Spring Break
Shea 'hello' to your new coach
Former star welcomed back as assistant after stint at Pittsburgh
Brittany Perotti
Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: Husky Hoopla
The coaching staff, too, has benefited since her arrival. Ralph is the first new face on the coaching staff in years, and that requires Auriemma to be on his toes and prepare even more, something the head coach says has been good for him.
She has a different approach to injuries, as well. Instead of hounding Kalana Greene and asking her how her leg is constantly, Ralph said that she goes into the training room to sit with her and discuss how things are going. She presents her with her own experiences and tells stories of her difficulties with injuries. And she gives suggestions.
More importantly, Ralph appears to be someone that the players feel comfortable with going to with problems. She has become more than just a coach; she is a role model. Lorin Dixon even called Ralph her second mother.
"Yeah, like our coaches, they're not just the same old coaches who are just strict and you know, don't have a relationship with them," Greene said. "We have a relationship with them on and off the court and just trusting them off the court makes you trust them on the court even more. She's a really good coach."
And at the end of the day, Ralph is their coach. And from the crowd's ovation when she was announced at the start of the Stonehill exhibition game, fans are excited to have her back.
"It's different. A lot of people don't like change; everybody thinks change is bad but we went from a great coach from another great coach," Greene said. "She knows the program, she knows the coaches. She's very, very, intense.
"She's the same way as a coach as she was as a player - intense, fiery - she loves the game, is serious about it and passionate about it."
She has a different approach to injuries, as well. Instead of hounding Kalana Greene and asking her how her leg is constantly, Ralph said that she goes into the training room to sit with her and discuss how things are going. She presents her with her own experiences and tells stories of her difficulties with injuries. And she gives suggestions.
More importantly, Ralph appears to be someone that the players feel comfortable with going to with problems. She has become more than just a coach; she is a role model. Lorin Dixon even called Ralph her second mother.
"Yeah, like our coaches, they're not just the same old coaches who are just strict and you know, don't have a relationship with them," Greene said. "We have a relationship with them on and off the court and just trusting them off the court makes you trust them on the court even more. She's a really good coach."
And at the end of the day, Ralph is their coach. And from the crowd's ovation when she was announced at the start of the Stonehill exhibition game, fans are excited to have her back.
"It's different. A lot of people don't like change; everybody thinks change is bad but we went from a great coach from another great coach," Greene said. "She knows the program, she knows the coaches. She's very, very, intense.
"She's the same way as a coach as she was as a player - intense, fiery - she loves the game, is serious about it and passionate about it."
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