Online Chat, Upcoming Games

If you missed the West Coast Conference online chat I did earlier this week, check it out here.

Here's a video preview of our upcoming games. Thank you to everyone for your continued support!

An Inspiring Day

I spoke today at the USANA Health Sciences International Convention in Salt Lake City.

It was great to be in the company of legendary Billie Jean King. What an outstanding person! She has done so much to pave the way for women in sports. She told me she would be happy to speak with my team at USF —they could learn so much from her!

The incomparable Billie Jean King

 With Dr. Myron Wentz, founder of USANA, and Dave Wentz, the company's CEO.

I also was able to speak with many of the USANA athletes and hear their amazing stories. This year’s theme is “Living the Dream.” It’s a perfect fit for athletes and associates who are overcoming their fears and truly living their dreams.

What an inspiring day!

The West Coast Conference Tournament

We wrapped up the season earlier this month against Santa Clara in the West Coast Conference (WCC) Tournament. Here are a few photos from that game. Thank you to everyone for your support throughout this season! Looking forward to next year...

NE3 Provides Energy Boost at 'USANA Night'

USANA’s Team NE3 came to a recent home game at USF. We had a blast! As a USANA Associate, whether you are crossline, downline, or upline, you are a family. That was evident as we had a fantastic time at our game with NE3 in San Francisco!

Our team really needed a boost and they were shocked to have so many screaming fans in our gym! If you've attended a USANA event, you know how loud Next Evolution can get! The season so far has been difficult for us, but NE3 gave us a much needed boost of energy!

After the game I spoke with our USANA Associates and I was asked about the parallels between building a USANA business and building a program at USF. The fundamentals are the same. Success starts with belief! We have to believe we can be successful. My team has to believe they can work hard and win games.

With USANA, you have to first believe in the products! Second, you have to have a vision — see where you want to go. People may think you are crazy, but it is up to you to paint your vision for success and go for it!

Right before that, we welcomed Stanford, my alma mater, to our home court. It was a big night — Stanford coach (whom I played for) Tara VanDerveer was going for her 800th win! Leading up to the game our team received a lot of press (you might have seen links on Facebook). We had articles written about us and the game in the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury News, and by the Associated Press. It's great press for a team like us, who's trying to build a program.

Coach VanDerveer ended up getting her milestone win that night. And even though our team lost, I couldn't be happier for her. As I mention in the articles, I'm working to build a solid foundation for the USF program and I know we can learn a lot from what she's done at Stanford. While we're experiencing some growing pains, we're making excellent progress! I'm looking forward to our next game as we open conference play against Santa Clara on Saturday.

An Exciting Visit from Dusty Baker!

Our team was incredibly fortunate to get to hear from legendary major league manager Dusty Baker before we took the court against Sacramento State last week.

He is an inspiration and a role model for all athletes and coaches! We were lucky to get advice from one of the all-time greats. In the end, as with most things in life, obtaining success on and off the court comes down to preparation, persistence, and hard work.

As a major leaguer, Dusty hit nearly 250 home runs and had more than 1,000 RBIs. His Dodgers won the World Series in 1981. And as a manager, Dusty has won more than 1,400 games in his career. He led the 2002 San Francisco Giants to the National League pennant, and last year his Cincinnati Reds won the NL Central division. He definitely knows what he's talking about!!

Here are a few photos from the pre-game visit.



Now we're getting ready to travel to Logan, Utah, to play Utah State on Wednesday.

Hitting the Road with USF for Thanksgiving

We recently returned from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where we played in a Thanksgiving tournament. We had to travel on Thanksgiving — tough to be away from family for staff and players, but thankfully we get along so well that is was a pleasure to spend the day with them.

Boston Market catered our meal, which was ready when we arrived at our hotel. After saying what we were all thankful for, we got into a heated game of Guesstures. We divided into 3 teams — Staff, Freshman and Sophomores, and Juniors and Seniors. Unfortunately, we placed last! Juniors and Seniors won. They are quite a competitive group!

On the court, our first game against New Mexico didn’t go too well for us. NM is a really good team and very well coached. Thankfully, we had a chance to redeem ourselves the next night against Rhode Island. We were down 4 points with about 12 minutes to go in the second half, but we were able to outlast Rhode Island in the final 11 minutes of the game. I was really proud of my team’s effort and composure to never give up and do a great job executing down the stretch.

