Coaching Chaos

Coaching Chaos

The parking lot is already full by the time he arrives. Today, he is lucky. He usually has to drive around for atleast 10 minutes to find a parking spot. He pulls into a spot and heads into the Coliseum. It’s a cold, wet, unforgiving day. Hopefully, things will turn around.

“Just another day at the office,” he says.

9:30 a.m.: WVU’s Head Women’s Basketball Coach Mike Carey sits down at his desk and looks around. Pictures of family and former teammates line the wall. Trophies and autographed basketballs clutter the shelves. So much success has accumulated in this room over the past eight seasons. His gaze follows the storyline of his coaching career until it reaches his desk. He eyes the schedule covered in doodles and shapes he drew himself and sighs.

 It’s going to be a long day.

 Tonight, “Mountaineer Madness” will be held at the Coliseum, kicking off the basketball season for the Mountaineers. Carey sighs because he knows he won’t be getting home until after midnight. For him and his staff, the madness has already begun. The schedule for the day is filled with recruiting visits, meetings with players and coaches and trying to prepare for the evening’s festivities.

“I love what our school does for the teams and fans during ‘Mountaineer Madness,’ said Carey. “It’s just people don’t see the work and preparation that goes into something like this.”

9:45 a.m.: Coach Carey meets with his staff and discusses the plans for the day. A recruit and her family will arriving soon and everything has to be lined up to make things go smoothly. There are hotel and lunch reservations. Making sure the family has a place to park and can find the Coliseum. In a matter of minutes Carey transforms from Division I basketball coach to a travel coordinator, chauffeur, and salesman. He understands that recruiting is more about selling himself and the university than how many “W’s” he has in the win column.

“We really try to stress how wonderful the WVU community is here,” said Carey. “Once we get them to Morgantown, we feel we have just as good a chance as anyone.”

Noon: The recruit and her family arrive to the Coliseum. The normally laid-back Carey becomes gregarious and full of energy. He’s excited to meet the family and you can sense the sincerity in his voice. He jokes with the recruit and tells stories of seasons past. He is on top of his game. This is a skill he had perfected before he came to WVU and the Big East Conference.

“Coach Carey has been a winner at every level,” says Graduate Assistant Kyle Cooper. “He knows what it takes to win.”

And win he does.

A native of Clarksburg, W.Va., Carey was a three-sport star at Liberty High School. He went on to Salem College, in Salem, W.Va., where he was a four-year basketball letterman. He graduated Salem scoring more than 2,000 points and was inducted into the Salem Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.

In 1987, Carey returned to Salem as an assistant coach of the men’s program. He was made the head coach the nest season. In 13 seasons with the Tigers, he won 288 games and only suffered 102 losses. In his last five seasons with Salem, he lost only 20 games.

As intense a coach as he was a player, Carey stresses discipline, defense and demands perfection.

“Off the court, he is one of the nicest persons I have met,” says Cooper. “But when he steps between those lines, it’s time to work.”

Carey is not a quiet man in practice. He’s always teaching and motivating. He hates to wait and is 100mph all the time.

“When we start, I just want to go, go, go,” said Carey. “I have to get these girls ready for the season.”

12:45 p.m.: Carey takes the recruit and meets with other members of the support staff. They meet with the strength and conditioning coach, Andy Kettler. They meet the academic advisor, Ehren Green. Carey wants to show all the people that our involved with the team’s success.

“We are a family here, and we have to work together in order for us to reach our potential,” said Carey.

3:00 p.m.: The recruit and her family head back to the hotel. This gives Carey a few minutes of downtime before he must get back to work. He’s been on the job for six hours and he’s not even halfway done. Yet you get the feeling that he wouldn’t have it any other way. He takes a few minutes and talks to some of his staff and jokes with them.

“He can be a big kid sometimes,” said Cooper. “He just becomes one of us.”

Carey will often invite staff members to lunch or to his house to watch movies. He enjoys this time the most. He can let his guard down and have a good time. He knows the people around him.

.“Coach Carey is a big believer in loyalty,” said Associate Head Coach George Porcha. “If you work hard for him and show you care about the program, then he will do anything for you.”

Cooper agrees.

“I’ve worked with Coach Carey longer than anyone on staff and he has done so much for me over the last four years,” said Cooper. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without his help.

