Post by skyrider on Jan 11, 2023 17:57:22 GMT -8
I would like to obtain the group's thoughts on some observations and perceptions I have about the current state of OSU women's basketball and how it has been affected by the portal/transfer situation, assistant coach turnover, and perhaps also by the income sources for players that now exists).
First, I would like to be clear that none of the following is intended to indicate a lack of support for Coach Rueck or any of the high quality student/athletes on the team. I believe the current team is working hard and getting better as the season goes along.
My perception, at least as it applies to OSU, would be that our less than 50% wins in the PAC 12 the past three years is due in large part to
(a) portal transfers, and (b) assistant coach turnover.
An excellent example of the effects of the portal transfer I believe is the circumstances that A.J. Marotte and the Beavers find themselves in.
A.J. is likely the most athletically talented player on the OSU team, and also probably has the highest upside in terms of improving her talents.
In the past players pretty much accepted the fact that if they wanted to play more, get better, improve all aspects of their game they would do so by hard work on their own and with the coaching staff of the school they are attending.
Now you have a situation at OSU where a player like A.J. who is super talented physically (how many OSU players have been able to put up 17 points in a half against a top 10 team as she did against Arizona) is often not playing a lot of minutes in games. It may be the "right" coaching decision for the moment but it may be very damaging for the future.
The "coaching rules" have basically always been that you play those that you consider giving you the best chance to win now. The other players on your team would realize that they must improve their game or their playing time will not increase.
Now you have a situation with A.J. (there are other examples everywhere on probably every team) where, given her obvious athletic talent, if you do not give her significant minutes there is a strong possibility she will transfer to another school.
OSU can ill afford to lose such a quick talented
player given our lack of quickness at other positions.
In the past Coach Rueck and staff has developed player after player who made huge progress during their time at OSU (Ruth Hamlin, Alea Goodman, Kat Tudor, Jamie Weisner, Marie Gulich, Gabby Hansen, etc., etc.).
Now it often seems as if a player is not getting sufficient playing time in games, the choice is made to change schools. From the player's perspective it may appear to be the right choice and may actually be the right choice. For most of these women, they are going to have four years to play the sport they love, so who wants to spend it riding the bench. Particularly when you have other schools promising them all sorts
of incentives to transfer to their school (As I am sure OSU is doing also!)
As far as what factor the make up of the assistant coaching staff is having on player development, a snapshot of the past several years
would indicate that Marie Gulich was probably the last OSU player I can remember making great progress in developing her skills.
It is probably unfair to compare Jelena to Marie, but even on a basic level with three years in the program, Jelena has made very limited progress. She still lowers the ball to waist level when she catches it, she still is easily pushed around and forced off balance by much smaller players, and still has huge difficulty establishing and keeping a low post position. Some of these things may simply be due to a lack of god given talent, but you look back at the early days of Ruth and Marie and they appeared strikingly similar to where Jelena still is.
Of course, it is probably much more difficult to "Coach up" players these days so who knows whether it has anything to do with the actual coaching assistants are. Must be difficult as a Coach to be direct, demanding, and honest when you know the result may be another defection from your program.
As usual I have no great or even good solutions. However I truly enjoy OSU women's basketball and the opportunity to discuss it with the learned gentlemen of this blog.
