The team has been hard at work in preseason drills getting ready for the season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Talk about how the team has been preparing for the 2007-08 season.
We have been working extremely hard ever since we got here in August. For the first seven weeks, we rose before the sun to lift weights and condition four times a week. In addition, we participated in individuals with the coaches twice a week. We also managed to fit some pick-up games into our schedules as well. Since the season officially began, we have been going all out every day in practice. I have never experienced such intense and efficient workouts, and I absolutely love them! It is encouraging to go to practice and consistently witness twelve women develop and hone their abilities. If we continue to practice the way we have been, this year should be a very positive one of the Lady Sycamores!
You were the second-ever Indiana State women's basketball player to earn MVC Freshman of the Year honors last season. What was the biggest thing you took away from your freshman year of college basketball?
I learned many things in only one year here at Indiana State. I have been incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such a supportive atmosphere. If I had to choose, I would say my growth as a person and basketball player would be the biggest thing I took away from my freshman year of college basketball. From an athletic standpoint, I can now look on my freshman year and see how much I developed and how much progress I made. However, from a personal standpoint, I have matured enough to reflect on past years and apply constructive criticism to all areas that need improvement.
You and Leah Phillips ranked in the nation's Top 12 last season for 3-point field goal percentage. How big a part of the game plan is it for you two to be ?on' from behind the 3-point arc in each game?
It is part of our game plan for the guards to be ready to shoot whenever we get the ball, but our team is so versatile that we do not live and die by the 3-point shot. If the guards aren't putting the ball in the basket, we recognize that and adapt to the situation. We have tremendous strength in the post and everybody continues to get better on a daily basis.
It seemed like the majority of your 3-pointers last season came in very opportune, high-pressure situations. How do you mentally prepare yourself going into a game knowing that you will be called on to hit ?the big shot.'
I always get a rush when I am the one who is privileged enough to take the big shots. I don't just prepare myself for those moments while I'm in the locker room before a game; I have been preparing for those special times my whole life. I mean, what little kid hasn't imagined themselves in high-pressure situations where they have to beat the clock to win the game? So, when I find myself in similar real-life situations, I don't feel nervous or pressured; instead, it's more like a dream come true.
What is the biggest lesson you have learned from Coach Wiedie? What is it like to play for him?
I have already learned many things from Coach Wiedie which is impressive since I have only been here for a short amount of time. He has taught me the value of good work ethics, he has shown me the importance of understanding, and he has demonstrated leadership both on and off the court. However, if I had to choose the lesson that means the most to me, I would hands down choose the significance of honesty. Although sometimes brutal, honesty is what pushes a team forward and helps them get better every day. In positive situations, honesty propels the momentum; in no-so-positive situations, honesty identifies weaknesses and develops them until they are strengths. The great thing about working with Coach Wiedie is that honesty is not a one-way street. We players know that our opinions matter and we can voice them to our coaches at any time.
Describe your daily routine during the season.
Last year we divided our season into ?mini-seasons' ? pre-conference play, first round of conference, second round of conference and post-season play. It seems as through our daily routines fluctuate depending on what ?mini-season' we are in. At this point in the season, we go to class in the morning, lite weights three times a week, and then practice in the afternoons. Once we reach the point in our schedule when we have more games, our schedules change and we get to add road trips into the mix!
What is the biggest area of your game you think you can improve on from your freshman to sophomore year?
My whole life I have said that there is always room for improvement; there will never be an aspect of my game (or anyone's game) that is completely perfect. Simple fundamentals can always be tuned and built upon. In my case, there are multiple areas that I need to develop, and the one I have been working most on lately is determining how to read the defenders and attack off the dribble.
How do you feel ISU's experience in the MVC Tournament last season will help this year in your quest to make the NCAA Tournament?
Last year definitely left a bitter taste in our mouths, and this year it is very evident that our hunger is even stronger than before. The ending of last season may have been disappointing for ISU fans, but this time around we have raised our goals and expectations ? and we always have the motivation of last season's abrupt ending in the back of our minds.