5:00 p.m.: Carey heads down to the Coliseum floor for an autograph session. You can tell he is a little uneasy, since he’s not quite used to being in the spotlight. Yet he signs every ball and smiles for every picture. He jokes with the younger crowd and schmoozes with the parents. He knows the importance of networking. If he can generate more relationships, he can generate more ticket sales and more fans, which ultimately leads to more money in the budget and more buzz about the program; something the women’s team desperately needs.

“We have had great success over the last eight seasons,” said Carey. “Only no one has been there to see it.”

Carey has won 150 games in his tenure at WVU and has made the NCAA Tournament three times.

“Coach Carey is one of the most respected coaches in the Big East, as well as the nation,” said Porcha. “Hopefully people will realize the kind of program he has built.”

6:00p.m.: The autograph session is over and Carey goes to meet with his team. He is relaxed even through the electricity that is flowing through the Coliseum. The fans are getting restless and excited for the teams to be announced. He is poised, having done this countless times over his coaching career. He sits backs and waits, occasionally staring at the clock. He waits for the sound of the musket and that carpet to be rolled out.

8:30p.m.: The crowd hushes when Tony Caridi’s voice is heard over the microphone. He pumps up the fans even more as he talks about the success of the basketball programs. After a lucky fan won a pizza and a few more caught free T-shirts, the lights dim and the scoreboard lights up. The players and coaches flash across the screen as the crowd roars its approval. The introductions begin. After his team is called out, Carey calmly struts down the carpet between the rows of cheerleaders as the fans stand and cheer. He high-fives a few players and takes the microphone to address the crowd. He thanks everyone for coming out and supporting the basketball programs and encourages people to cheer on the women’s team this season. His speech seems a little rehearsed and rushed, as Carey again appears uncomfortable in the spotlight. He ends his speech with a comment about beating Marshall the following day in football. This gains even more cheers.

9:20p.m.: A few members of the women’s team have a surprise for their coach. As they bring him on the court they mention how much appreciation they have for him. He seems surprised, but goes along with it. They draw everyone’s attention to the video board and a music video dedicated to Coach Carey begins to play. Set to the tune of “I Wanna Be Like Mike,” the video shows clips of Carey coaching throughout his years at WVU.

“I was caught off-guard at first,” said Carey with a laugh. “But it was all in good fun and I enjoyed it.”

9:40 p.m.: After the men’s dunk contest, Carey and his team prepare to scrimmage. Porcha handles the media while Carey sits back and watches. He doesn’t look all too pleased with his team’s performance, but he knows it’s one of the first few times they’ve played each other. He doesn’t get very animated, taking every mistake in stride. There will be time for that tomorrow.

12:01a.m.: Carey gets back to his office. It’s been a full day and he is tired. He packs up a few things and heads to the door.

“Time to go home and get some sleep,” he says while turning off the light. “The real work begins today.”

Somehow you know he’ll be ready.

Women’s Team To Hold Clinic

The WVU Women’s Basketball Team will be holding a clinic for coaches and players this season, in efforts to boost attendance.

The clinic date has not yet been set but will follow a home game this season and will be open to all who are interested.

“We want to get the community more involved with our program,” said Head Coach Mike Carey. “We need the support.”

I will have the date posted as soon as it has been set.

WVU Left Out Of Preseason Poll

In the preseason AP Top 25 Poll for the 2009-2010 season, the Mountaineers were left out.

Uconn sits atop the poll, receiving 44 1st place votes, followed by Stanford, Maryland, Oklahoma and Rutgers rounding out the top five. For complete rankings, click here.

Mountaineers Could Be Dancing In March

With a replenished roster and coaching staff, the Mountaineers are poised for a run deep into March.

They have improved in every area; offense, defense, team chemistry, depth, versatility.

They have the hunger and experience to make it to the NCAA tournament this year and in my opinion, are a Sweet Sixteen Team.

Now that you have heard my opinion, let’s hear yours.

Students Should Show More Support

In my four years as a student at West Virginia University, I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t attended many sporting events that weren’t men’s football or basketball.

I was raised watching those teams compete every week and fell in love with the “ol’ Gold and Blue”.  Only when I came up here did i realize the other student-athletes who give so much yet receive so little.

When I started working with the women’s basketball team two years ago, i saw how much the girls put in and the time and sacrifices they make. They practice for four hours a day, spend time in the weight room, go to class, do homework, and play in front of next-to nothing crowds.

