September 25, 2024 • 31 mins
Sydney Wiese was announced this summer as an assistant coach back at her alma mater of Oregon State.
She also recently announced her retirement from a phenomenal and lengthy playing career. Sydney joins Mark Schindler to discuss her past few months, decision to step away from playing, excitement for coaching, how the opportunity came about, and much more!
You can listen to the pod on
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/theyve-got-now/id1652378572
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eTVgaVudBvS9yox3XbgGX?si=16a02c3ea75942e8
You can watch the pod on https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSPW9eR1D5GWBw1lRpM8qTDSlliwbGp8J&si=rX7RfQZmuB6XAa3T
As always, a major thank you to James Edwards III for the intro and outro music! If you have not already, follow Mark on Twitter @MG_Schindler and be sure to rate and review the pod! Send any questions, comments, or feedback Mark's way, and enjoy the show.
She also recently announced her retirement from a phenomenal and lengthy playing career. Sydney joins Mark Schindler to discuss her past few months, decision to step away from playing, excitement for coaching, how the opportunity came about, and much more!
You can listen to the pod on
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/theyve-got-now/id1652378572
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eTVgaVudBvS9yox3XbgGX?si=16a02c3ea75942e8
You can watch the pod on https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSPW9eR1D5GWBw1lRpM8qTDSlliwbGp8J&si=rX7RfQZmuB6XAa3T
As always, a major thank you to James Edwards III for the intro and outro music! If you have not already, follow Mark on Twitter @MG_Schindler and be sure to rate and review the pod! Send any questions, comments, or feedback Mark's way, and enjoy the show.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome to another episode that they've got now. I am
really excited to be joined today by someone who is
getting into well you've been in coaching, but getting into
your first start with D one, and that is Sidney.
Weice from over at Oregon State. Sidney, first and foremost,
how you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I am good. Thank you so much for having me
this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I've heard so many great things about your show, so
it's all me to be with you.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
So thank you so much for having me today, not.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Making me humble blush early on. I appreciate it. No,
I'm not gonna say the exact same thing about you.
I know, you know, we have some usual friends, and
I've heard a lot of great things about you, so
I'm excited to get you on. I think just in general,
in terms of looking at your career path, the last
couple of months, it's been pretty pretty wild and I
can't really imagine what that's been like for you. So
I want to start with that. I mean, in March,
(00:56):
you're finishing up playing over in Turkey, came over for
training camp with the Sun God, announced as an ac
with with Oregon State, your own water in July, and
officially retired from basketball two weeks ago, So like, how
do you even kind of condense what this last six
months has been for you, because that is that is
a lot of stuff all going on at the same time.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yes, if you would have told me in March that
I'd be here with you talking about being an assistant coach,
I would have been like, no, Like I'm I would
be overseas, I'd be I'm still playing. I'm a faith
based person and I think through prayer and just really
being discerning and listening, when this opportunity presented itself, it
(01:41):
just felt right to say yes for many reasons, and
so God moves fast sometimes, and so I was anticipating.
I was first anticipating being with the Sun for the
summer and playing in the w NBA, and then when
that didn't work out, I took some time off and
I told myself, Okay, like whenever my agent and I
were talking about overseas opportunities to play, and whenever I
(02:04):
would sign with an overseas team, then I'll get back
in the gym and get ready for that. And all
of the opportunities that he was face he was presenting
to me, it just none of them felt quite right.
And so when coach Rutt called me about being an
assistant coach, didn't say no right away, and so I
was like, let me, let me unpack this and pray
(02:25):
about this a little bit. And the more I thought
about it, the more I was like, this is what
I know I'm supposed to be doing. And so now
here we are back in core ballas and I'm so grateful.
I haven't I haven't doubted my decision at all, and
it's just been it's.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Been a blur, of course.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Like you said, the last six months have been crazy,
but it's been so much fun to be in this position.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I don't take it for granted.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
And I love being able to be in a position
where I can use all these experiences that I've been
able to have as a player and begin to give
them back into so and then to also learn about
this level of coaching as well.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
So it's been a lot of.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Fun, and I have great people around me that have
made the transition a lot easier.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Yeah. No, I love to hear that, and especially like
you kind of feel like you get to walk away
on your own terms a little bit too right and
transition to something new.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think that.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yeah, I think that was one thing, like when you
never like, is there ever a good time to stop
playing unless your body decides for you. And I didn't
want my body to decide for me. And I think
to have been able to play professionally in the w overseas,
I am very fortunate to have done so many things
(03:41):
as a basketball player and to reach the highest level
in many ways. And I think, as I was praying
about it, I it is a privilege to make the
decision too, to basically be able to make that choice,
but also transition so smoothly into like next thing, Like
I that's like it's rare and I do not take
it for granted, and so the timing again, it just
(04:04):
sort of felt right, of course, Like I think what
also helps is I'm still like I still get to
call the gym the office every day, Like I'm still
in the gym in some capacity, and I still get
to be around the game. And so that's been also
I think has made the transition easy as well, because
like it's shifted, but like I'm not totally separate from
the game of basketball.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
No, absolutely. I think it's so interesting too because I
know so many you know, former players are kind of
when they're getting out and trying to figure out what's next,
they get into coaching sort of by accident. It feels
like that's something that you know, this has been a
little not planned, is wrong with put it, but it
feels like this is more like, you know, something you
really want to do getting into coaching. I know you
started off doing some stuff in high school when you
were recovering from injuries the last couple of years, did
(04:48):
you ever, but like you mentioned off top, though, you
kind of really didn't see yourself being in this spot.
Was that something that you were just kind of doing
it the past time a little bit so what it
was like, but now you're just you're kind of sold
on it.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Well, I think that it was my first taste of like, oh,
I think I love coaching because I'm a pretty one
track mind person and playing has been that track since
I started when I was a kid, and I had
goals and aspirations to just like make it as a
basketball player, and so I always struggled and I sort
of felt self conscious, like when people would ask like,
(05:20):
what are you gonna do when you're done playing? And
I'm like, I don't know, because I'm still playing, like
I'm still trying to play, and it requires everything of me,
like my full attention, my full focus. Like I it's
tough for me to be future oriented sometimes because I'm
so focused on like, how can I do what I'm
doing right now super well?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
And so as a player, when.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
I was trying to navigate all of that, I didn't
have the time that it required to sort of like
dip my toes into other professions. Like I always knew
basketball playing was going to end, but I was like,
but I'm still doing it now, so I can't like
I'll cross that brands with the time pumps and I
trust that timing and so thankfully, like tearing my aco
was honestly one of the biggest blessings of my life
(06:03):
because it gave me that window to try other things
because I couldn't play, and so I did commentating and
I did coaching, and I was able to really establish
like I enjoy commentating, but I love coaching, and I
to feel that for the first time it made me super.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Excited and hopeful that like, Okay.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Whenever I am done playing, I know that I have
something that I genuinely love and I love the opportunity,
whatever it's going to look like. I didn't know if
it would be at Oregon State like it is now,
if it was going to be at the high school level,
whatever it would be, but I knew, like I loved
how it felt when I was able to try it
at the high school level, and so that.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Was my first taste of it being in that position.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
No, that's that's awesome that you were able to have that,
and like you said, kind of having it being a
blessing disguise a little bit and having that injury because
obviously it sucks. But I think people don't recognize. And
one of the things I always try and do in
just like writing or anything, is like, dude, being an athlete,
it is you know less than five percent of the
stuff happening on court in a game, and I think
(07:05):
so often people who and I'm like, I don't blame
people for it, but if you're not in and around
it all the time, I don't think people realize how
much goes into being ready to play a game, and
so what you do to fill your time outside of that.
