West Creek named Mikaela Colemon as its new girls’ basketball coach back in September. She is taking the reigns from Aaron Keener, who led the girls’ team to its best record in years last season.
The Coyote Caller asked Coach Colemon about her new position and what she hopes to accomplish in her first season as coach.
Question: What drew you to apply for this position?
Answer: “I have a love for coaching basketball that is different and the love I had for playing basketball. I wanted a challenge at a different level of the game of women’s basketball to further my professional development.”
Q: What is your coaching background?
A: “In the past, I have coached around five years of AAU basketball for the Tennessee Sol. I have also coached at the middle school level at West Creek Middle. In addition to formal coaching, I also offer training, both individual and group.”
Q: WCHS girls’ basketball has struggled recently. Things were a lot better last year. What do you hope to accomplish in your first year as the head coach?
A: “In my first year as the head coach, I would like to accomplish establishing a system of norms and enforcing buy-in for our players. A lot can happen when you have players who buy into your program and are dedicated to making not only themselves successful but also the team. When those core things are met, winning games, and meeting milestones are inevitable.”
Q: What kind of offense and defense do you plan to run?
A: “Looking at the type of players that West Creek currently holds, we are very long and athletic. This serves as an advantage to us. I am a defense-heavy coach, and it is very important to me as I thrive on the point of defense wins ball games. I am partial to man-to-man defense. However due to how long we are, if we need to go zone, we can hold a tight active zone, still creating pressure on the ball. Offensively, I like movement without the ball, so I’m partial to motions and four out and one in, causing us to play basketball more fluidly. By starting with more fluid offenses, I hope to build the girls’ basketball IQ and allow them to see open looks so that when it’s time for more intricate plays they understand what they are looking for.”
The regular season begins at home on November 17 against Montgomery Central at 6 p.m.