The women's basketball teams is involved in a lot of community service activities in the community throughout the year, including working earlier this year with the Terre Haute Family Y. Everyone also knows about he time the team puts in with the Sycamore Squad. What are some of these types of activities the team enjoys most?
To be honest, we love them all! To see that we really make a difference in people's lives is truly miraculous! Interaction with the young kids gives me a feeling of contribution to the future, and no other feeling can compare to knowing that I impacted another person's life.
What are some of our goals, both personal and team-wide, for the upcoming season? How is the chemistry on this year's team?
Obviously a team-goal is to take this program to the NCAA Tournament ? a place it has never been before; we believe that this team is capable of making history. However, in order to accomplish such lofty goals, we have to take each day as an opportunity to get better. A personal goal of mine is to constantly give 100% of myself in every practice, in every possession. This year's team is really something special; we have talent, character and chemistry. Never before have I been a part of a team that is as close as this one. We are one big family, and this is something I had not experienced until I got here ? and I have been playing for 12 years!
What was the deciding factor in choosing Indiana State University?
Everything. There was not on aspect of this institution that I did not like. The coaching staff and players are tremendous, academics are highly stressed, the size of campus is just right, and who could pass up the opportunity to play on the home team at Hulman Center? When I visited Indiana State, I met the girls and the coaches and immediately felt welcome and accepted. I had a gut feeling that this was the place I was meant to be. ISU was the first college that I had ever visited, and I knew I wanted to come here right off the bat. They say that you just know when something is right for you, but I never believed it until I came here and experienced it for myself!
What basketball players did you look up to as a young player?
Growing up, I idolized many collegiate athletes. Strangely, looking back on it now, none of my heroes were men. The players that made the most impact on me personally were Kelli Jolly and Sue Bird. I admired their abilities and it seemed as through they had a tremendous amount of character as well. I followed Kelli's entire college career at Tennessee and was quite upset when she graduated! But then, not long afterwards, I caught wind of a new point guard terror who played for UCONN and I wanted to learn as much from her as possible. I only hope that someday I will be able to influence another young athlete half as much as they influenced me.
Off the basketball court, what do you like to do?
I like to do all sorts of things! I'm pretty good at eating and sleeping, and I love relaxing in front of my TV, too. I guess you could say I'm a bit of a nerd, though, because I really love to read! Discovering new things is very interesting to me, and there is always a thirst to learn more! I also have a strong passion for writing. I love to connect and relate to other people, so sometimes I find myself creating stories or writing poetry to do just that. I find the challenge of creatively expressive myself to others to be quite fascinating.
What is it like to play at Hulman Center?
It is simply unbelievable to play at Hulman Center. I can't describe the feeling I get when I step on the court with thousands of people cheering my name. Each clap resonates through my body and reminds me of how privileged and honored I am to be part of this program. How can I possibly attempt to explain the feeling I get when bright-eyed children look up and ask me for an autograph or other devoted fans give me a hug after the game? Our fans are even supportive enough to create a t-shirt with a catch phrase of my name! These fans aren't strangers who just come to watch basketball; these fans are our friends and acquaintances that are personally involved in or lives. It is nothing short of remarkable to look into the faces of over 3,000 fans as they smother you with praise and blind you with Sycamore blue.
Who has been the most influential in helping you become the player you are today?
This seems like a difficult question because so many have shaped me into the player I am, but there is a very simple answer ? my father. He has always been there to praise or critique me. If I ever had a problem, he had the solution. ?What's wrong with my shot?' I would ask with frustration to nobody in particular. And, as if on cue, he would swoop in and give me an answer. At that particular moment, I may have needed to get the ball in my fingertips or put more arc on my shot, and I don't know how many times he had to tell me my elbow was out. Even now, although I am 180 miles away from home, he is still with me and I can always here his voice guiding me and helping me get better.