You know, whenever I do like draft prep or anything,
talking with you know, players who are coming into the
next level. Like, the biggest thing you're gonna have to
learn when you're coming from being a college athlete is
(07:26):
everything isn't structured for you. Everything is you have to
learn how to be a person outside of basketball in
some ways, and that's really difficult for a lot of people.
I think that's one of the biggest things that people
struggle with and find in consistency in day to day
is like when everything isn't set up for you, how
do you kind of figure out what your life is
supposed to look like when basketball can't be every waking moment.
(07:49):
So it's yeah, it's just like a very different thing
that I think, you know, until you kind of go
through it a little bit, people don't. You don't really
recognize what that's going to look like.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
Yeah, I think what I there's a lot of people
who are way better than I am. Like, I know,
I would have teammates when I was playing in LA,
Like I had teammates that were going to practice and
then they're onto their next business thing or like a
sponsorship meeting or whatever whatever they had on the docket,
And I said, that is amazing for them. I am
(08:18):
just trying to figure out how to be the best
basketball player, the best teammate I can be, and so
it took me a lot more effort to just manage
I think wanting to play the game super well. But
I think what has now helped me is knowing like
I put everything I had into playing, Like there is
no doubt in my mind, no regrets in my mind
(08:40):
of like I poured everything that I had into being
the best I could be as a basketball player. And
so now as I transition away from actually playing, I
know there's no regrets on my end, there's no doubts
in my mind of like I've I have been able
to surpass even like when I got to the league,
Like my first couple of weeks of training camp when
(09:01):
I was a rookie, I was like, Okay, this was
my goal, but now what do I.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Do with it?
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Like like I want to do something with being a pro,
and I didn't know what it looked like. And so
I think just being present every moment and then the
people that you're led to. I think that's been the
biggest thing for me, is like I've had mentors along
the way, I've had amazing teammates, and then being able
to play overseas, Like you just build so many.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Cool relationships that.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
As you're going through different parts of your playing career
now post playing career, those don't change, like they.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Sort of evolve with you.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
And like it's just like a web of connections that
you never know where people are going to lead you.
And so I'm really grateful that the game continues to
connect me to amazing individuals and it gives me opportunities
to experience different things in life that without playing or
without being around the game of basketball, like I wouldn't
have those opportunities.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, no, I love that perspective. I think that's such
a great point. Like so much of it is you
build these relationships and you just I never know where
they're going to take you sometimes, like people that you
meet a half decade ago, or somebody that you end
up you know, it's it's a one off, but then
you end up running into them and they become a
pretty significant part of your life a couple of years
down the road. Like it's it's interesting the way that
stuff works out sometimes, I think, like especially once you
(10:15):
get to the higher level, like basketball is so interconnected,
it's it's a little wild. You can't go anywhere without
running into somebody, which is a blessing and a curse
in some ways. But I wanted to backtrack a little
bit too, because obviously you mentioned, you know, getting the
call from Scott about you know, coming over and making
this happen. How did that come about? Because I've been like,
you know, like sifting through trying to see like how
(10:36):
did this start where you know, how did you kind
of first get the engling this was going to happen,
And what was that initial conversation with Scott?
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Like, yeah, he We've stayed in touch since I've graduated.
He's like a second well he's like a father figure
to me, like a second dad to me, And so
we've stayed in touch throughout the years, and each time
that there'd be a coaching position open, he would call
me and just like offer it quote unquote, but like
I think he knew and I knew like no, like
(11:04):
I'm I was in the midst of like navigating playing
Like I said, I was just so focused on like
I'm in it right now, I'm trying to figure it out,
not now, you know, not yet. Sometimes I would like
I would tell him often like not yet, you know,
but still not really anticipating, like who knew. I didn't
know if it would ever lead to me actually joining
the staff. And then when he called, it was just
(11:27):
like a check and call. It started as a check
in call, and then he just said like, hey, I'd
love to have you on staff, you know, similar to
like in the past of like there's an opening, so
if you if you want to take it, like you know.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Think about it.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
But the tone of this call was a little bit different,
and I felt it a little bit differently. I think
just because of my own personal journey and what I've
been through to sort of I think create that space
of feeling like I think I could say yes this
time because in the past, I just didn't feel I
had my own stuff that I was trying to do.
But I think this time I felt like I didn't
(12:05):
have the capacity to actually be of service and help others,
because I think sometimes when you're doing what you're trying
to do as a professional athlete, in some cases it's
pretty selfish, Like it is a very selfish path because
you're like, in order to play at the highest level,
we all have our ways of preparing for that, and
it takes up a lot of time, and so again
(12:26):
shout out to all my teammates who are are parents
and like are taking care of others along the way,
because I know for me, like what it required for
me to do my job in that five percent, like
when the lights are on, it was so much.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
And so this.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Time when he offered that the opportunity to come and
join the staff, I felt in my heart like one,
if I'm being honest, like I'm not. My heart isn't
in it as a player as much anymore. So I
don't want to disrespect the game or my teammates by
not giving it my all the way that it requires
and the amount of work that I know I need
(13:02):
to do my job well. And then too, I felt
like I with all these experiences, with everything that I've
learned as a player, I felt like I was at
a legitimate point of like, I think I can use
those to really help others, And my heart feels more
lit up by that than wanting to continue to pursue
playing and whatever that would look like. So I think
(13:23):
that initial phone call was just like, hey, checking in. Also,
we have an opening, what do you think And I
was like, well, I actually think I'm going to think
about it this time.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
That's awesome. A couple of things off that first, like
mentioning that you know that he would check in every
once in a while and like, hey, you know, we
have an opening, you know if you if you are interested.
That reminds me of I did a story on the
Sun when they built their new staff out around Stephanie
White shen Rizzotti had been trying to get had basically
(13:54):
been letting breon January know that she was going to
come back and coach for her someday before she even
came and played in Connecticut, Like, you know, She's like,
you know, you're you know, as soon as you're retire,
I'm going to make sure you have a position wherever.
And you know, Rihanna was like, I don't want that.
I don't want to be a coach. It's not going
to happen. And well and behold now she is like
one of the rising coaches in the w which is
(14:15):
to anybody who knows Brown, that's like not surprising at all.