My question is, do they not deserve better support? They are out representing our school and state, but no one seems to care win or lose. Why? Because they can’t dunk? I’ll give you that the talent level isn’t on par with the men’s team. But they show just as much passion and desire as any team in the country.

If we could pack the coliseum for every women’s home game, there is no telling what kind of players we could get in Morgantown. We could get the Candace Parkers and Brittany Griners. As fellow mountaineers, we have a responsibility to support our own.

It’s time we live up to that responsibility.

Versatility Could Be Mountaineers Theme For 2009-2010

One of the problems for the Mountaineers last season was lack of depth. There were times when certain players who weren’t ready to play a Big East schedule were forced to log heavy minutes simply because there was no one else.

This season, that shouldn’t be an issue.

With seven players returning from last season, they are all ready ahead of the depth chart last year. Throw in the three highly touted freshman and you have a recipe for success.

In the front court, Head Coach Mike Carey, has a myriad of options. For instance, he could go big and start six-foot five-inch center Natalie Burton, six-foot four-inch center Asya Bussie, and six-foot forward Madina Ali. Not many teams have two centers over six-foot four and that would be hard for teams to handle. Throw in Ali’s size at the small forward position and there won’t be many teams who could handle that much size.

If Carey wanted to go more for speed, he could start Bussie, Ali and transfer Korinne Campbell. Other than national power-house Connecticut, there won’t be many teams who could keep up with the speed of the Mountaineers.

In the backcourt, the Mountaineers don’t have as much versatility, but they are built for one thing: speed.

With Sarah Miles and Liz Repella coming back for their junior season, and freshman Akeema Richards just starting her career, the Mountaineers have a solid crew of guards.

Miles will most likely take over the point guard position, but depending on the learning curve of Richards in the pre-season, she could also play the shooting guard spot. Repella will most likely play the shooting guard role, but has the ability to play both forward positions.

As you can see, Coach Carey has his hands full with which line-up he is going to use. But I can think of worse problems for a head coach.

Transfer Campbell Ready To Make Impact

Korinne Campbell has spent the past year watching her teammates struggle through losses and celebrate victories, each with one thing in common. She could not be apart of it.

Campbell had to sit out this past season in compliance with the NCAA’s transfer rule, after transferring from the University of Minnesota.

I think Campbell has potential to have a break-out season this year.
She is a very versatile player who can score inside or from the the three-point line. Her athleticism is unmatched on the team and she can guard any position on the floor. I expect big things from her this year.

One of the things that impresses me most about Campbell is her work ethic. I have come to the Coliseum early in the morning and seen her on the court working on her game. Other days, I will be leaving work and she will be in the weight room working out. She just doesn’t seem to stop. I am a firm believer in “what you put in is what you get out”, and Campbell is poised to get alot out this season.

She will most likely be playing forward position, depending on the line-up Head Coach Mike Carey goes with, but which ever position she plays, there will be a match-up problem.

At six-foot, she has too much size for a small forward to guard and if she plays at the power forward position, she is too athletic to keep up with, so guarding her will be a big problem.

Hopefully, the rest of the Big East will have the same problem.

Baylor Freshman Could Spell Trouble For Mountaineers; Rest Of Country

This fall, incoming freshman Brittany Griner will be enrolled at Baylor University.

Griner, a six-foot, eight-inch center is one of the top recruits in the country and immediately makes Baylor a contender in the Big 12 conference as well as the nation.

Griner has an amazing skill set for someone her size. She can step out and hit a 15-foot jump shot or run the fast break. And being six-eight, she has a repertoire of dunks the world of women’s basketball has never seen. Honestly, I have never seen a girl be able to dunk flat-footed off two feet. Amazing. She has potential to be a game-changer for women’s basketball.

Luckily, the Mountaineers will not be facing Baylor in the regular season, but if WVU can live up to it’s expectations, there is no telling who they would square-off against in the “Big Dance” of the NCAA Tournament.

Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself, and let me know what you think.

New Assistant Coaches Earning Their Stripes

Over the past few months, the WVU Women’s Basketball team has made not only changes to their roster, but changes to their staff as well. Last month, Head Coach Mike Carey announced the addition of two new assistant coaches to his program. These roles were filled by Donchez Graham and Malikah Willis.

Graham, a native of Balitmore, comes to the Mountaineers from Morgan State, where he was an assistant for four years. He was in charge of recruiting, opponent scouting, and working with post players.

