Hello WBCA members!

Wow!  What an amazing finish to such an exciting season of women’s basketball!  Although we are facing many challenges in the economic landscape, sometimes it is just great to huddle up and draw energy from your staff, colleagues, membership and fans of the game.

This season, I travelled less than I ever had during my 30-year career.  It was awkward at first, but as I morphed into it, I felt liberated to spend time with my staff and not be so compressed with my time.  I was even able to join a church book club for six weeks – normally this time of year, I would never consider this, but I made a personal commitment and it helped to balance and ease the madness of March.

As always, we had our traditional WBCA Bracket Party for Monday’s selection show.  Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli of “Shootaround with Beth & Debbie” joined us once again, putting on a live podcast at the WBCA home office immediately following the selection show.  Each WBCA staff member was able to bring one guest to the party, so this year I invited one of my pastors, Mandy Fleming.  Beth and Debbie harassed her the entire time.  It is one thing to cause me to lose my job, but now I don’t even think I’m going to heaven!  We all had a great time.

Getting back to business, some members of my staff and I had the opportunity to chat with Grant Teaff (Executive Director, American Football Coaches Association - AFCA). Ethics in the coaching profession is a topic that Sherri Coale (WBCA President and Oklahoma head coach) and our Executive Committee are very passionate and serious about.  With the AFCA’s 87 year history, it was very insightful to hear more about the AFCA’s Code of Ethics and to have discussions on how we can tweak ours to make it more user and coach-friendly. 

Though I throttled my travel back quite a bit, I was still made it to the NCAA Division III Championship Banquet in Holland, Michigan, and the NCAA Division II Championship Banquet in San Antonio, Texas.  I was able to wet my appetite with a taste of San Antonio to have my mouth watering for the 2010 WBCA National Convention! (REGISTER EARLY! The Riverwalk is calling!)

Next, my staff and I headed to St. Louis for the WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four.  What a week it was!  Though I have an amazing time from start to finish, I always like to share my top highlights from St. Louis:

Beth spends quality time with Doug Bruno at the WBCA National Convention.

1. Doug Bruno (WBCA Past President) was our man of the hour at the 2009 WBCA National Convention, stepping in for Sherri and subsequently Geno Auriemma (Connecticut) because both obviously had other plans this week!  There has never been a President or an incoming President on the men’s or women’s side to both have teams in the NCAA Final Four during the same year. To add to this, Secretary Bonnie Henrickson (Kansas) also made it to the championship game of the WNIT.  This says so much about the leadership we have at the WBCA!   I just hated that Sherri did not get the acknowledgement that she deserved with the passing of the gavel for all of her hard work and instrumental contributions during her presidential stint. 

Sue Donohoe accepts the WBCA President’s Award for Myles Brand.

2. Another one of my top moments was having the opportunity to honor Myles Brand as the recipient of the WBCA President’s Award.  Even though he was unable to be in attendance, it was a pleasure to recognize someone who has given so much to women’s basketball and women’s athletics as a whole.  Our thoughts and prayers are with him!

The Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund gives its first grant in St. Louis.

3. The Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, in partnership with The V Foundation, left behind a $100,000 grant in the St. Louis community.  The grant was given to fund a breast cancer research project at the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.  This was the first grant given by the Fund. Coach Yow’s vision was to leave behind a mark on each of Final Four destination cities, which Nick Valvano (The V Foundation) has agreed to.

All four of the NCAA Women’s Final Four coaches speak at “Shootaround.”

4. The “Shootaround with Beth & Debbie” live show was a spectacular event, especially with the presence of all of the NCAA Women’s Final Four coaches, along with other surprise guests.

Stephanie Glance speaks at the FCA breakfast.

5. Sunday’s “Remembering Kay Yow” breakfast, hosted by the FCA, was a touching experience as Stephanie Glance was able to address her colleagues and friends of the game for the first time since Coach Yow’s passing. 

Beth gets interviewed for ESPNU by Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli.

6. After the tremendous outpouring of support from women’s basketball coaches and supporters across the nation, I had the opportunity to announce the 2009 WBCA Pink Zone results during the WBCA High School All-America Game presented by Nike, which was tape-delayed on ESPNU.  Click here to view the 2009 results.  I cannot thank you enough for making a difference in the fight against breast cancer!