But yeah, So it's just it's funny the way that
some of the stuff works out. I feel like sometimes
the people who, uh, you don't see your rise on
what you do are are most in tune to what
you could do in the future then, more so than
even we are in some ways. So it's kind of
interesting that works.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Out absolutely, I think, and I told when I decided,
yes this is I'm going to do this, I told Scott,
I said, I really do appreciate you like continuing to
think of me, like even if it wasn't like if
I wasn't ready or if you didn't actually mean it,
like offering like throughout those years of like, hey, there's
(14:53):
an opening, what do you think it meant something of
like he was at least thinking of because what if
I would have said yes, you know, I would have
been on staff then so it was serious in a
lot of ways, Like he wasn't just like blowing smoke
at all. And so I think that has meant a
lot to me of there's a belief there, like there's
(15:14):
a belief that I could be of service on a
coaching staff in some capacity. Of course, there's so many
things to learn, but I think just obviously the history
of being an Oregon State basketball player, knowing the university,
I'm now working with one of my former teammates as well,
and so that's such a cool dynamic because like when
(15:35):
we're recruiting, like we were just being genuine, like we
can talk from our experiences as teammates, and then now
working with Scott, like I was coached by Aman and
our other man on staff. He was our assistant coach too,
so it's like it's built for me to also feel
comfortable to ask questions as I'm learning. And so those
years of him offering like putting it on the table
(15:57):
and just keeping the door open like that meant a
lot to me once I finally reached this point of
like I'm going to open the door now and I'm
gonna step through.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Yeah. I want to backtrack again too, because just to
elaborate on a little bit you mentioned, you know, feeling
like your heart wasn't in playing to the same level anymore.
Can you kind of expand on that, because that's something
that I went through a little bit, and I again
I think for people who haven't gone through that, it's
just it's a very uncomfortable feeling when you like because
like for reference, I had I had my playing crew
(16:26):
kind of shut down a little bit early. I had
I had a heart injury. It was like, you know,
the just kind of thing derails things a little bit.
And I tried to come back after you know, I'd
done all the rehabilitation stuff I needed to, and I
was just like, man, I just I don't know if
I can put in the work I was anymore. Or
it's like you can, you know you can, but it's
like I don't really want to. After I'm out of
(16:49):
it for a little bit, Like you know, it's kind
of like nice not having to do this. So how
do you you know, what was that like for you?
How'd you kind of come to terms with that?
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah, I when I was rehabbing, so I tore my
ACL March of twenty twenty two, and it was a
longer rehab process than I anticipated, and so I wanted
to quit.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
When I was in.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Rehab, I was like, I'm I've done it all in
my book, Like I'm cool.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Rehab sucks. I don't know, it's actually.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
The worst, and like you feel like you have to
do something every day or your body hurts like you
have to and so it's exhausting and like physically, mentally, emotionally,
the little wins you learn to celebrate, but there are
days where you're like I just I don't know if
am I ever going to be able to like move
(17:39):
the way I want to again, And so there's a
lot of doubts that you're wrestling when you're going through
a long rehab process like that. But thankfully the people
around me, I would not have played again without their
encouragement and their belief and through prayer and just thinking like, Okay,
it's pretty clear, like I know I'm supposed to continue
to play, and I'm so grateful that I did because
(18:01):
I was able to prove like my body could get
through a season healthy.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
I got my foot back in the door with a
w and that was enough for me.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Like I think during rehab, I still like being in
the gym, was still like breathing, Like I loved being
able to go and shoot. I love being able to
do basketball workouts. That was like the reward for all
the rehab work that you do to get to that point.
And then but that process and then playing a full
season and then the mental physical prep for another training camp,
(18:33):
and then training camp is the worst. I cannot stand
training camp because it's every days a tryout and every
day you're being evaluated every movement that you make. You
just feel like it matters, and it does, but it's
like a different level of exhaustion when you get to
the end of it, because you're just like fighting to
prove yourself again and again and again. And so when
(18:54):
I didn't make the team, there was no bad blood
by any means. I think that's when I just was like,
I'm tired and and I'm going to take a break
from being in the gym. And then like till this day,
I have not missed being in the gym. Like it's
almost like my heart just sort of shut down that
component of my life.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
And there's really no.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Words to it, like you said, like I can't explain
it either, because like now, when my agent was presenting
me opportunities to play overseas, I'm finally healthy, Like I
just made it through two years of rehab and you know,
played in Turkey successfully, was in the W a W
training camp. Like now the momentum is there, so it
would make sense to like build off that momentum and Okay,
(19:34):
we're going to go overseas and now the W is expanding,
so there's gonna be more opportunities to play. And it
was still like I know I'm not supposed to play yeah,
and I'm okay. I I had to ask myself, like
do I have peace? Because when Scott also presented the opportunity,
he said, you can do both, Like I'm not trying
to say stop playing basketball, like try it out. If
(19:55):
you like it, you know, well we can go from there.
But if if it's not for you, you can go
back and play in the W next summer. Like I'm
not trying to take away playing from you by any means.
I again, because I'm so one track minded and because
this job, being a D one assistant coach coach in general,
it requires everything, and so I couldn't do I know
(20:16):
I can't do both. And because of where my heart
was already at as a basketball player, I was like,
I don't want to disrespect the game, and it's just
it's not functioning the same. It's not the same to me.
It's almost like as I've transformed, the game of basketball
is also transformed, like what it once was to me
is now coming alive in a different way through like
(20:38):
the lens of these student athletes that it gets help.
It's like the craziest transition that I'm so grateful for
because they're really there's been peace the whole time. There
hasn't been like a wrestling match of Like, I think
I still want to play, because if I had any ounce,
if I still want to play, I'd still be playing.
But it's it's like a different lifetime, a past life
where I was a basketball player, even though it was
(20:58):
like three months ago.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
No, I appreciate you sharing that because I think it's
so fascinating again because like when you're growing up, you
don't really think about it. You're like, oh, well, everybody
should be able to play until their mid thirties. Now
I'm like, that is the exception, not the norm. Dude.
Like I can't even imagine. Like I'm twenty seven and
I wake up and I'm like I have to stretch
for like forty minutes before I feel like fully good
(21:20):
and like ready for a day. I'm like, what does
that look like in four years? Like how do I know?
I can imagine? That's only worse. Like it's just I mean,
like my girlfriend was withiting the other day and we
went to just go play tennis, and like, I mean
I'm still like athletic or whatever, but I'm like, dude,
I have to like because she's she's like twenty three.
(21:41):
So I was like, all right, dude, well I got
to warm up. She's like, no, let's go. I'm like, no,
I have to warm up because if I don't warm up,
something bad could happen here. So like, let's let's be careful.
But exactly, like it's just it's it's so it's so
interesting you all thinking about those things as you get
older that you don't necessarily think about when you know,
when you're when you're in college, when you're like kind
(22:03):
of getting into that stuff. Transitioning to talking now about
being at OSU though it's so different too, going from
like okay, absolutely you know what it's like to be
a player in Corvallis, but you know, how what has
it been like kind of getting a feel for your
role as a coach and you know, figuring out what
that is on the fly. And I'm sure Scott has
done a great job of, you know, elaborating things out
(22:24):
is a very structured place, but like I know, a
lot of that is kind of like you just have
to find yourself in it. So what has that been
like for you so far?
