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A blog on UConn women's basketball.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Geno Auriemma appointed to key WBCA post

UConn's Geno Auriemma and his former star Jen Rizzotti are among prominent women's basketball coaches who will play roles as the Women's Basketball Coaches Association considers implementing changes for the betterment of the sport. 

 The WBCA Board of Directions announced coaches who will be part of working group as they consider the suggestions put out there by former WNBA president Val Ackerman which could include changing the dates of the Final Four.

 “Val’s white paper presents a stark assessment of the current state of women’s basketball,” said WBCA President Sue Semrau, head coach at Florida State University. “While the game remains near the height of its popularity, attendance and TV ratings are at a plateau. 

 “We have an opportunity right now to reimagine our sport. What must our sport become if it is to appeal to future generations of athletes and fans? How do we get from here to there? I believe the WBCA is uniquely positioned to help lead the search for those answers."

Auriemma will serve on the Playing Rules and Officiating group along with Kentucky's Matthew Mitchell and West Coast Conference deputy commissioner Connie Hurlbut. Rizzotti,the head coach at Hartford, will be a faculty athletic representative on the Legislation and Governance group. Here is the breakdown courtesy of the official WBCA release. 

  •Legislation and Governance -- Penn State head coach Coquese Washington, the association’s vice president, and Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw co-chair this group, which will focus on how the WBCA might be better represented in a revised NCAA governance structure, how the WBCA can more effectively participate in the NCAA legislative process, and how the WBCA’s own governance structure might be improved in order to have a more efficient organization. Members include Claudette Charney, Hillsdale College; Diane Dickman, NCAA; Danielle O’Banion, Kent State; Martha Putallaz, faculty athletic representatives; Jennifer Rizzotti, Hartford; Christy Thomaskutty, Emory; and Rich Ensor, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. 

•Playing Rules and Officiating -- Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell, the association’s secretary, Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma, and West Coast Conference deputy commissioner Connie Hurlbut co-chair this group, which will focus on whether or not we have the right rules going forward and how the game is officiated. The goal is to improve the quality of the game so that it is more attractive to spectators. Members include Anucha Browne, NCAA; Nikki Caldwell, LSU; Brandan Harrell, Georgia Highlands College; Patricia Manning, Williams College; Joanne McCallie, Duke; Melissa McFerrin, Memphis; and Dawn Staley, South Carolina. •

Professional and Grass Roots Development -- Kansas State head coach Deb Patterson, the association’s treasurer, and Arizona State head coach Charli Turner Thorne, the immediate past president, co-chair this group, which will focus on educational programming that will provide WBCA members with opportunities to become better coaches as well as explore the feasibility of establishing a certification service for coaches of women’s basketball. Members include Amanda Butler, Florida; Tricia Cullop, Toledo; Lisa Mispley Fortier, Gonzaga; Kirsten Moore, Westmont College; Mary Beth Spirk, Moravian College; Carol Callan, USA Basketball; and Todd Starkey, Lenoir-Rhyne.

3 Comments:

Blogger Genosguy said...

The worst thing the NCAA Women's BB group could do is throw the baby out with the bath water.
Don't lose the fans you now have to get potential (like fans you MAY get) fans.
What the NCAA Women need is publicity--not major changes to the game. The 10 second rule is ok, 25 second clock ok, making the refs go back to real rules for calling fouls. If they won't call palming, make no palming rule. Bigger boys basketball good. Adopting most international rules great.
But don't make this just run and gun--the NBA has that as does the WNBA and their attendance is dropping. College is not just talent it's about strategy should still stand big in WBB pure talent shouldn't be the only reason a College team wins.

9:57 AM 
Blogger scorpio1300 said...

I agree with all of the above. The "run and gun " game has made men's basketball boooooringgg.I believe standard size ball conforming to International rules and referring would continue to make it easier on USA teams to compete and we wouldn't have all the game stoppages we currently have for tici taci fouls. the last thing I would do is always have referees from a different conference calling the games so no home town advantage calls.

10:53 PM 
Blogger scorpio1300 said...

I think ball should be standard across gender nationally and international. The rules and the standards for calling fouls should also be standard. In regards to refs, use of " home town " refs that call the games differently depending on which side of the court they are calling should not be allowed and refs that call the same play a charge on one team and a block on the other need to go. There should also be no teflon players who almost never get fouls called because they are popular ie. " Skylar Diggins " was almost always blocked and almost never charged. Really?

11:04 PM 

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