Lauren looks GOOD in RED

From Running Sprints to Timing Sprints
My Transition from Playing to Coaching

Wow, has my life has changed in the last five months. I went from playing my final collegiate basketball game at that school across the Bay (that would be Cal) to beginning my coaching internship at the very team that used to give us match-up nightmares!

Coaching has always been a career path that I envisioned for myself. I am passionate about basketball and love being part of a university. I have always played the game as if I were coaching – knowing how many fouls we have to give, who their worst free throw shooter is if we have to foul, etc – and I have a lot of ideas about game strategy and options. So why not coach and share my ideas with players who have to listen!!! (Just joking.)

So, as my final months of college passed by, I started looking for opportunities that would move me toward coaching. When Coach Tara offered me the opportunity to be part of the Cardinal team I was thrilled but I have to admit I also was a little nervous. Not only is she an amazing coach with national and world titles and a winning percentage to die for, but I would be jumping across the Bay to my “rival” school. I am proud to have graduated from Berkeley, had some amazing times playing there, and really appreciated the fan support. While I didn’t want to appear disloyal, I realized how amazing an opportunity it would be to learn from Tara and the whole coaching staff here. So, I started planning my move to Stanford.

And I couldn’t be happier with my decision – I am truly enjoying my time on the farm and learning a lot! Each of the coaches, players, and the fans that I have met so far has welcomed me into the Cardinal community with open arms, and that has been great. I have taken on many projects from working with Kate on recruiting mail-outs, to drawing up plays with Bobbie, to discussing coaching philosophies with Amy, to diagramming every LA Lakers' play with Tara. I have also learned more about computers, video, and all the 10,000 possible cords that might accompany each item from Miss Technology Sarah Boruta.

So, while it has been only two months since I officially moved to Palo Alto, it certainly feels like home – just with much better weather (from across the Bay and from home in Oregon). I have settled into a routine at the office and at my apartment, which I share with two Stanford graduate students. I even got them to come to our first exhibition game against Vanguard, which was their first women’s basketball game ever! And speaking of games, I can’t wait for the regular season to start and games to get tough. And while it is still hard for me to be watching our women play instead of playing myself, I have noticed, not surprisingly, that it has been quite easy for me to leave behind conditioning workouts and all those sprints!! Thank goodness that is over!

And for everyone wondering how it feels to be wearing red, I will just say that the high school I attended in Portland, Oregon was the Lincoln Cardinals (the bird) and our colors were red and white – so really I am just going back to my roots and getting another chance to wear all the red that was hiding in my closet for the last 4 years. And let’s be honest, I look GOOD in RED!

Lauren Greif