Speaker 3 (22:33):
So I got hired in July and the next day
recruiting started, so like that was the evaluation period, Like
the big evaluation month for girls B ball is in July,
and so I was like, all right.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Diving into it.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
So I went to a tournament with one thousand teams
eighty five courts.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
That was my first day on the job.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
And I said, what no better way to start than
being completely immersed in like high school basketball again and
just getting a feel for.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
That component of it.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Because I I had a meeting with Scott before it
all started, and you know, I couldn't grasp and he
really reminded me like recruiting is like probably sixty five
percent of what we do.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
And I was so I was talking about like on
court this and blah blah blah, and he said, recruiting, recruiting.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
And so I'm grateful I started with recruiting because that
gave me a taste of like, okay, now when we start,
when I start to develop these relationships, I have seen
some of them and I can feel what that is
instead of just like being so I feel like I
would have rather started with that for sure than like
starting on the court with our team, because those relationships
(23:43):
the future matters, Like you're always trying to bring that
next class in and so it was helpful to start
in July. It was absolutely insane because it was like
weekends on the road. Corvallis for three days, weekends on
the road until like you get to August, and so
it was but I was led to so many and
it was also really cool to see coaches and friends
(24:05):
and people that I haven't seen for years on the
road and so developing those relationships. People were so helpful
and kind, and so it was like built in community
right away, like welcome, We're happy to have you. Here's like,
do you know a restaurant that you can go to,
Here's a snack bar that you can go to. These
are the times that you can take breaks because there's
games all day. And so I think being immersed in
(24:26):
recruiting has been super helpful for me because that is
something that like you just of course when you're a
college player, like you, recruits come to visit and you
talk to them, you get to know them a little bit,
but like the work that goes in behind the scenes,
that's not a college player's job, and so like that's
our job. So I got to really feel that early
and then I think our staff again so helpful, like
(24:49):
Scott Devin coach Eli, our director of operations a Libya,
and then we have a grat assistant Jared, And They've
all been together for years now, and I've had previous
relationships with the three like three other coaches, but they
have been so instrumental and just like all the little
nuances of like an onboarding hiring process and like a
(25:11):
living situation and all the.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Details that come with like I'm.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Moving, like I'm uprooting my life to come back here
and to become established again take some time just as
a person, but I have felt help every step of
the way. And then from a coaching standpoint, I think
I really tried to approach it with like listening, like
I'm listening, I'm learning the right questions to ask, and
just the things along.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
The way of.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
This is what this is what is necessary for this
part of the season. So like from a recruiting standpoint,
from okay, now we're going into more in season work,
so like preparing scouts, watching film, going to open gyms,
being on court, a practice plan. So there's like so
many other things behind the scenes, like we talked about earlier,
like the five percent that it is seen in the
(25:57):
light all the other stuff that goes on in the dark.
I'm used to that type of approach, but it's just
now new things that I'm pouring my attention and energy
to to get to game time. So I'm learning all
of those things from that coaching standpoint.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, no, absolutely, And I know you went Overseas two
for some scouting stuff as well, So like what is
you know again like getting into all of that, what
has that been like? And kind of getting used to
the travel, the travel for it. Cause, like, for reference,
i was talking to a friend of mine who's an
assistant coach and he was like, yeah, I'm just like
popping over for a quick trip to Australia. I'm like, dude,
there is no such thing as a quick trip to Australia.
(26:34):
That's like a quick trip is me, Like I live
in Cleveland. I'm like, a quick trip is me going
to Detroit for for a day. Like you know, it's
not a quick trip to take a twenty five hour flight,
but exactly, I mean like that's that's what the summer is.
So yeah, where we're I'm trying to think where because
you got hired after you seventeen stuff, right or was that?
Speaker 3 (26:56):
I mean I was at the I was at the
U sixteens to Turkey and Hungary.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
So I think with the travel, I'm used to that
in many ways because when I was in w you
travel all summer, and then when you go overseas, like
you go overseas, and then if you're on a euro
Cup or your elite team, like you're traveling to other
countries for quick trips, like hey, I'm in Italy, We're
going to take a quick trip to France. So like
it's I love that. I love the component of like
(27:24):
I can establish and like start to plant roots for
the first time since I graduated college. But I still
have to see the country, to see the world, to
be connected to people in the basketball world requires traveling.
And so when I went to Turkey, I was able
to see one of my teammates there in between like
tournament games and like connect with her and ask how
(27:46):
she's doing, and like have time with her face to face,
which is so like again it makes the world feel
so small. And then when I was in Budapest, my
former teammate. I played in Australia my first year overseas
and she's been playing in Hungary for the last two
three years, and so I told her, I was like, hey,
like I don't know where you're at and hungry, but
like I'll be in Budapest, and she was, and she
(28:06):
had just gotten to town, and so she made the
drive to come and have lunch with me too, And
I hadn't seen her since twenty eighteen, and so like,
of course, like, yeah, going to do her job, like
going to watch games and do what we're supposed to.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
But there is.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
There's some downtime occasionally where, like if you every time
I travel somewhere, I think to myself, who do I know?
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Do I know anybody in this city? Do I know
anybody in this country?
Speaker 3 (28:30):
And like that's such a crazy thing to even think about,
Like do I know anyone in this country? That's crazy.
So it's really cool to like have. I mean, part
of the job is traveling. So I am never going
to complain about traveling the world to watch kids play basketball.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Yeah, absolutely not. There's there's no complaints with that, especially
to you sixteen had good talents that was fun to watch.
But yes, yeah, to close out too, I mean just
in terms of like looking your head to this year.
What parts are you most excited about? I know, you
guys have a very competitive non con and it's going
to be I still like trying to wrap my head
around Oregon State and Washington State and the WCC. But
(29:10):
part of what's the saying about that too is like
I think it's gonna be a really fun convererce to
watch this in general, But like, you know, what are
you most looking forward to? And forty one days is
our first game, so yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Wow, Yeah, I think for me, the joy comes from
watching this team take take on their own path and
their journey and just how they're developing bonds and relationships
and like when the light bulb goes off on the
court and they're like they get concepts for the first time.
Like that's so fun to watch and see. And so
(29:42):
I think just might be a cliche answer, but honestly,
just like being able to watch this team come together
and like navigate it as a group and obviously will
help them with that, but it's theirs, like it's their
season and it's their experience that they get to cultivate together,
and so I'm really just excited to see, like from
when we started on court with them, and was it July,
(30:06):
July or August, so like when we get to March
and April, like what who? How their confidence has blossomed,
and how their relationships and their love for one another
has just become like on a completely different level. That
is only that only happens through time and going through
like real life stuff together. And so that was why
I wanted to come back and help and serve, because
(30:28):
our experience as a college athlete, like I want I
want young women to be able to experience what we
were able to feel, and the root of that is
love and connection and that's the beauty of a team
sport as well. So it's been it's been fun to
just see how they've grown since we've started and how
that's going to just continue to build as we go
(30:49):
through the course of.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
A basketball season. So that's what I'm the most excited for.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Yeah, I can't wait. It's going to be a wild
college season. If if anything's any communication, but lastly too,
if you know, if right now is any indication headband
is still coming on or headband just got it retired
now as.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Well headband is retired.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
This is what I wear on my day to day
it's not the same because obviously the headband would be
in the middle of the forehead.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
But yeah, this I just have.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Honestly, there's not even really a fun story with like
even this headband. It's just because I am lazy, so
like I just got to keep my hair out of
my face. But the forehead headband as of now is retired.
