 |
 Tara Van Derveer |
Debra Cousy (Buena Park, CA)
What former or current coaches have made an impact on your coaching styleand philosophy? What do you consider the number one selling point ofStanford?
Coach Van Derveer: Being at Indiana with Coach (Bob) Knight, Idaho actually with Don Monson,being at Ohio State with Fred Taylor, my coach Bea Gorton at Indiana, JodyConradt, Pat Summitt, Vivian Stringer, our former track coach BrooksJohnson, and my sister Heidi. Those are the biggest influences. The numberone selling point is Stanford's academics.
Emerick Oshiro (San Jose, CA)
I first want to congratulate you on bringing Cardinal back to its winningways! Will there be a moment in any of the games this year when we see CoriEnghusen at center and Carolyn Moos at forward (playing together)?
Coach Van Derveer: Good question. I hope so. I think that they're very effective together andthat'll be somthing I'd like to see too. So I hope so.
David Telleen-Lawton (San Marino, CA)
Coach, thanks for building such a strong program that the school and alumnican be proud of year in, year out. What do you tell yourself to keepmotivated since you have been at the pinnacle and now are coaching teamsthat talent-wise do not seem to have as much as some of the championshipyears? How do you keep perspective especially when the public expectationsappear to be "only the best is adequate" and only "one of the best" leavesyou open for criticism? I wish I could be at more of the games. I'll seeyou in LA!
Coach Van Derveer: We have really good people on our team so going to work every day andworking with really good people is what is motivating. We also have had agreat recruiting class so our future looks really bright. We want people tostay healthy and enjoy each day, working hard. And again, the people arewhat makes it special.
John Chandler (Dana Point, CA)
It is with considerable pleasure during the past few years that I'venoticed an increase in interest in women's sports, and especially theinterest & support of Stanford women's basketball during this same period.My question of you is two-fold: do you feel that general interest & supportof women's basketball has come far enough, and (a prediction) will your begoing to the NCAA this year? (Good luck to you and the team in your season!)
Coach Van Derveer: Well definitely we hope to go to the NCAAs but we're going to have toreally keep improving and earn it. As far as women's basketball, I thinkthat we've got room to grow and our support can improve. We hope that itcontinues to be something that people will be supportive of and come outand watch. We've got room to grow.
Allen Minker (Los Osos, CA)
Do you feel the Tennessee game was a positive experience for the team?
Coach Van Derveer: Definitely. Except for maybe the last two minutes. I actually didn't thinkour team played extremely well, and maybe Tennessee didn't feel they playedextremely well either, but it was very early. I think it has to helppeople's confidence knowing that we were in a position to win the game, andwe hope that we will play them down the road.
Return to "Ask the Coach"