Albuquerque is at 5,400 feet above sea level. Part of what helped our team’s performance was having a strong conditioning base, and drinking a lot of water as we traveled and staying hydrated all three days. As a coach, it can be tough to keep up with my own workouts, but I was able to get in a run while we were on the road and I ran as soon as we landed in San Francisco.

I feel much more effective and energetic as a coach when I also take care of my health. I also take USANA everyday, everywhere I go. Health and conditioning will continue to be an emphasis for our team and our program at USF.

Tough Loss, But Continuing to Move Forward

Unfortunately we lost our last game in Fullerton. We had a chance to tie the game at the end, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. I was proud of how hard we played in the second half, but we have a lot of work to do to continue developing team chemistry.

For those of you who are not familiar with college athletics, we don’t have a lot of time to coach the team until early October, so we use our preseason to try different combinations of players and continue to teach the game. Our goal for this season is to continue to change the culture at USF and work hard to improve.

Health is a huge priority for me as a coach. I hope the young women leave our program with a great understanding of how to apply what they learn here to being healthy, competent young women when they graduate.

Here is a video of an interview I did with GameDay on KPIX-TV, the CBS affiliate in San Francisco:

Getting the Season Started!

Whew... the last little while has been very, very busy but I'm loving it! As most of you know, this is my first year as the University of San Francisco women's basketball coach. I've spent the past several months preparing for the start of the season, which tipped off on Friday.

It's been so much fun getting to know these incredible players and getting them ready to compete against some tough teams (here's a quick interview I did with Gary Radnich of KRON 4). I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season.

Being a coach, I've learned, is more than just instructing on the court — it's about teaching these players to live a healthy lifestyle off the court as well. So far, with the help of USANA, we're heading in the right direction.

Tonight we are at home against San Jose State. I encourage members of the USANA family in the Bay Area to come to the game and see these amazing athletes. Plus, as part of the West Coast Conference's "Be a Part of It" program we are conducting a "Fitness Day."

After the game I will be speaking briefly with Rosie Bank, a certified nutrition and wellness consultant, about fitness and nutrition (and I'm sure we'll talk a little about USANA).

WNBA Cares in Connecticut

Donna Orender, right, and the WNBA All-Stars

I hosted a WNBA Cares Fit event with several WNBA All-Stars and Olympians at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut.

A big part of the WNBA Cares mission is to help teach and educate kids to be healthy and active. I also had the opportunity to watch our next Olympians practice. The level of play and talent is outstanding!

Geno Auriemma, head coach University of Connecticut and Olympic team coach

Geno Auriemma, UCONN’s head coach, is our Olympic team’s head coach as well. I like his intensity and his teaching style with the players. As I prepare for next season coaching my team at USF, it is invaluable to learn from the great coaches around the country.

July is recruiting month and most coaches, including myself, are out nearly 20 days this month watching tournaments all over the country. We were recruiting at a huge tournament, End of The Trail, in Portland prior to my quick time out with WNBA All-Star.

Now it’s back to recruiting in Chicago! As I watch the young women compete in hopes of getting a college scholarship, I am so grateful that women have these kinds of opportunities to fulfill their dreams.

It was not that long ago that women did not have opportunities like this....

Jayne Appel, WNBA All-Star from Stanford

Tamika Catchings, WNBA All-Star and Olympian

Teresa Edwards, 5-time Olympian

Always Dream

Randy Hahn, voice of the San Jose Sharks, and television anchor Roberta Gonzales

I was one of the guests at Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream Foundation fundraiser featuring many of the “Dancing with the Stars” champions. The mission of the Always Dream Foundation is simple — to give underprivileged children the tools they need to fulfill their dreams.

When Kristi’s husband, former NHL star Brett Hedigan, asked me to participate, he said it would be my favorite event of the year. I must say he was right! What a wonderful event! Be sure to check it out at: http://www.alwaysdream.org/

Don Blue and Kristi Yamaguchi

There were so many amazing dancers and stars! I was sitting with Peggy Flemming and her husband — what fabulous people! Everyone was very supportive of my team at USF. Many people said they were excited to come to our games this season. It is so encouraging to be around people like Kristi and Brett who have used their success to truly make the world a better place.