Salute headband gang.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
Good to know, but symbya, No, I really appreciate your time.
This was dope to catch up and need to know
you a little bit. To everyone watching and listening, of course,
keep up with all things Oregon State women's basketball. If
you haven't already, go subscribe. And also for people who
are listening not watching, City is wearing. I guess it's
technically a wrap instead of headband right now. My girlfriend
put me for that. But yeah, I thank you again
(31:54):
to everyone listening. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Welcome to another episode that they've got now. I am
really excited to be joined today by someone who is
getting into well you've been in coaching, but getting into
your first start with D one, and that is Sidney.
Weice from over at Oregon State. Sidney, first and foremost,
how you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I am good. Thank you so much for having me
this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I've heard so many great things about your show, so
it's all me to be with you.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
So thank you so much for having me today, not.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Making me humble blush early on. I appreciate it. No,
I'm not gonna say the exact same thing about you.
I know, you know, we have some usual friends, and
I've heard a lot of great things about you, so
I'm excited to get you on. I think just in general,
in terms of looking at your career path, the last
couple of months, it's been pretty pretty wild and I
can't really imagine what that's been like for you. So
I want to start with that. I mean, in March,
(00:56):
you're finishing up playing over in Turkey, came over for
training camp with the Sun God, announced as an ac
with with Oregon State, your own water in July, and
officially retired from basketball two weeks ago, So like, how
do you even kind of condense what this last six
months has been for you, because that is that is
a lot of stuff all going on at the same time.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yes, if you would have told me in March that
I'd be here with you talking about being an assistant coach,
I would have been like, no, Like I'm I would
be overseas, I'd be I'm still playing. I'm a faith
based person and I think through prayer and just really
being discerning and listening, when this opportunity presented itself, it
(01:41):
just felt right to say yes for many reasons, and
so God moves fast sometimes, and so I was anticipating.
I was first anticipating being with the Sun for the
summer and playing in the w NBA, and then when
that didn't work out, I took some time off and
I told myself, Okay, like whenever my agent and I
were talking about overseas opportunities to play, and whenever I
(02:04):
would sign with an overseas team, then I'll get back
in the gym and get ready for that. And all
of the opportunities that he was face he was presenting
to me, it just none of them felt quite right.
And so when coach Rutt called me about being an
assistant coach, didn't say no right away, and so I
was like, let me, let me unpack this and pray
(02:25):
about this a little bit. And the more I thought
about it, the more I was like, this is what
I know I'm supposed to be doing. And so now
here we are back in core ballas and I'm so grateful.
I haven't I haven't doubted my decision at all, and
it's just been it's.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Been a blur, of course.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Like you said, the last six months have been crazy,
but it's been so much fun to be in this position.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I don't take it for granted.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
And I love being able to be in a position
where I can use all these experiences that I've been
able to have as a player and begin to give
them back into so and then to also learn about
this level of coaching as well.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
So it's been a lot of.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Fun, and I have great people around me that have
made the transition a lot easier.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Yeah. No, I love to hear that, and especially like
you kind of feel like you get to walk away
on your own terms a little bit too right and
transition to something new.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think that.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yeah, I think that was one thing, like when you
never like, is there ever a good time to stop
playing unless your body decides for you. And I didn't
want my body to decide for me. And I think
to have been able to play professionally in the w overseas,
I am very fortunate to have done so many things
(03:41):
as a basketball player and to reach the highest level
in many ways. And I think, as I was praying
about it, I it is a privilege to make the
decision too, to basically be able to make that choice,
but also transition so smoothly into like next thing, Like
I that's like it's rare and I do not take
it for granted, and so the timing again, it just
(04:04):
sort of felt right, of course, Like I think what
also helps is I'm still like I still get to
call the gym the office every day, Like I'm still
in the gym in some capacity, and I still get
to be around the game. And so that's been also
I think has made the transition easy as well, because
like it's shifted, but like I'm not totally separate from
the game of basketball.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
No, absolutely. I think it's so interesting too because I
know so many you know, former players are kind of
when they're getting out and trying to figure out what's next,
they get into coaching sort of by accident. It feels
like that's something that you know, this has been a
little not planned, is wrong with put it, but it
feels like this is more like, you know, something you
really want to do getting into coaching. I know you
started off doing some stuff in high school when you
were recovering from injuries the last couple of years, did
(04:48):
you ever, but like you mentioned off top, though, you
kind of really didn't see yourself being in this spot.
Was that something that you were just kind of doing
it the past time a little bit so what it
was like, but now you're just you're kind of sold
on it.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Well, I think that it was my first taste of like, oh,
I think I love coaching because I'm a pretty one
track mind person and playing has been that track since
I started when I was a kid, and I had
goals and aspirations to just like make it as a
basketball player, and so I always struggled and I sort
of felt self conscious, like when people would ask like,
(05:20):
what are you gonna do when you're done playing? And
I'm like, I don't know, because I'm still playing, like
I'm still trying to play, and it requires everything of me,
like my full attention, my full focus. Like I it's
tough for me to be future oriented sometimes because I'm
so focused on like, how can I do what I'm
doing right now super well?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
And so as a player, when.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
I was trying to navigate all of that, I didn't
have the time that it required to sort of like
dip my toes into other professions. Like I always knew
basketball playing was going to end, but I was like,
but I'm still doing it now, so I can't like
I'll cross that brands with the time pumps and I
trust that timing and so thankfully, like tearing my aco
was honestly one of the biggest blessings of my life
(06:03):
because it gave me that window to try other things
because I couldn't play, and so I did commentating and
I did coaching, and I was able to really establish
like I enjoy commentating, but I love coaching, and I
to feel that for the first time it made me super.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Excited and hopeful that like, Okay.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Whenever I am done playing, I know that I have
something that I genuinely love and I love the opportunity,
whatever it's going to look like. I didn't know if
it would be at Oregon State like it is now,
if it was going to be at the high school level,
whatever it would be, but I knew, like I loved
how it felt when I was able to try it
at the high school level, and so that.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Was my first taste of it being in that position.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
No, that's that's awesome that you were able to have that,
and like you said, kind of having it being a
blessing disguise a little bit and having that injury because
obviously it sucks. But I think people don't recognize. And
one of the things I always try and do in
just like writing or anything, is like, dude, being an athlete,
it is you know less than five percent of the
stuff happening on court in a game, and I think
(07:05):
so often people who and I'm like, I don't blame
people for it, but if you're not in and around
it all the time, I don't think people realize how
much goes into being ready to play a game, and
so what you do to fill your time outside of that.
You know, whenever I do like draft prep or anything,
talking with you know, players who are coming into the
next level. Like, the biggest thing you're gonna have to
learn when you're coming from being a college athlete is
(07:26):
everything isn't structured for you. Everything is you have to
learn how to be a person outside of basketball in
some ways, and that's really difficult for a lot of people.
