Brendan McEvoy teaches English and writing. He has been a reporter for a newspaper in suburban Washington D.C. and has written for a PBS Web site.

He knows that one of the challenges of writing is that the words don’t always pop out of your head when you want them to. Sometimes you have to be patient, wait for just the right moment, and they will begin to flow.

Patience also is important when trying to find employment.

After Goodyear Desert Edge did not hire him as boys basketball coach despite leading the team to the Division II quarterfinals as interim coach with a 19-10 record, he knew he would land on his feet, that the right opportunity would come along.

Avondale Westivew stepped up and first offered him a teaching position, then the boys basketball coaching job. McEvoy said yes, and is excited to build the program.

“When I first heard about it, it sounded like a great opportunity,’’ McEvoy said. “I only wanted to go where the fit would be perfect, and it is.’’

He will teach English and journalism at Westview.

What will the school’s sports reporters write about this winter? McEvoy hopes that the team will be successful and follow a path that leads deep into the Division I state tournament.

Start with forward Andre Adams, who is expected to be one of the state’s top players. McEvoy said he runs the floor very well and “can jump out of the gym.’’

Westview also should get significant contributions from Kendall Barnes and Isaiah Bellamy.

McEvoy knows you have to begin to develop talent in the summer, and carry it over to preseason practice in the fall and then the regular season.

Westview will be participating in an ASU camp Friday (June 7) through Sunday (June 9), where one of its first opponents will be Tempe Corona del Sol, the two-time defending state champion.

“I was an assistant for Joe Babinski at Desert Edge for five years. He put together a great record, and he always said that to be the best you have to play the best, and that’s what we’re trying to do,’’ McEvoy said.

“The kids have been fantastic so far. For adults, change is harder, but I don’t think it bothers kids as much. They are more adaptable. Everything so far has been, “Yes, sir, no, sir.’ They have been very polite. They have worked very hard so far.’’

The Knights have been practicing four days a week, twice each day. McEvoy had a few early concerns about the number of players that would be involved, but that has grown to about 30, he said.

McEvoy had been teaching at Goodyear Millennium and served as an assistant at Desert Edge for five years when Babinski stepped down and McEvoy got the interim post in August.

Although the interim tag hung over his head, McEvoy did not treat the opportunity with worry.

“If you approach it with anything other than a full-time mentality, you won’t be successful,’’ he said.

He was grateful to the players at Desert Edge for their perseverance.

“They were 6-7 at one point, but they finished by winning 12 of 13, and that’s attributable to them continuing to work hard,’’ he said.

The team reached the quarterfinals before falling to Phoenix Paradise Valley, which went on to capture the D-II title.

McEvoy took pride in being able to help the Desert Edge program build enthusiasm and develop at the younger levels, and that’s what he wants to do at Westview.

“We want to build things to the point that we are capable of winning a state championship and creating opportunities for our seniors to play at the next level,’’ he said.