Golfing at Pebble Beach

I golfed at Pebble Beach in the annual fundraiser for All-Stars Helping Kids. It was a fabulous event! I have been very buys at USF with my team, but I was able to keep my commitment to play in one of my favorite events of the year!

Pebble Beach is one of the most beautiful places on earth! I am not much of a golfer, but I am learning and was thrilled to be paired with Cindy Reid, one of the top golf pros in the world. I was a bit intimidated at first, but she has such a gift for teaching!! I may have improved in one day...

The rest of our foursome was Olympic gold medalist Brandi Chastain (who is quite the golfer!!) and actor Grant Show (another amazing golfer!!) We had a blast together. They were so much fun to be around — everyone was so positive.




Another highlight for me was to see USANA have a presence at the tournament. Joe Wentz was at one of the holes handing out Nutrimeal and BlenderBottles®, as well as much needed Rev3! So many people were asking me about USANA, so I was able to share more about the products and the company with a lot of people at the event. Each of the celebrity athletes, including Joe Montana, received a MyHealthPak in their care packages. Go USANA!

An Incredible Venue for the All-Star Game

This has been a great week of events in Dallas! But the finalé — the All-Star Game was absolutely amazing!!

Unless you have been to the Cowboys Stadium, it is hard to get a sense of how massive the 50-yard HD TV is — largest in the world! It hangs above what is normally a football field (which was converted to a basketball venue for the game).

There is no bad seat in the stadium for the record-breaking 108,000 fans — largest ever for a basketball game! I had seats on the second row, and could see the game perfectly well, but I found myself staring constantly at the gigantic TV!

On hand were the usual celebrities, and great music including a performance by Usher, but the real star of the night was the stadium. Unbelievable!!!

20th Anniversary of Stanford's 1990 Championship

The 1990 championship team

This past weekend my teammates and I were honored for the 20th anniversary of our 1990 NCAA Championship. It started with an incredible dinner, party, and we were recognized by a great crowd at the Stanford-USC game. It is hard to imagine it has been 20 years since we won the title!

Eight members of our team, three of our coaches, support staff, and Andy Geiger our Athletic Director were there — we had not all been together since we won in 1990. Many of our group flew across the country to celebrate.

I am not one to reminisce about past success, but I must admit I had a lot of fun seeing everyone! It was as if no time had passed! I am amazed at all of the wonderful things my teammates are doing now. They are doctors, teachers, coaches, executives, entrepreneurs, moms, lawyers, and best of all great friends after all of these years.


Sports really do bring us together and I can’t think of a better group of women and men to have traveled the journey to the 1990 Championship and beyond. Tara VanDerveer and Amy Tucker, who are still coaches at Stanford, have created a legacy that continues to live within each team since our championship season.

I am so blessed to have been surrounded by such outstanding people! And I continue to be amazed by the success of Stanford Women’s Basketball... I look forward to seeing this Stanford team at the Final Four in San Antonio!

The 1990 championship team and the 2010 team

Honored after the Stanford-USC game

With coach Tara VanDerveer

Team staff and Helen and Peter Bing

Catching Up With NFL Great Jerry Rice

I caught up with Jerry Rice at Cayote Creek Golf Course. Jerry is working hard to make a run at the PGA. I have no doubt he will make his goal. He is one of the most focused and dedicated people I know!

We spoke about his likely upcoming induction into the NFL Hall of Fame, and he was so humble as he reflected on his career — how he was so focused on his “job” as a football player that he never imagined being the greatest receiver of all time!

We also talked about his experience on Dancing With The Stars. I asked if he would walk around the house practicing his moves and he said “yes!” and proceeded to take my hands and show me the correct dance posture and a couple of moves!!

He just seems to enjoy life and enjoy whatever he is working on — football, dancing, golf — everything! And he is in fantastic shape — I admire how dedicated he is to staying fit. He tried to get me out on the course to golf, but I have a lot of work to do before I get out there with him!!

Setting a Goal and Achieving It

Last March I was recruited by 4 of my college teammates to run the Nike Half-Marathon in San Francisco. Although all living in different states, they decided we could train (remotely) together for the race in honor of our 20th anniversary of winning the NCAA Championship at Stanford.