I think that's one of the biggest things that people
struggle with and find in consistency in day to day
is like when everything isn't set up for you, how
do you kind of figure out what your life is
supposed to look like when basketball can't be every waking moment.
(07:49):
So it's yeah, it's just like a very different thing
that I think, you know, until you kind of go
through it a little bit, people don't. You don't really
recognize what that's going to look like.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
Yeah, I think what I there's a lot of people
who are way better than I am. Like, I know,
I would have teammates when I was playing in LA,
Like I had teammates that were going to practice and
then they're onto their next business thing or like a
sponsorship meeting or whatever whatever they had on the docket,
And I said, that is amazing for them. I am
(08:18):
just trying to figure out how to be the best
basketball player, the best teammate I can be, and so
it took me a lot more effort to just manage
I think wanting to play the game super well. But
I think what has now helped me is knowing like
I put everything I had into playing, Like there is
no doubt in my mind, no regrets in my mind
(08:40):
of like I poured everything that I had into being
the best I could be as a basketball player. And
so now as I transition away from actually playing, I
know there's no regrets on my end, there's no doubts
in my mind of like I've I have been able
to surpass even like when I got to the league,
Like my first couple of weeks of training camp when
(09:01):
I was a rookie, I was like, Okay, this was
my goal, but now what do I.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Do with it?
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Like like I want to do something with being a pro,
and I didn't know what it looked like. And so
I think just being present every moment and then the
people that you're led to. I think that's been the
biggest thing for me, is like I've had mentors along
the way, I've had amazing teammates, and then being able
to play overseas, Like you just build so many.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Cool relationships that.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
As you're going through different parts of your playing career
now post playing career, those don't change, like they.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Sort of evolve with you.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
And like it's just like a web of connections that
you never know where people are going to lead you.
And so I'm really grateful that the game continues to
connect me to amazing individuals and it gives me opportunities
to experience different things in life that without playing or
without being around the game of basketball, like I wouldn't
have those opportunities.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, no, I love that perspective. I think that's such
a great point. Like so much of it is you
build these relationships and you just I never know where
they're going to take you sometimes, like people that you
meet a half decade ago, or somebody that you end
up you know, it's it's a one off, but then
you end up running into them and they become a
pretty significant part of your life a couple of years
down the road. Like it's it's interesting the way that
stuff works out sometimes, I think, like especially once you
(10:15):
get to the higher level, like basketball is so interconnected,
it's it's a little wild. You can't go anywhere without
running into somebody, which is a blessing and a curse
in some ways. But I wanted to backtrack a little
bit too, because obviously you mentioned, you know, getting the
call from Scott about you know, coming over and making
this happen. How did that come about? Because I've been like,
you know, like sifting through trying to see like how
(10:36):
did this start where you know, how did you kind
of first get the engling this was going to happen,
And what was that initial conversation with Scott?
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Like, yeah, he We've stayed in touch since I've graduated.
He's like a second well he's like a father figure
to me, like a second dad to me, And so
we've stayed in touch throughout the years, and each time
that there'd be a coaching position open, he would call
me and just like offer it quote unquote, but like
I think he knew and I knew like no, like
(11:04):
I'm I was in the midst of like navigating playing
Like I said, I was just so focused on like
I'm in it right now, I'm trying to figure it out,
not now, you know, not yet. Sometimes I would like
I would tell him often like not yet, you know,
but still not really anticipating, like who knew. I didn't
know if it would ever lead to me actually joining
the staff. And then when he called, it was just
(11:27):
like a check and call. It started as a check
in call, and then he just said like, hey, I'd
love to have you on staff, you know, similar to
like in the past of like there's an opening, so
if you if you want to take it, like you know.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Think about it.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
But the tone of this call was a little bit different,
and I felt it a little bit differently. I think
just because of my own personal journey and what I've
been through to sort of I think create that space
of feeling like I think I could say yes this
time because in the past, I just didn't feel I
had my own stuff that I was trying to do.
But I think this time I felt like I didn't
(12:05):
have the capacity to actually be of service and help others,
because I think sometimes when you're doing what you're trying
to do as a professional athlete, in some cases it's
pretty selfish, Like it is a very selfish path because
you're like, in order to play at the highest level,
we all have our ways of preparing for that, and
it takes up a lot of time, and so again
(12:26):
shout out to all my teammates who are are parents
and like are taking care of others along the way,
because I know for me, like what it required for
me to do my job in that five percent, like
when the lights are on, it was so much.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
And so this.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Time when he offered that the opportunity to come and
join the staff, I felt in my heart like one,
if I'm being honest, like I'm not. My heart isn't
in it as a player as much anymore. So I
don't want to disrespect the game or my teammates by
not giving it my all the way that it requires
and the amount of work that I know I need
(13:02):
to do my job well. And then too, I felt
like I with all these experiences, with everything that I've
learned as a player, I felt like I was at
a legitimate point of like, I think I can use
those to really help others, And my heart feels more
lit up by that than wanting to continue to pursue
playing and whatever that would look like. So I think
(13:23):
that initial phone call was just like, hey, checking in. Also,
we have an opening, what do you think And I
was like, well, I actually think I'm going to think
about it this time.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
That's awesome. A couple of things off that first, like
mentioning that you know that he would check in every
once in a while and like, hey, you know, we
have an opening, you know if you if you are interested.
That reminds me of I did a story on the
Sun when they built their new staff out around Stephanie
White shen Rizzotti had been trying to get had basically
(13:54):
been letting breon January know that she was going to
come back and coach for her someday before she even
came and played in Connecticut, Like, you know, She's like,
you know, you're you know, as soon as you're retire,
I'm going to make sure you have a position wherever.
And you know, Rihanna was like, I don't want that.
I don't want to be a coach. It's not going
to happen. And well and behold now she is like
one of the rising coaches in the w which is
(14:15):
to anybody who knows Brown, that's like not surprising at all.
But yeah, So it's just it's funny the way that
some of the stuff works out. I feel like sometimes
the people who, uh, you don't see your rise on
what you do are are most in tune to what
you could do in the future then, more so than
even we are in some ways. So it's kind of
interesting that works.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Out absolutely, I think, and I told when I decided,
yes this is I'm going to do this, I told Scott,
I said, I really do appreciate you like continuing to
think of me, like even if it wasn't like if
I wasn't ready or if you didn't actually mean it,
like offering like throughout those years of like, hey, there's
(14:53):
an opening, what do you think it meant something of
like he was at least thinking of because what if
I would have said yes, you know, I would have
been on staff then so it was serious in a
lot of ways, Like he wasn't just like blowing smoke
at all. And so I think that has meant a
lot to me of there's a belief there, like there's
(15:14):
a belief that I could be of service on a
coaching staff in some capacity. Of course, there's so many
things to learn, but I think just obviously the history
of being an Oregon State basketball player, knowing the university,
I'm now working with one of my former teammates as well,
and so that's such a cool dynamic because like when
(15:35):
we're recruiting, like we were just being genuine, like we
can talk from our experiences as teammates, and then now
working with Scott, like I was coached by Aman and
our other man on staff. He was our assistant coach too,
so it's like it's built for me to also feel
comfortable to ask questions as I'm learning. And so those
years of him offering like putting it on the table
(15:57):
and just keeping the door open like that meant a
lot to me once I finally reached this point of
like I'm going to open the door now and I'm
gonna step through.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Yeah. I want to backtrack again too, because just to
elaborate on a little bit you mentioned, you know, feeling
like your heart wasn't in playing to the same level anymore.
