As one of two seniors on the women’s basketball team, how have you been looked upon for guidance in the first few weeks of practice?<strong>As one of two seniors on the women&#8217;s basketball team, how have you been looked upon for guidance in the first few weeks of practice?</strong> As one of two seniors on the women’s basketball team, how have you been looked upon for guidance in the first few weeks of practice?
I think that the freshmen and newcomers definitely look to me and (senior) Rae (Lynne Stewart) for a lot of leadership and guidance. We are kind of the liaisons from the players and the coaches. The players tell us things and we relay it back to the coaches. We’ve been there and done that. Everybody is adjusting to the new coach; we know the Baker program and we know our competition. They really look up to us for that.
The team will play its season opener Tuesday in Salina against a tough team in Kansas Wesleyan University, which went 31-3 last season. What are your expectations for the matchup?<strong>The team will play its season opener Tuesday in Salina against a tough team in Kansas Wesleyan University, which went 31-3 last season. What are your expectations for the matchup?</strong> The team will play its season opener Tuesday in Salina against a tough team in Kansas Wesleyan University, which went 31-3 last season. What are your expectations for the matchup?
We’ve been working really hard. We’ve had a full month of preseason workouts and conditioning. We’ve had a whole month of just straight practicing. We’ve been beating each other up during practice. We’re really ready to beat up on another team and prove our doubters wrong. We’re preseason ranked No. 6 (in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.) We have a chip on our shoulder from that.
Tuesday will also be head coach Ben Lister’s first game as the Baker University head women’s basketball coach. Although the team has not played a game under Lister yet, what have been some of the differences in coaching styles between Lister and former head coach Susan Decker?<strong>Tuesday will also be head coach Ben Lister&#8217;s first game as the Baker University head women&#8217;s basketball coach. Although the team has not played a game under Lister yet, what have been some of the differences in coaching styles between Lister and former head coach Susan Decker?</strong> Tuesday will also be head coach Ben Lister’s first game as the Baker University head women’s basketball coach. Although the team has not played a game under Lister yet, what have been some of the differences in coaching styles between Lister and former head coach Susan Decker?
Obviously coach Decker is a female and coach Lister is a male, so the tone of their voice is different. Decker sounds like a woman and coach Lister sounds like a man … They just have different coaching philosophies. I mean, both coaches know the game very well. Time will tell how much their coaching styles vary. We’re just excited to play in general and coach Lister is excited to be coaching the team.
While you contribute to the women’s basketball team with your performance on the court, you also contribute your photography skills at many other Baker athletic events and post your photos on Facebook for the athletes to view. How enjoyable is it to be so involved with Baker athletics?<strong>While you contribute to the women&#8217;s basketball team with your performance on the court, you also contribute your photography skills at many other Baker athletic events and post your photos on Facebook for the athletes to view. How enjoyable is it to be so involved with Baker athletics?</strong> While you contribute to the women’s basketball team with your performance on the court, you also contribute your photography skills at many other Baker athletic events and post your photos on Facebook for the athletes to view. How enjoyable is it to be so involved with Baker athletics?
Well, number one, I just love Baker in general. I’ve just grown to have such great relationships with people, and I’d love to support them in any way I can. Photography started off as a hobby, but it has turned into something more. I just love taking pictures of athletes. I love going to games and cheering them on. It’s awesome. It’s all part of like a fan experience and being on the sidelines for football games and that much closer during games is great.
Over the past few months you have entered in multiple online contests and have been successful in winning $10,000 and an iPad 2. How much, if at all, has your competitiveness on the basketball court turned over to other situations like the contests you have entered?<strong>Over the past few months you have entered in multiple online contests and have been successful in winning $10,000 and an iPad 2. How much, if at all, has your competitiveness on the basketball court turned over to other situations like the contests you have entered?</strong> Over the past few months you have entered in multiple online contests and have been successful in winning $10,000 and an iPad 2. How much, if at all, has your competitiveness on the basketball court turned over to other situations like the contests you have entered?
My life … it’s sort of like a fairy tale. It’s hard to put in words how blessed I feel and how blessed I am. I mean, with online contests, there are so many people in the online world. You enter them not knowing how they are going to turn out. Once you start, it’s like, there is no looking back. Why not go all in? Why not just go for it? It’s just kind of surreal. There’s another contest I’m going to enter in next month for another $10,000, and I plan on winning that, too. I’m just so blessed. I can’t even put it into words. It has been a great run and a great ride. My teammates are happy for me. They know about it and they voted for me, so I probably should buy them dinner or something.