Get to know your women's basketball team one-on-one
By Angela Alderman

As a friend and wingmate of the Golden Eagle basketball team, I had the joy and privilege one evening of sitting down with some of ORU's most outstanding young women. For their generosity with their time and their willingness to share some of what's on their hearts, I promised to finance them with a finals week pizza party (provided they save me a few slices).

First, let me ask you, how often are your practices? "Six days a week, two to three hours a day," replied Jamie Fithian, number 35. What activities do your practices consist of? "Pre-season, we were getting up about 5:30 a.m., running, then lifting weights, on top of our individual workouts and sprint conditioning," said Stephanie Clark, power forward number 45. What do you think of practices? "Some days they're fun, other days they're not quite as fun," Clark said. Clark explained that she didn't think it was always fun to run, but there is more that she likes than dislikes. Her favorite thing to do during practices is "two-in-one continuity."

"One my favorite types of practices is when we work on half-court offense, and half-court defense," Fithian said. For this type of practice, they play defense on a half-court for part of practice and offense for the remainder of the time.

In August during pre-season, I kept overhearing you guys talk about "running up the hill" during your practices. What's that all about? "That was to get endurance, as well as mental toughness," Clark said. "Pretty much what we did was run 80 yards flat, then 80 yards up the hill. [This hill is the one right outside Towers, adjacent to Lake Evelyn.] Some days it would be 110 degrees outside." "The least [amount of] times we ran up some days would be six, the most would be 12," Fithian said. "The hill tests your limits physically, mentally and everything in between," replied Guard Erin Menard, number 1.

Tell me about your unity as a team. "We have good team chemistry," said graduating senior Shayne McKenzie, Number 40. "The bonding started back in summer school," Menard answered. "That's when everyone came to summer school and also worked the basketball camps." "I like the camaraderie that we as a team have developed," replied Brandi Moore, number 54. "We're just a big family."

Would you care to comment on fellow teammates? Moore said about Clark, "Stephanie has been an awesome motivator and she leads by example." Clark said of Allison Holland, number 30, "Allison is an inspiration to me. She makes me work harder. She helps me to be a better person and a better teammate."Leah Cannon, Number 3, commented on the team leader, Cori Williston, "I think Cori is a great team leader-she's got the natural ability to lead." Speaking of guard Kristin Atkinson, number 10, Menard said, "I think having Kristin back brings a toughness to the team." "She also brings a maturity and strength," Cannon said.

Do you have any comments on your coach, Jerry Finkbeiner, whom you lovingly call "Coach Fink"? Freshman Guard Kelli Inman, Number 2, said, "I've definitely grown from his coaching style. It's more physical, and faster than high school. Coach Fink challenges all of us not only physically, but mentally-you have to be prepared to play."

"He's patient with us," Clark said. Freshman Amanda Stone, Number 24, said, "He's a motivational speaker. Coach Fink is the best." Inman said, "The ORU coaching staff is amazing." What are some of your expectations for this 2002-03 season? "We want to win Mid-Con regular season, and conference tournament," Menard said. "We want to advance to Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament," McKenzie replied. She and the other teammates agree that they want their team GPA to be top 10 in the nation this year.

Clark encouraged basketball fans, "We really appreciate all of the support that people give us, and we'd appreciate it if the people that have never come to see us would come check us out." As a fan and wingmate of these awesome, friendly, gifted and talented basketball girls, I urge fans everywhere to come out and support these young women.

For a list of game times, stats and a brief bio and picture of each player, go to www.orugoldeneagles.com.

Finals Schedule