Can you kind of expand on that, because that's something
that I went through a little bit, and I again
I think for people who haven't gone through that, it's
just it's a very uncomfortable feeling when you like because
like for reference, I had I had my playing crew
(16:26):
kind of shut down a little bit early. I had
I had a heart injury. It was like, you know,
the just kind of thing derails things a little bit.
And I tried to come back after you know, I'd
done all the rehabilitation stuff I needed to, and I
was just like, man, I just I don't know if
I can put in the work I was anymore. Or
it's like you can, you know you can, but it's
like I don't really want to. After I'm out of
(16:49):
it for a little bit, Like you know, it's kind
of like nice not having to do this. So how
do you you know, what was that like for you?
How'd you kind of come to terms with that?
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah, I when I was rehabbing, so I tore my
ACL March of twenty twenty two, and it was a
longer rehab process than I anticipated, and so I wanted
to quit.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
When I was in.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Rehab, I was like, I'm I've done it all in
my book, Like I'm cool.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Rehab sucks. I don't know, it's actually.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
The worst, and like you feel like you have to
do something every day or your body hurts like you
have to and so it's exhausting and like physically, mentally, emotionally,
the little wins you learn to celebrate, but there are
days where you're like I just I don't know if
am I ever going to be able to like move
(17:39):
the way I want to again, And so there's a
lot of doubts that you're wrestling when you're going through
a long rehab process like that. But thankfully the people
around me, I would not have played again without their
encouragement and their belief and through prayer and just thinking like, Okay,
it's pretty clear, like I know I'm supposed to continue
to play, and I'm so grateful that I did because
(18:01):
I was able to prove like my body could get
through a season healthy.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
I got my foot back in the door with a
w and that was enough for me.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Like I think during rehab, I still like being in
the gym, was still like breathing, Like I loved being
able to go and shoot. I love being able to
do basketball workouts. That was like the reward for all
the rehab work that you do to get to that point.
And then but that process and then playing a full
season and then the mental physical prep for another training camp,
(18:33):
and then training camp is the worst. I cannot stand
training camp because it's every days a tryout and every
day you're being evaluated every movement that you make. You
just feel like it matters, and it does, but it's
like a different level of exhaustion when you get to
the end of it, because you're just like fighting to
prove yourself again and again and again. And so when
(18:54):
I didn't make the team, there was no bad blood
by any means. I think that's when I just was like,
I'm tired and and I'm going to take a break
from being in the gym. And then like till this day,
I have not missed being in the gym. Like it's
almost like my heart just sort of shut down that
component of my life.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
And there's really no.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Words to it, like you said, like I can't explain
it either, because like now, when my agent was presenting
me opportunities to play overseas, I'm finally healthy, Like I
just made it through two years of rehab and you know,
played in Turkey successfully, was in the W a W
training camp. Like now the momentum is there, so it
would make sense to like build off that momentum and Okay,
(19:34):
we're going to go overseas and now the W is expanding,
so there's gonna be more opportunities to play. And it
was still like I know I'm not supposed to play yeah,
and I'm okay. I I had to ask myself, like
do I have peace? Because when Scott also presented the opportunity,
he said, you can do both, Like I'm not trying
to say stop playing basketball, like try it out. If
(19:55):
you like it, you know, well we can go from there.
But if if it's not for you, you can go
back and play in the W next summer. Like I'm
not trying to take away playing from you by any means.
I again, because I'm so one track minded and because
this job, being a D one assistant coach coach in general,
it requires everything, and so I couldn't do I know
(20:16):
I can't do both. And because of where my heart
was already at as a basketball player, I was like,
I don't want to disrespect the game, and it's just
it's not functioning the same. It's not the same to me.
It's almost like as I've transformed, the game of basketball
is also transformed, like what it once was to me
is now coming alive in a different way through like
(20:38):
the lens of these student athletes that it gets help.
It's like the craziest transition that I'm so grateful for
because they're really there's been peace the whole time. There
hasn't been like a wrestling match of Like, I think
I still want to play, because if I had any ounce,
if I still want to play, I'd still be playing.
But it's it's like a different lifetime, a past life
where I was a basketball player, even though it was
(20:58):
like three months ago.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
No, I appreciate you sharing that because I think it's
so fascinating again because like when you're growing up, you
don't really think about it. You're like, oh, well, everybody
should be able to play until their mid thirties. Now
I'm like, that is the exception, not the norm. Dude.
Like I can't even imagine. Like I'm twenty seven and
I wake up and I'm like I have to stretch
for like forty minutes before I feel like fully good
(21:20):
and like ready for a day. I'm like, what does
that look like in four years? Like how do I know?
I can imagine? That's only worse. Like it's just I mean,
like my girlfriend was withiting the other day and we
went to just go play tennis, and like, I mean
I'm still like athletic or whatever, but I'm like, dude,
I have to like because she's she's like twenty three.
(21:41):
So I was like, all right, dude, well I got
to warm up. She's like, no, let's go. I'm like, no,
I have to warm up because if I don't warm up,
something bad could happen here. So like, let's let's be careful.
But exactly, like it's just it's it's so it's so
interesting you all thinking about those things as you get
older that you don't necessarily think about when you know,
when you're when you're in college, when you're like kind
(22:03):
of getting into that stuff. Transitioning to talking now about
being at OSU though it's so different too, going from
like okay, absolutely you know what it's like to be
a player in Corvallis, but you know, how what has
it been like kind of getting a feel for your
role as a coach and you know, figuring out what
that is on the fly. And I'm sure Scott has
done a great job of, you know, elaborating things out
(22:24):
is a very structured place, but like I know, a
lot of that is kind of like you just have
to find yourself in it. So what has that been
like for you so far?
