Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The importance of leadership when coaches aren't around.

“…Make no mistake, Temeka Johnson was a great leader for us during practice and games and an extension of the coaching staff -- but it was the leadership she gave us the other 21 hours during the day -- or during the off-season when we couldn't be around. 

Her senior year, she took the team's four freshman out to dinner the night before our first official practice and told them what to expect from practice.  She told them about each coach, her teammates, the structure of our practices and what they needed to do to succeed.  She made sure that maximum effort was given in the weight room and during pick up games in the summer.  She constantly spoke to the younger players of "the Lady Tiger Way," of handling everything from basketball, to academics, to conducting themselves in the proper way. 

She was a guiding force for all of our players during her career -- on and off the court and what she did in terms of leading our team when the coaches weren't around was a major ignition in a run that lead to five consecutive Final Fours…”

- Bob Starkey
LSU Asst. Coach

No comments: