interesting article about the nevada reno program

[myko98]

http://nevadasportsnet.com/news/rep...h-of-departures-from-nevada-womens-basketball

its a long and interesting insight to what is going on at nevada reno and where some of our norcal girls are expecting to play at.

 

[GodFamilyBasketball]

I just read their complaints. Wow! Sounds like horrible upperclassmen.

 

[ankleassassin]

I remember someone was arguing about scholarships being 4 year guarantees and so on... Read the article where the coach told 2 players their scholarships will not be renewed the next year.

 

[Marcskit]

I remember someone was arguing about scholarships being 4 year guarantees and so on... Read the article where the coach told 2 players their scholarships will not be renewed the next year.

Ankle- Is that Sybil Dosty related to Ronald Dosty from Grant, way back when. Cousin? Just curious.

Here's wishing you great hoops

 

[ankleassassin]

Ankle- Is that Sybil Dosty related to Ronald Dosty from Grant, way back when. Cousin? Just curious.

Here's wishing you great hoops

i have no idea. her bio says she is from arizona though. so i imagine no.

 

[ClayK]

So either the players she recruited were a problem -- her fault -- or once they got there, they were treated so poorly they left -- her fault.

It's always easy to blame the players but there are 325 or so D-1 programs, and only a very few have these problems. Can't the coach/boss be wrong occasionally?

 

[ankleassassin]

So either the players she recruited were a problem -- her fault -- or once they got there, they were treated so poorly they left -- her fault.

It's always easy to blame the players but there are 325 or so D-1 programs, and only a very few have these problems. Can't the coach/boss be wrong occasionally?

some coaches are tough to play for. as well as the comp is far tougher all around you. then living on your own. some just arent built for it.

 

[ankleassassin]

i see concern in the future too. 7 girls signed in the late period to replace 7 that left. so in a few years will they too realize i made a bad decision?

 

[myko98]

hopefully the coach changes to accommodates the needs of her players. hopefully those players don't regret their choices.

some of the things do sound unnecessary and forced. There are multiple ways to change behavior. the worst thing about the article was how defeated the players were and how the players lost love for the game.

 

[ankleassassin]

hopefully the coach changes to accommodates the needs of her players. hopefully those players don't regret their choices.

some of the things do sound unnecessary and forced. There are multiple ways to change behavior. the worst thing about the article was how defeated the players were and how the players lost love for the game.

he said it best...

 

[CW Golden Eagles]

I remember someone was arguing about scholarships being 4 year guarantees and so on... Read the article where the coach told 2 players their scholarships will not be renewed the next year.

Most places, the scholarship is one year renewable. The majority of coaches honor it for 4 years, but sometimes circumstance or decisions change that. The general thought is you have to really screw up to not have it renewed. Of course, some coaches don’t have the character to honor it or want to get rid of a kid.

I believe the Pac-12 are all 4 year scholarships though

 

[Bigran44]

I feel like the article put the blame equally on both the staff and players. Some kids probably couldn’t handle the structure and business like atmosphere some coaches demand. They probably could’ve done their homework on the type of coach they were playing for. The coach probably went to far at times when the players didn’t buy in or rebelled. I bet over time the players will at least look back and learn something from it. Hopefully the coaching staff can learn to be a little more player friendly while still teaching discipline.

 

[Norcal_Fan]

I feel like the article put the blame equally on both the staff and players. Some kids probably couldn’t handle the structure and business like atmosphere some coaches demand. They probably could’ve done their homework on the type of coach they were playing for. The coach probably went to far at times when the players didn’t buy in or rebelled. I bet over time the players will at least look back and learn something from it. Hopefully the coaching staff can learn to be a little more player friendly while still teaching discipline.

You're right...it was in the last few years the power 5 conferences came up with basically something like a 4 year scholarship rule. Now the only way of losing your scholarhship is by breaking rules or doing something to negatively impact the university and/or program. that rule doesn't apply to schools from non power 5 conferences (WAC, WCC, Big West, etc).

I just heard to day that Humboldt graduated 5 players and did not renew the rest of the team. They'll have 13 brand new players (frosh/transfers/JC) on the team next year.

 

[GBBall4L]

Sounds like a horrible coach. Having been a division one athlete myself I can honestly say what she was doing was way out of pocket. You probably wouldn't even see the greats like Geno and Summit(RIP) going this far. Being a student athlete is a lot of pressure and If the kids cant unwind that is extremely unhealthy for them. Its a shame she is still the coach if she is still practicing this way.

 

[GBBall4L]

On second thought after reading further they need to get Levens out of there and start new. No way I would send my daughter to play for her.