Speaker 3 (22:33):
So I got hired in July and the next day
recruiting started, so like that was the evaluation period, Like
the big evaluation month for girls B ball is in July,
and so I was like, all right.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Diving into it.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
So I went to a tournament with one thousand teams
eighty five courts.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
That was my first day on the job.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
And I said, what no better way to start than
being completely immersed in like high school basketball again and
just getting a feel for.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
That component of it.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Because I I had a meeting with Scott before it
all started, and you know, I couldn't grasp and he
really reminded me like recruiting is like probably sixty five
percent of what we do.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
And I was so I was talking about like on
court this and blah blah blah, and he said, recruiting, recruiting.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
And so I'm grateful I started with recruiting because that
gave me a taste of like, okay, now when we start,
when I start to develop these relationships, I have seen
some of them and I can feel what that is
instead of just like being so I feel like I
would have rather started with that for sure than like
starting on the court with our team, because those relationships
(23:43):
the future matters, Like you're always trying to bring that
next class in and so it was helpful to start
in July. It was absolutely insane because it was like
weekends on the road. Corvallis for three days, weekends on
the road until like you get to August, and so
it was but I was led to so many and
it was also really cool to see coaches and friends
(24:05):
and people that I haven't seen for years on the
road and so developing those relationships. People were so helpful
and kind, and so it was like built in community
right away, like welcome, We're happy to have you. Here's like,
do you know a restaurant that you can go to,
Here's a snack bar that you can go to. These
are the times that you can take breaks because there's
games all day. And so I think being immersed in
(24:26):
recruiting has been super helpful for me because that is
something that like you just of course when you're a
college player, like you, recruits come to visit and you
talk to them, you get to know them a little bit,
but like the work that goes in behind the scenes,
that's not a college player's job, and so like that's
our job. So I got to really feel that early
and then I think our staff again so helpful, like
(24:49):
Scott Devin coach Eli, our director of operations a Libya,
and then we have a grat assistant Jared, And They've
all been together for years now, and I've had previous
relationships with the three like three other coaches, but they
have been so instrumental and just like all the little
nuances of like an onboarding hiring process and like a
(25:11):
living situation and all the.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Details that come with like I'm.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Moving, like I'm uprooting my life to come back here
and to become established again take some time just as
a person, but I have felt help every step of
the way. And then from a coaching standpoint, I think
I really tried to approach it with like listening, like
I'm listening, I'm learning the right questions to ask, and
just the things along.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
The way of.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
This is what this is what is necessary for this
part of the season. So like from a recruiting standpoint,
from okay, now we're going into more in season work,
so like preparing scouts, watching film, going to open gyms,
being on court, a practice plan. So there's like so
many other things behind the scenes, like we talked about earlier,
like the five percent that it is seen in the
(25:57):
light all the other stuff that goes on in the dark.
I'm used to that type of approach, but it's just
now new things that I'm pouring my attention and energy
to to get to game time. So I'm learning all
of those things from that coaching standpoint.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, no, absolutely, And I know you went Overseas two
for some scouting stuff as well, So like what is
you know again like getting into all of that, what
has that been like? And kind of getting used to
the travel, the travel for it. Cause, like, for reference,
i was talking to a friend of mine who's an
assistant coach and he was like, yeah, I'm just like
popping over for a quick trip to Australia. I'm like, dude,
there is no such thing as a quick trip to Australia.
(26:34):
That's like a quick trip is me, Like I live
in Cleveland. I'm like, a quick trip is me going
to Detroit for for a day. Like you know, it's
not a quick trip to take a twenty five hour flight,
but exactly, I mean like that's that's what the summer is.
So yeah, where we're I'm trying to think where because
you got hired after you seventeen stuff, right or was that?
Speaker 3 (26:56):
I mean I was at the I was at the
U sixteens to Turkey and Hungary.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
So I think with the travel, I'm used to that
in many ways because when I was in w you
travel all summer, and then when you go overseas, like
you go overseas, and then if you're on a euro
Cup or your elite team, like you're traveling to other
countries for quick trips, like hey, I'm in Italy, We're
going to take a quick trip to France. So like
it's I love that. I love the component of like
(27:24):
I can establish and like start to plant roots for
the first time since I graduated college. But I still
have to see the country, to see the world, to
be connected to people in the basketball world requires traveling.
And so when I went to Turkey, I was able
to see one of my teammates there in between like
tournament games and like connect with her and ask how
(27:46):
she's doing, and like have time with her face to face,
which is so like again it makes the world feel
so small. And then when I was in Budapest, my
former teammate. I played in Australia my first year overseas
and she's been playing in Hungary for the last two
three years, and so I told her, I was like, hey,
like I don't know where you're at and hungry, but
like I'll be in Budapest, and she was, and she
(28:06):
had just gotten to town, and so she made the
drive to come and have lunch with me too, And
I hadn't seen her since twenty eighteen, and so like,
of course, like, yeah, going to do her job, like
going to watch games and do what we're supposed to.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
But there is.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
There's some downtime occasionally where, like if you every time
I travel somewhere, I think to myself, who do I know?
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Do I know anybody in this city? Do I know
anybody in this country?
Speaker 3 (28:30):
And like that's such a crazy thing to even think about,
Like do I know anyone in this country? That's crazy.
So it's really cool to like have. I mean, part
of the job is traveling. So I am never going
to complain about traveling the world to watch kids play basketball.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Yeah, absolutely not. There's there's no complaints with that, especially
to you sixteen had good talents that was fun to watch.
But yes, yeah, to close out too, I mean just
in terms of like looking your head to this year.
What parts are you most excited about? I know, you
guys have a very competitive non con and it's going
to be I still like trying to wrap my head
around Oregon State and Washington State and the WCC. But
(29:10):
part of what's the saying about that too is like
I think it's gonna be a really fun convererce to
watch this in general, But like, you know, what are
you most looking forward to? And forty one days is
our first game, so yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Wow, Yeah, I think for me, the joy comes from
watching this team take take on their own path and
their journey and just how they're developing bonds and relationships
and like when the light bulb goes off on the
court and they're like they get concepts for the first time.
Like that's so fun to watch and see. And so
(29:42):
I think just might be a cliche answer, but honestly,
just like being able to watch this team come together
and like navigate it as a group and obviously will
help them with that, but it's theirs, like it's their
season and it's their experience that they get to cultivate together,
and so I'm really just excited to see, like from
when we started on court with them, and was it July,
(30:06):
July or August, so like when we get to March
and April, like what who? How their confidence has blossomed,
and how their relationships and their love for one another
has just become like on a completely different level. That
is only that only happens through time and going through
like real life stuff together. And so that was why
I wanted to come back and help and serve, because
(30:28):
our experience as a college athlete, like I want I
want young women to be able to experience what we
were able to feel, and the root of that is
love and connection and that's the beauty of a team
sport as well. So it's been it's been fun to
just see how they've grown since we've started and how
that's going to just continue to build as we go
(30:49):
through the course of.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
A basketball season. So that's what I'm the most excited for.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Yeah, I can't wait. It's going to be a wild
college season. If if anything's any communication, but lastly too,
if you know, if right now is any indication headband
is still coming on or headband just got it retired
now as.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Well headband is retired.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
This is what I wear on my day to day
it's not the same because obviously the headband would be
in the middle of the forehead.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
But yeah, this I just have.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Honestly, there's not even really a fun story with like
even this headband. It's just because I am lazy, so
like I just got to keep my hair out of
my face. But the forehead headband as of now is retired.
Salute headband gang.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
Good to know, but symbya, No, I really appreciate your time.
This was dope to catch up and need to know
you a little bit. To everyone watching and listening, of course,
keep up with all things Oregon State women's basketball. If
you haven't already, go subscribe. And also for people who
are listening not watching, City is wearing. I guess it's
technically a wrap instead of headband right now. My girlfriend
put me for that. But yeah, I thank you again
(31:54):
to everyone listening. Enjoy the rest of your day.
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