life - that resulted in a two-month hospital stay, the discovery of cancer and the loss of part of his left leg. He returned to coach the entire season, break the record for career wins and win the Jimmy V. Award for Perseverance at the 2009 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.

Meyer also led the Wolves into the national tournament for the fifth time in the past six seasons. His friend and ESPN baseball guru Buster Olney is now writing a book about Meyer that could be published next year.