Freshmen were not eligible to play at that time. His first two teams at UCLA were National Champs going 30-0 each year. His junior year, they beat Memphis State in the championship game with Walton going for 44 points on 21-22 from the field. And realize the rules outlawed the dunk- so they were all shots at the basket.
Podsednik had an interesting perspective on winning. He had been part of the 2005 World Champion team, but had also been part of the some bad teams in different cities during his career. His perspective is that the best way to learn what it takes to win, is to be part of losing team and part of winning teams. In his mind, when you see the contrast, you realize what the critical ingredients are to winning.
He talked about three key ingredients for winning teams. The following is my analysis of his three ingredients:
I want to conclude this series by sharing two last messages from Coach Taylor Jackson (Sterling) and from Coach Kimberly Barth (Washington). In these two passages, they address some of their motivations to coach. I found both their messages extremely inspiring. Both of these women have passion for basketball and their players, both are great role models to their players, and both are VERY talented, knowledgeable, and effective basketball coaches.
At Galesburg HS, I started out as boys cross country coach, boys track coach, and assistant boys basketball coach. I had quit boys basketball after three years for various reasons, mainly an unhappiness with the new boys head coach. In the summer of 1977, I was called in and recruited to coach girls basketball. The principal said,"You played college basketball, and you have a laid back personality that will be good working with girls." Later I found out the last coach had been unhappy with inequities in pay and facility use. She had gone in for a meeting with a tape recorder. Things regressed and the administration wanted to move on. I became the girls basketball coach. The administration had someone who wouldn't make waves.
Recruiting Coaches
I believe there is a tremendous value of having female coaches for our female athletes. I did not have many female coaches growing up but you can see the positive impact of females having the opportunity to be coached by strong female coaches. We are seeing it play out in colleges across the nation as some of the top female coaches are having tremendous success from Lisa Bluder to Dawn Staley to Lindsay Gottlieb and Niele Ivey (some of my personal favorites). These women represent all that women can be and that it doesn't have to look the same for each coach just like basketball doesn't have to look the same for each player that plays.
I believe there is a lot of validity to the idea that representation matters. When our players see female coaches, they see women who are passionate, motivated, driven leaders. They can be strong and powerful and also be vulnerable and emotional. It is important for our girls to also see this in women and it is a great opportunity through having female coaches.
I really appreciate these coaches taking the time to answer my questions. They are eight coaches that I have tremendous respect for!!
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COACH? AND HOW DID PEOPLE REACT TO YOU AS A FEMALE COACH?
Question- Why did you decide to go into coaching? I loved the sport and love kids. I also had many great role models throughout my life that instilled the love of the game that I wanted to share with others.
HISTORY OF FEMALES COACHING GIRLS BASKETBALL IN ILLINOIS
My sense is that in Illinois, coaching girls basketball has gone thru four phases. Obviously not every school was the same, but in general this is what I feel happened.
Phase 1- "If we have to have girls sports, find someone to fill it." Initially often women PE teachers were asked or told to coach the basketball teams (and all the sports). Some of these women may not have had the opportunity to have played the sport before, but they were excited for females to have the opportunity.
JUST CLICK ON HERE!!!
This is the “team picture” from my retirement party. We had players from 1978 and 2024. From Washington DC, Colorado, Chicago, St.Louis, and Carbondale- thanks for coming back. Looking at this picture- we could put together a pretty good team with this group of players!!
It has essays that I wrote on System Basketball, interviews with System coaches, and articles written about the Streaks teams who ran the System.
Too often as coaches, we act as if a player is either a leader or not a leader. We design drills in practice to help players become better shooters, better screeners, and better defenders. Why shouldn’t we be using practice to help players become better leaders? What Boston was doing was not complicated and not difficult- with practice any player could do this.
When things are going bad, too many players become self-absorbed or filled with self-pity. In this situation, Boston stepped out of herself and thought “team first.”
In practice would it work to have 3 seniors or 3 captains, have a “leadership task?” Maybe it as simple as each coach takes one “leader” and instructs them that they are to 5 times in practice purposely on the sideline when out of drills or on the court during a drill give a specific assigned player 10-20 seconds of “coaching.” It can be physically reaching out and giving them a fist bump, giving them praise, giving them some tips, or giving them tough love. Then after practice that “leader” needs to talk to their assistant coach- debrief and describe what they did and what they could have done better.
The objective would be to work on specific leadership behaviors in practice vs yelling at the players during halftime to step up as leaders. Train ball handling, shooting, and LEADERSHIP!!
And players don’t need to have this organized by a coach. A player could set out a “leadership goal” in each practice. Maybe it is a senior recognizing a sophomore on the varsity is lacking confidence. So the senior could set out to make sure to give the sophomore 5 fist bumps, encouragements, praises, etc. Then after practice, reflect on the specific examples of leadership and evaluate yourself. And it doesn’t have to be a senior- any player can work on their leadership.
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In basketball, culture evolves around several things-
1- How players treat each other.
2- How players feel about the team in general and how important the team is to them.
3- Players belief in the coaches and desire to be coached.
4- How players approach practice.
5- How players approach competing.
6- How players handle winning and losing.
A coach can guide and encourage players behavior, and then a coach can reinforce positive behaviors. But it is the players who create the culture with their behaviors. While each team is unique in some ways, often the culture is passed down from one team to the next. Individuals and teams have the ability to add onto the existing culture and to make the culture stronger.
After I respond by saying I really can’t decide, they precede to tell me who the greatest player of all-time is, or who the starting five would be. And it is not unusual for them to also tell me who the best GHS team of all-time is. While appreciate their interest in Streaks girls basketball, many of the people who give me their answers are people who probably have watched maybe ten years of GHS basketball.
For me as the coach, I have a bunch of all-time favorite teams and I have a bunch of all-time starting fives. When it comes to all-time best GHS player- it is obvious to me who the all-time best player has been. While I know a coach should not share their opinion, I am willing to tell you who I think is the all-time best GHS girls basketball player!!
2024 Streaks gave me a wonderful book filled with pictures from the last 46 years of Streaks Basketball. It is as thoughtful and as meaningful of a gift as anyone could possibly give me. Thanks to the 2024 Streaks for your thoughtfulness!!!
Several years ago I was at a get together and fell into a conversation with a man who had played football at Galesburg High School in the 1950’s. He asked me what the girls basketball players did in the summer. It was a conversation I was somewhat hesitant to delve into, I anticipated he would be critical of the amount of summer activities I had organized for the girls. To my surprise, his reaction was the opposite. He said,”I am glad you have them doing a lot, it seems like too many teenagers just sit around today.”
Massey- What are your plans for next year?
Kiarra- I will be attending Missouri S&T.
Massey- What made you pick Missouri S& T?
Alexis has important characteristics that made her a great basketball player and make her successful in everything she does-
Massey- Where will you be going to school next fall?
Massey- Why did you pick Sandburg?
Antonia- I picked this school to continue my basketball career and to get started with my college education at a low cost.