 

[ankleassassin]

Sounds like a horrible coach. Having been a division one athlete myself I can honestly say what she was doing was way out of pocket. You probably wouldn't even see the greats like Geno and Summit(RIP) going this far. Being a student athlete is a lot of pressure and If the kids cant unwind that is extremely unhealthy for them. Its a shame she is still the coach if she is still practicing this way.

the difference is geno and pat play for titles. i am sure they were just as demanding but winning cures all.

 

[ClayK]

"Demanding" is fine; "demeaning" is not.

I've worked with some seriously demanding coaches, but that doesn't mean that there's no fun involved, and no room for individuality.

Requiring complete sentences in a journal? For 20-year-olds? That's going beyond demanding.

 

[myko98]

the proof will be in the pudding and who knows how long the coach will last.

but it is amazing that the coach participated in the interview and is changing up some of her policies. the article did say they are getting rid of the journals and changing some of the social media rules. the sentences don't seem to be going away. Usually we don't hear about these things until after the fact or they surface after the coach is gone, usually with the coach being in total denial about the situation.

it is not easy to change. most coaches, and especially head coaches have a certain way they want things done. i just hope for the players sake that they have a solid experience where they grow as players and young ladies together, in a positive and productive environment.

 

[GodFamilyBasketball]

I read the article. Can someone please give me the example of when she was demeaning? I saw general statements like Trump was describing something. I saw making them study and do writing assignments. Could you imagine this coming from a Cal or Stanford player? I want to defend the kids so I’m going to read the article one more time to see if I can find the example of being treated terrible.

 

[GBBall4L]

I read the article. Can someone please give me the example of when she was demeaning? I saw general statements like Trump was describing something. I saw making them study and do writing assignments. Could you imagine this coming from a Cal or Stanford player? I want to defend the kids so I’m going to read the article one more time to see if I can find the example of being treated terrible.

If getting a clear picture is important to you then you may want to read the article in detail. Based on your response it appears you skimmed over it. The information is all in the article. In a nutshell college student athletes need to be able to unwind. If they are going non-stop 24-7 it's unhealthy and if the relationship with the coaching staff is unhealthy on top of that it makes it even worse

 

[GodFamilyBasketball]

If getting a clear picture is important to you then you may want to read the article in detail. Based on your response it appears you skimmed over it. The information is all in the article. In a nutshell college student athletes need to be able to unwind. If they are going non-stop 24-7 it's unhealthy and if the relationship with the coaching staff is unhealthy on top of that it makes it even worse

So does that mean no? These generalizations can be said about any program that has kids that don’t work hard. 24-7 is a generalization that doesn’t say anything factual. “Nutshell” again is a generalization. Has the current political environment taught us how to skip factual based data and just generalize everything? Please one example of something bad in the article? Please don’t say making scholarshipped college kids do a writing assignment.

 

[GodFamilyBasketball]

Ok. I found this.


Players described their experience as “miserable,” “overly dramatic,” “suffocating,” “mentally draining” and “manipulative” while feeling a general lack of trust and communication with the staff. None of the players alleged illegal behavior and most said they believed Levens was well intended. But almost all of them left Nevada because of how they felt they were being treated.

And

“I would say Amanda definitely crossed the line outside of coaching,” said a player who played for multiple Division I programs. “In ways that had nothing to do with basketball, she crossed the line 100 percent. Me and multiple other players dreaded going to practice because it was 3 hours of tears with things that didn’t add to basketball or make us better as a team, especially the year all of her players joined the team (2018-19). That was easily the worst season of basketball I’ve ever had. I absolutely hated it. It was mentally and emotionally draining.”


Ok???
- 3 hour practices
- Hi expectations
- Taking over a historic losing program
- Took their phones when they had to go to bed

I was looking for the following
- Abusive language
- Hit the kids
- physically punished the kids
- Didn’t value learning
- Lied to them

Essence is an excellent basketball player but I understand she did not have a tough coach in high school. She picked the wrong school to duplicate her high school experience. Coach Levens sounds like an East Coast coach who is managing West Coast kids. These transfers better not leave the West Coast.

 

[GodFamilyBasketball]

 

[GBBall4L]

@GodFamilyBasketball

Writing sentences on repeat like detention for fouls, daily journals with minimal amounts of words, forcing a gay player to go to counseling and more. Activities that take up a substantial amount of time per day outside of practice and studies is mentally degrading and emotionally degrading. If you confide in confidence to your head coach about a personal issue you shouldn't have it thrown back in your face in front of the entire team. Things like that. Im not sure how you missed those type of items.