Geno Auriemma receives his Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coach of the Year award.

7. My final highlight was having two of our Final Four coaches attend a few of our events at the WBCA National Convention.  Geno Auriemma (Connecticut) stopped by the NCAA Division I business meeting to accept his RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Coach of the Year award and to pass the gavel to accept his presidency even though he was prepping for the National Championship game the next day. He was also my show-and-tell for the NCAA Division III business meeting.  They were all surprised that he stopped by, but really appreciated him taking time to show his support of not just one contingency, but all of the membership. 

Jeff Walz (Louisville) also stopped by the Convention, as he and his staff attended the RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Coach of the Year banquet.  I admire how our coaches practice what they preach and really try to give back and make themselves accessible to colleagues and fans of the game.  That is what makes our sport so special!

Beth plays in a Corn Hole Tournament.

As I stepped off of the plane in Key West, it was such a good feeling to know that “we left it all on the court” in St. Louis and put on a great convention for our coaches and fans of women’s basketball.  I had a few days of R&R, where I was able to take part in my first Corn Hole Tournament, which I equate to a redneck form of bocce.

The 2009 Betty F. Jaynes Internship Class

Feeling rested, I touched down in Atlanta and had the chance to go one-on-one with our 2009 Betty F. Jaynes intern class.  We also had an outing with all of the interns before their official sendoff at the end of April.  Everyone works so hard during the dreary winter months, but when you come back from the big dance the beautiful spring weather just awakens your soul.

Beth “horses around” with Geno & Kathy Auriemma, Nick Valvano, Carol Stiff and Rosa Gatti.

Next, I headed north to Connecticut where Geno’s Cancer Team was presenting “Horsin’ Around” for the second year running.  It’s a very classy event at his restaurant, Mohegan Sun.  Of course, winning his sixth national championship added an air of excitement to the mix. 

Then it was off to Knoxville, Tennessee, for the “Pat Summitt Day of 1,000 Stories,” which recognized her 1000th win earlier this past season - a feat that will never be duplicated in our lifetime or probably ever in the sport of women’s basketball.

Wendy Larry and Beth sport orange for a day in support of Pat’s 1000th victory. (Photo Credit William Ewart)”

Nikki Caldwell (UCLA) and Holly Warlick (Tennessee) did an amazing job with the event, which was hosted at the Tennessee Theatre.  Many past players were in attendance, and even Wendy Larry showed up decked out in orange.  This weekend went down in the books as one of the top 48-hour time spans in my stretch at the WBCA!

Back at the WBCA headquarters, I sat down with Kevin Weiberg, Chief Executive Officer of the
NCAA/NBA Youth Basketball Initiative.  We had incredible discussions about the youth basketball initiatives and about the WBCA’s involvement with the training and education of coaches.  We also talked about the overarching mission of the initiative, which is such a proactive effort to keep our sport healthy and vibrant.  I look forward to seeing the wheels continue to turn on this project.

As I close, let me remind you that we have some great potential candidates for any open positions you might have in our interns or So You Want To Be A Coach participants.  If any of you are interested, please contact Stephanie Baron for more information. 

Also, do not forget that the WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll nomination forms are now online!

Thank you all for making the 2008-2009 season an unforgettable one!

Until next time…

Your CEO,

Beth Bass

Three years ago, prompted by requests from members, the Board of Director approved a change to the membership cycle that puts everyone on the same start and end date (Sept. 1 to Aug, 31). We have worked to get everyone moved to this new cycle, and in June, the WBCA staff will begin billing for the upcoming year accordingly. We hope that this shift, first, makes it easier to remember when to renew (it follows the traditional school calendar) and, second, streamlines the process for approval and payment processing for multiple members at a single institution.

We want to take a minute to thank you for being a part of the WBCA community. Going forward, please consider how important it is to find those few extra dollars – either in your professional development budgets or in your own pocket – to remain engaged in the WBCA. With athletics programs increasingly in danger due to budget cuts and all of us looking at how we can do more with fewer resources, we can, I believe, only secure our individual and collective future and reach new heights of success by working together.

Also, know that both staff and leadership see this time as an opportunity to evaluate how the WBCA can continue to keep costs low for our membership while also creating value across all segments – from professional to collegiate to high school coaches.