While at Morgan State, he led the Bears to 53 wins in three seasons and had three Top 100 recruiting classes .

“Coach Graham not only brings coaching experience to our staff but also great recruiting contacts, ” said Carey. “His connection with the D.C. area will be very helpful to our program.”

Associate Head Coach George Porcha agrees.

“Coach Graham has a wealth of Division I coaching experience and will help us to continue recruiting the talent in the Baltimore area as well,” said Porcha.

A New York native, Willis joins Carey’s staff after serving two years at Norfolk State under the same position. Willis was responsible for out-of-state recruiting, travel coordinating, and post player development.

In her playing career, Willis was a first team Parade All-American out of high school and played four years under college coaching icon C. Vivian Stringer at Iowa.

After college, Willis played professionally for Color Cap Tybnik of Poland and Tapiola Honka of Finland in 1999 and Brazil’s Santa Maria Club in 2000.

“Coach Willis not only brings recruiting contacts, but her playing experience will be very useful,” said Carey.

Porcha is not only excited about where she has been, but where she is from.

“Coach Willis is from New York, which is a hot-bed of talent in college basketball,” said Porcha. “We think she will be able to help us recruit from that part of the country.”

While they have only been on the job for two months, Coach Porcha feels they are already making an impact.

“So far they are doing a great job and I expect them to continue to make a smooth transition from coaching  lower-level Division I to coaching in the Big East,” said Porcha.

With the new staff in place, Coach Porcha feels very confident about the direction the program is heading.

“The new coaches have brought a new energy, fresh recruiting ideas and a very positive and uplifting attitude to our staff,” said Porcha. “I am looking forward to continue working with them.”

A New Blog, A New Roster, A New Season..

Looking for something new in the world of WVU women’s basketball?  This blog may be the place for you.  My name is Terry Fletcher and I am a journalism major at West Virginia University. For (at least) the next six weeks, you can follow my journey to inform not only the Morgantown-area, but anyone willing to listen, of the other Mountaineer basketball team that has enjoyed its share of success over the past several seasons. Some of you may be asking yourself  “What does this guy know that I can’t read about on any other Mountaineer website?”  A reasonable question in my opinion. But to answer it, for the past two years I have volunteered my free time to helping the women’s team on the court. At West Virginia University, as well as other colleges and universities around the country, there is what is called a “scout team”. This “team” is made up of male students enrolled in West Virginia University who are willing to sacrifice their bodies (and weekends) in the hope that it may help the women’s team reach their ultimate goal of a national championship.

As a member of the scout team, I have a first-hand look at what goes on behind-the-scenes of a major Division-I program, as well as the sacrifice and effort it takes from each person involved with the team, coach and player alike.  I have developed close relationships with the players and coaches and understand what they are trying accomplish. This blog will be able to provide you with coach and player profiles, recruiting updates and information, and interviews with your favorite players. Unfortunately, you will also hear my opinions and views as I try to predict the outcome of the upcoming season and which players will have the most impact. Thank you and enjoy.

Top Recruits Fill Depleted Roster

After a number of injuries and transfers, the WVU women’s basketball team had a serious problem on their hands. They only had seven players, three of which are coming off major surgeries. Luckily, the recruiting season was generous to the Mountaineers as they landed three recruits, all of whom can help take WVU to the top of women’s basketball.

The three incoming freshman are Asya Bussie, Akeema Richards, and Antishia Wright.

Bussie, a 6’4 center from Seton Keough HS in Maryland provides depth in the frontcourt and gives returning 6’5 sophomore Natalie Burton some help around the rim. Busse was the 2009 Baltimore Sun Player of the Year and averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks per game.

Richards comes to the Mountaineers from Western HS in Maryland. She helps replace senior point guard Ashley Powell and gives the Mountaineers another threat in the backcourt. Richards averaged 13 points, 5.9 rebounds, four assists, and 2.6 steals per game at Western High School where she was a 2009 first-team all-state selection.

Antishia Wright will fill in the hole left by senior Takisha Granberry at the forward postion. A Boyton Beach, Fl. native, the 5’11 forward possesses great three-point shooting and all-around game that will fit well in head coach Mike Carey’s system.

“All the girls we have recruited are skilled athletic players that we feel can help take our program to the next level,” said Graduate Assistant Kyle Cooper. “We are very excited to have them as Mountaineers.”

Head coach Mike Carey, who was away on recruiting visits, was unavailable for comment.