 

[ClayK]

If Amanda Levens' behavior as a head coach were typical, then the mass transfers and departures of assistants would not be notable. But clearly, the expectations in the industry are different, and her actions -- however they might be viewed by outsiders -- were enough to cause a major exodus.

Some can yearn for a world where her treatment of players, and their feelings about being so treated, was either immaterial or expected, but that world -- if it ever existed -- is not this one.

 

[observer22]

“I would say Amanda definitely crossed the line outside of coaching,” said a player who played for multiple Division I programs.

So if a girl played for “multiple Division 1 programs”, she must not have been very happy at all of her other stops as well.

 

[ankleassassin]

“I would say Amanda definitely crossed the line outside of coaching,” said a player who played for multiple Division I programs.

So if a girl played for “multiple Division 1 programs”, she must not have been very happy at all of her other stops as well.

the main thing i gathered from that exact sentence is the way the writer said that. i think the same thing. it might have been this player more than the coach

 

[ankleassassin]

I do not see much there as far as demeaning either. However with todays athletes and parents I definitely can understand. The transfer portal has made it really easy for kids to pack up and move at the slightest hint of adversity. I was sent off and my father said do not even think of coming back. I do not care how tough it or they are on you. Today kids just log on instagram and saying peace its too hard on me.

 

[ankleassassin]

Ok. I found this.


Players described their experience as “miserable,” “overly dramatic,” “suffocating,” “mentally draining” and “manipulative” while feeling a general lack of trust and communication with the staff. None of the players alleged illegal behavior and most said they believed Levens was well intended. But almost all of them left Nevada because of how they felt they were being treated.

And

“I would say Amanda definitely crossed the line outside of coaching,” said a player who played for multiple Division I programs. “In ways that had nothing to do with basketball, she crossed the line 100 percent. Me and multiple other players dreaded going to practice because it was 3 hours of tears with things that didn’t add to basketball or make us better as a team, especially the year all of her players joined the team (2018-19). That was easily the worst season of basketball I’ve ever had. I absolutely hated it. It was mentally and emotionally draining.”


Ok???
- 3 hour practices
- Hi expectations
- Taking over a historic losing program
- Took their phones when they had to go to bed

I was looking for the following
- Abusive language
- Hit the kids
- physically punished the kids
- Didn’t value learning
- Lied to them

Essence is an excellent basketball player but I understand she did not have a tough coach in high school. She picked the wrong school to duplicate her high school experience. Coach Levens sounds like an East Coast coach who is managing West Coast kids. These transfers better not leave the West Coast.

what is an east coast coach vs a west coast coach?

 

[GodFamilyBasketball]

Having a gay person get counseling is still not specific. I’ll show you.

If the gay player is contemplating suicide or is feeling depressed because of the social prejudices on campus then having her seek counseling is an excellent call.

If the coach is telling her that being gay is wrong and that she needs counseling then the coach should be fired.

Which one is it? Broad statements without substance is the reason why people’s lives get ruined.

As far as West Coast communication vs East Coast communication, you just need to find one person from the Northeast and ask them how they have adjusted their way of speaking on the West Coast.

I always protect the kids first but I also know that the AAU culture has taught kids to run from all adversity because there is 10 other coaches telling you that they’ll treat you a lot better. I wish those young ladies the best.

 

[CW Golden Eagles]

Sounds like a horrible coach. Having been a division one athlete myself I can honestly say what she was doing was way out of pocket. You probably wouldn't even see the greats like Geno and Summit(RIP) going this far. Being a student athlete is a lot of pressure and If the kids cant unwind that is extremely unhealthy for them. Its a shame she is still the coach if she is still practicing this way.

I know Coach Levens personally and she’s not a horrible person or coach. She’s actually just the opposite. Now are there things that seem excessive and worth changing? Absolutely. And she claims she’s taken this time to step back and look at it all and reflect and make changes. She knows basketball and does care about the kids. But there are things culturally that definitely need to change. I also wouldn’t put 100% on the staff. Some of the defectors are less than model citizens on and off the court. And sometimes when things go south, some leave on their own and others drag everyone down with them.

Keep in mind some of the things those that left complained the most about are practices Levens has learned from Charli at ASU. Charli is very well respected and successful and there hasn’t been the mass exodus from ASU and she’s been doing several of the things in the article for years.

You have to fill a roster after such a departure, but outside looking in—adding 7 late signees would be concerning. You’ll find a diamond in the rough in the late period but there’s a reason a majority of late signees are unsigned in the spring.

Hopefully Amanda can make the necessary changes, get her current roster to buy in, and recruit players that fit the standard and culture she wants going forward.