As much as I enjoy running, I never run more than 40 minutes! A half-marathon is three times what I am used to! Not wanting to let my teammates down, I very reluctantly decided to commit.

The first step was to sign-up and pay the $100 entry fee. Step two was finding a good training plan. Step three: I followed the program. Step four: recording my workouts.

To my surprise, I enjoyed the training, pushing myself beyond what I thought were my limits. Following the roadmap was invaluable so I never had to “think” about what to do, I trusted the expert’s plan. The feeling of camaraderie and support from my teammates made all of the difference, especially on those days I did not feel like running!

On the morning of the run, I was a bit nervous, sort of like I used to feel before games. Could I really run 13 miles? Was I ready? We lined up in Union Square along with 20,000 other runners and the energy was unreal! I had to force myself not to start out too fast and lose steam! The energy of the event, the runners (and my adrenaline) helped the miles pass remarkably fast. There was music (including a gospel choir and bagpipes) and people cheering every couple of miles.

The run was absolutely breathtaking — a gorgeous loop around San Francisco, including Land’s End and Golden Gate Park, finishing at Ocean Beach.

It was a fabulous way to spend time with my teammates after all these years! And together we pushed each other to get in shape! We each had our own goals — Sonja Henning wanted to qualify for the NY Marathon and she did! Trisha Lamb wanted to beat 2 hours and she did! Ann Adkins wanted to complete her first half-marathon and she did!

And I wanted to run faster than an 8:30 pace and I did! I finished in 1:47!

Just finished!

Nick and Ann

Sonja

For anyone looking for motivation to exercise, I highly recommend getting a group of friends to commit to a race. It was just the motivation and accountability I needed to push myself. I can’t wait to do it again next year!

Playing Tennis With Some Legends!

I had a blast yesterday at The Esurance Tennis Classic at Harbor Point in Mill Valley. Harbor Point is a spectacular location with a full view across the bay of San Francisco — gorgeous spot!

The tournament raises money for breast cancer and prostate cancer research. When I was invited to the event, I had no idea what I was in for! I had also just come off of a 10-day road trip, including events in both WNBA Finals cities.


Local resident Larry Goldfarb donated $50,000 to play with Steffi Graf against Andre Agassi — Andre won... The tennis was outstanding!!

Tracy Austin and Michael Chang had a team that competed against Andre and Steffi’s team. It was all fun and friendly! The players joked with the sold-out crowd and clearly had a great time.

Tennis legend Rosie Casals asked me to play next year. I told her I would need two or three lessons first. She said, “Well, Jennifer you will need a lot more than that!” Clearly I would play as a “celebrity” guest, not as a real player. My tennis game is much better than my golf game, but that’s not saying much.

I was also able to visit with Andre and Steffi. What impresses me most about them is how much they give to their communities. They use there celebrity to do amazing things, like Andre’s school in Las Vegas — Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy.

He lit up like a proud father when he told me that they had recently raised $8 million for the school and this year they graduated there first senior class and they are all going to college!!! Amazing! What a great day...

Here I am with tennis great Brad Gilbert.

Speaking at the Olympic Training Center

I was the keynote speaker at the International Association of High Performance Training Centers in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center.

The participants at the IAHPTC convention were either directors or owners of High Performance Training Centers. Their mission is to provide Olympic-level athletes state of the art training facilities. My topic was “Leadership in Sports.”

It was great to be back in Colorado Springs at the USOTC. I spent a good bit of my career with USA Basketball training there. Prior to the Olympics in 1996, we used the facilities as our home base for 18 months (when we were not traveling all over the planet!).

When I arrived at the auditorium to speak, the 200 or so participants were in the middle of a session. I took a deep breath as I looked across the room. One word can sum it up — somber. I had to give myself a pep talk — “just have energy!” I love Paula Abdul’s advice to performers: "have passion and energy, that matters more than what you are doing.”

Passion and energy are the keys to a successful talk for me, too. As soon as I got the group interacting, they were fantastic! We had a great time especially when we shared ideas on “life after sports.” I got to meet some incredible people, namely Marcus Vinicius Freire, CEO of The Brazilian Olympic Committee, and others from Thailand, Uganda, and South Africa. It was a wonderful event!

With the Ugandan Directors

With the Thailand Directors

IAHPTC Owners and Directors