- Share This Post
- Pin It
- 0
- 3
-
Sparkle (1)
These days, it seems like everybody either has a coach, wants a coach, thinks they need a coach or is a coach. With philosophies and approaches that often draw from positive psychology, Dr. Phil-esquetough love, back to basics All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarden, Oprah-endorsed The Secret and its various offshoots,and so much more, if you need a little motivation, a little inspiration, a little Jai Ho gung ho perspiration with or without open-mouthed, Twisted Sister WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFEurgency, there are plenty of resources.
For the record, yes, I wanna rock and I most certainly love and appreciate coaching! Follow the links above if you haven't already for some great content. (See, that's me coaching you. Just read the rest of the post first, please! Then go back for the links.)
On that note, I could not be happier to share my exclusive interview with an actual sports coach, my friend and total inspiration, UC Berkeley Women's Varsity Basketball Head Coach, Lindsay Gottlieb. I know Coach Gottlieb from our days together as campers, bunkmates (while fun, I'd say we bonded over being the least mischievous of a daring lot) and BFFs at Kutsher's Sports Academy in Monticello, NY. Her good nature, humor, athleticism and humility were noticeable even then, and it comes as no surprise to me that her career is soaring.
Gottlieb played basketball her whole life (she grew up in Scarsdale, NY) and earned her BA in Political Science at Brown University, where she played on the varsity team before a knee injury ended her career. Instead of walking away from the sport she loved, she became student assistant coach of the Brown team. Instead of following in the linear footsteps of her legal eagle family members, Gottlieb stayed with her passion for hoops, continued coaching, and courageously followed the windy road onto which she was led.
Gottlieb became the assistant coach at Syracuse University, where she earned a Masters in Philosophy of Education. She then went on to assistant coach spots at University of New Hampshire, University of Virginia Richmond (under Head Coach Joanne Boyle), and UCLA Berkeley (she and Coach Boyle went there together). Next, she was tapped to become UC Santa Barbara's Head Coach, where she led her team to 2 Big West titles, 2 post season bids and an overall 56-39 (.589) record. After 3 consecutive winning seasons, Gottlieb was given the opportunity of a lifetime -- to return to Cal Berkeley, this time as Head Coach.
Gottlieb is only 34 years old and already demonstrating such steady confidence, persistence and a creative approach to leadership, one can only imagine with excitement where she'll be in ten years time. Time will tell. In the meantime, let's keep it in this day and turn it over to the transcript of my interview with Coach Gottlieb (done over email) so you can see what she relies on to inspire her talented team, keep herself energized, get over setbacks and create a unique style of leadership all her own...
Congratulations on becoming Head Coach of the Cal Berkeley women's varsity basketball team! How does it feel to return to Cal and how are things going so far?
Thank you! It's been amazing so far, and I've only just begun. While I was certainly content coaching at UCSB and was not actively looking to pursue other jobs, for me, Cal was not just any job, it was THE job. So, to be able to return to a place that I am so fond of and to begin this journey as Cal's head coach...I couldn't be happier.
These first few months have been hectic, as any coaching transition is inherently crazy. That being said, however, the response I've received from the community, the athletic department and the players has been amazing. The "buy-in" has been instant, which makes things a lot easier. I think everyone is on the same page and looking forward to this season and the future of Cal Women's Basketball.
What are some major factors contributing to the growth of Cal women's basketball program?
I think Cal Women's Basketball is at an interesting and exciting juncture, in that we are established on the national scene, but the next leap is to become one of the truly "elite" teams. So from a basketball standpoint, I think it's getting the players to see that we need to turn our talented group into a cohesive team that performs better as a unit than we ever could as individuals. We need
