STrib: Geno Auriemma's Reaction to Whalen's Hiring

Ignatius L Hoops

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http://www.startribune.com/lindsay-...-reaction-to-mark-coyle-s-idea-wow/479652123/

Q: When the news broke about Whalen taking over the Gophers team, what was your first thought?

A: Well, I spoke to Mark [Coyle, the Gophers athletic director]. And when he brought up Lindsay’s name, it was pretty much, “Yeah, wow. That’s kind of thinking out of the box.” My first thought was, “Wow, that’s a great thought.” She’s a great person. I really, really, really enjoyed coaching her. And I’ve always admired the way she plays. I got to know her more as a person than I had before [with Team USA], obviously. She knew what her role was on the team, and she played it perfectly. I’m a big fan of hers.


Q: Will the “business” side of running a Division I program be the biggest challenge for Whalen?

A: You can get caught up in all that, and forget it’s still about coaching kids coming out of high school. You can get caught up in other stuff. And yes, there are some things you obviously have to do. She’ll have to get out in the community, promote the program. She’ll do all that. As I said, when you hire the right staff, there are so many that can be taken off your plate, and that lets you concentrate on what you do best. Everything begins and ends with the head coach. But at the same time, I think if a young coach is smart enough to hire the right people, and actually listen — work with them rather than have them just work for you — it won’t be an easy transition. But it won’t be as hard as they make it out to be.
 




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