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Attention! Check out the WBCA bookstore where you'll find the new release Coaching Basketball Technical and Tactical Skills, plus other must-have basketball resources from the American Sport Education Program and Human Kinetics.

Click here to visit the WBCA bookstore.

North Carolina's Hatchell enters SC sports hall
Hatchell was among the newest -- and busiest -- inductees to the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame honored this month.

Fourteen of the nation's best college athletes named as finalists for 2009 USA Basketball
Following three days of trials at the U.S. Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball announced 14 finalists for the 2009 USA Women's World University Games Team. The finalists were selected by the USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe, the NCAA Vice President for Division I Women's Basketball.

The 2009 USA World University Games Team finalists roster includes four two-time USA gold medalists in Jayne Appel (Stanford / Kansas City, Mo.), Jantel Lavender (Ohio State / Cleveland, Ohio), Maya Moore (Connecticut / Lawrenceville, Ga.) and Kayla Pedersen (Stanford / Fountain Hills, Ariz.); as well as USA gold medalists Tina Charles (Connecticut / Jamaica, N.Y.), Tiffany Hayes (Connecticut / Lakeland, Fla.) and Ashley Houts (Georgia / Trenton, Ga.). Rounding out the finalists roster are Alexis Gray-Lawson (California / Oakland, Calif.); Whitney Hand (Oklahoma / Fort Worth, Texas); Danielle McCray (Kansas / Olathe, Kan.); Jacinta Monroe (Florida State / Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.); Ta'Shia Phillips (Xavier / Indianapolis, Ind.); Jeanette Pohlen (Stanford / Brea, Calif.); and Danielle Robinson (Oklahoma / San Jose, Calif.).

Western Carolina names Middleton as new coach
Western Carolina has named Illinois assistant Karen Middleton as its next women's basketball coach. Middleton takes over for Kellie Harper, a former Tennessee standout who last month was named the late Kay Yow's successor at North Carolina State.

Discover not renewing WNBA deal
The WNBA lost one of its biggest sponsors in Discover Financial Services, as the credit card company opted not to renew with the league after its three-year agreement expired this spring.

Two-Time Olympian amd Seven-Time WNBA All-Star Prepares for Final Pro Season
Yolanda Griffith, signed to a free agent contract with the Indiana Fever last February, has announced that 2009 will be her final pro season. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, seven-time WNBA All-Star and a member of the WNBA’s All-Decade Team, Griffith will conclude a 13-year pro career that included two seasons in the American Basketball League.

Campbell to rejoin Big South
Campbell will leave the Atlantic Sun Conference for the Big South, earning full membership July 1, 2011. The Camels will continue to compete in the Atlantic Sun during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. Campbell was a founding member of the Big South.

Parker gives birth to first child
Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker has given birth to a baby girl. It is the first child for the WNBA's reigning MVP and rookie of the year and husband Shelden Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

FastDraw launches Online Store
A word about FastDraw from Coach Lindsay Gottlieb of UC Santa Barbara: Coaching a successful team in the women's game today is as much about preparation as it is about hustle or skill. I have found that in getting my players ready to execute at their highest level, there is NO BETTER product than FastDraw for diagramming plays.  Learn more about FastDraw at www.fastmodelsoftware.com

May 25, 2009
Memorial Day - WBCA Office Closed

May 27 – 30, 2009
BCA National Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.

June 1, 2009
DI Conference Captains Call (Noon ET)

June 12 – 13, 2009
Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Festivities

June 21-26, 2009
NCAA DI Women's Basketball Committee Summer Meeting - Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.

June 29, 2009
Deadline for Deadline for WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll Nominations

Attention! Still seeking a coach or camp assistant? Check out the career section by AthleticLink at WBCA.org.

As you have coaching changes, please keep the WBCA informed.

Attention! So are you looking for your next assistant coach?

If you have a coaching vacancy, WBCA’s So You Want To Be A Coach participants are the best place to start. For participants’ contact information, please contact Stephanie Baron.

For information regarding these dates, the WBCA, or any of the WBCA programs,
please contact:
WBCA
4646 Lawrenceville Highway
Lilburn, GA 30047
(770) 279-8027 :: Office
(770) 279-8473 :: Fax
wbca@wbca.org