A Conversation with Tom Collen
June 26, 2003 | Women's Basketball
June 26, 2003
Louisville, Ky. - We had the opportunity to catch up with women's basketball head coach Tom Collen and talk about his three months at the university and the upcoming season.
On the University of Louisville......The University of Louisville is the centerpiece of a thriving metropolis of over one million people. The relatively small campus creates a serene and quiet setting more similar to a small town private school. It is an ideal setting where a student can have the best of both worlds. However, the number one attraction for me to the university is the leadership currently in place. Dr. Ramsay and Tom Jurich are so incredibly supportive of women's athletics that it was hard to imagine why a coach would want to be anywhere else.
What can the fans expect to see.....We will not make any promises to our fans other than to give 100 percent all of the time, both on and off the court. I am a big believer in "giving" as opposed to receiving. So our fans can expect to see our team our in the community as well.
What type of player best fits your system....We love shooters at all positions. But we may be willing to sacrifice that skill at the post position for a great athlete who can run, rebound and defend. Being self-motivated and possessing a willingness to be a good teammate is a necessity in our system.
How important will your first recruiting class be.....Our first recruiting class will be extremely important because it must be the foundation for our future success. We would love to sign a few premier players, however it will be more important to sign players with great work ethic and character to establish an identity that will be with our program forever.
What challenges do you face in your first season....One of the greatest challenges will be getting out in the community and the state to convince all the basketball fans that the University of Louisville women's basketball program is about to become something very special. We understand that the proof will be in the performance and we welcome the opportunity to entertain a bunch of new fans!
What is your coaching philosophy....My coaching philosophy is pretty simple. You will see an uptempo team at the offense end where our motto may be "Any open shot is a good shot as long as you can make it!" I'm a big believer in a 4 out 1 inside with four good shooters.
However, I belive you still win championships at the defensive end of the floor. If we have enough depth, we will press to create teamp. If not, we must get stops and rebound the basketball.
what role will Sara Nord play in your system.....Sara Nord's development will be crucial to our early success. However, we need several players to have breakout seasons and to play to the level of their abilities. All of our returning players, Kim Graham, Angel Bradley, Nina Simotes, Connie Neal and Jessica Huggins have that kind of potential. We also need our incoming class to provide a couple of impact players. But, when it is all said and done, Sara needs to make all the players around her better.
How have your first three months gone since arriving in Louisville....I have to admit my first three months been a little busy. There are so many changes in our program right now, including our staff and the renovation of our offices and lockerroom. Now that we have most of the pieces of the puzzle in place, we can move forward and concentrate on recruiting this summer and fall. Our staff can't wait for school to start this fall and practices to begin.