 

[ankleassassin]

I know Coach Levens personally and she’s not a horrible person or coach. She’s actually just the opposite. Now are there things that seem excessive and worth changing? Absolutely. And she claims she’s taken this time to step back and look at it all and reflect and make changes. She knows basketball and does care about the kids. But there are things culturally that definitely need to change. I also wouldn’t put 100% on the staff. Some of the defectors are less than model citizens on and off the court. And sometimes when things go south, some leave on their own and others drag everyone down with them.

Keep in mind some of the things those that left complained the most about are practices Levens has learned from Charli at ASU. Charli is very well respected and successful and there hasn’t been the mass exodus from ASU and she’s been doing several of the things in the article for years.

You have to fill a roster after such a departure, but outside looking in—adding 7 late signees would be concerning. You’ll find a diamond in the rough in the late period but there’s a reason a majority of late signees are unsigned in the spring.

Hopefully Amanda can make the necessary changes, get her current roster to buy in, and recruit players that fit the standard and culture she wants going forward.

I said that same thing early. 7 late signees means 5 are probably gone before their junior year.

 

[GBBall4L]

I know Coach Levens personally and she’s not a horrible person or coach. She’s actually just the opposite. Now are there things that seem excessive and worth changing? Absolutely. And she claims she’s taken this time to step back and look at it all and reflect and make changes. She knows basketball and does care about the kids. But there are things culturally that definitely need to change. I also wouldn’t put 100% on the staff. Some of the defectors are less than model citizens on and off the court. And sometimes when things go south, some leave on their own and others drag everyone down with them.

Keep in mind some of the things those that left complained the most about are practices Levens has learned from Charli at ASU. Charli is very well respected and successful and there hasn’t been the mass exodus from ASU and she’s been doing several of the things in the article for years.

You have to fill a roster after such a departure, but outside looking in—adding 7 late signees would be concerning. You’ll find a diamond in the rough in the late period but there’s a reason a majority of late signees are unsigned in the spring.

Hopefully Amanda can make the necessary changes, get her current roster to buy in, and recruit players that fit the standard and culture she wants going forward.

I was actually referring to everything that I read outside of what takes place on the court when I said horrible coach. Based on my interpretation I believe that some of the outside items like writing drawn out journals and writing sentences is not productive. Everyone who has played a sport at a high level has gotten in trouble for penalities and has had to run extra for things like that and that is part of the game. I just don't agree with her tactics off the court. It's just as much of the coaches responsibility as it is the player to make the situation work. That said, the players may have some culpability as well but as a coach it doesn't absolve you from getting to know your players and developing a rapport and trust. It is the coaches responsibility to learn what makes them tick.

Instead of writing journals talk to your players personally. Let them know you give a damn about them and you will be surprised at the results. Not all, but some coaches write players off because they can't relate to their culture or reasoning but it's the great coaches that take the time to understand their players and what makes them tick because they get the most out of them. Every athlete wants to play for a coach that they would run through a brick wall for and this coach doesn't appear to be that. When I played sports you could chew me out in front of the team and I would respond positively but not all players are the same. Some players shut down and regress. Great coaches understand it's more than just Xs And Os and that it's about each person that plays for you. If the players don't trust you it's a wrap.

I'm sure the players aren't role models but the majority of college players aren't angels. They are people with flaws like everyone else. It's up to the coach to create a healthy culture of hard work, accountability, responsibility, but also make it fun. Losing 7 players isn't ordinary and for the sake of the players I hope the coach can turn it around but where there is smoke there is fire. As a coach she has just as much of a responsibility to her players as they do to her. At ASU she didn't have the keys and players can dislike a coach on the staff but if they dislike the head coach then mentally they are done. When I said horrible coach I wasn't talking about practice, games, X's or Os, I'm talking about player relationship and personal development. Coaches at all levels are a part of our development and they have a responsibility to the kids not only as players but as people as well. I hope she can turn it around and her ego doesn't get in the way. When you lose 7 players to the transfer portal you definitely need to do some introspection.

 

[ankleassassin]

Having a gay person get counseling is still not specific. I’ll show you.

If the gay player is contemplating suicide or is feeling depressed because of the social prejudices on campus then having her seek counseling is an excellent call.

If the coach is telling her that being gay is wrong and that she needs counseling then the coach should be fired.

Which one is it? Broad statements without substance is the reason why people’s lives get ruined.

As far as West Coast communication vs East Coast communication, you just need to find one person from the Northeast and ask them how they have adjusted their way of speaking on the West Coast.

I always protect the kids first but I also know that the AAU culture has taught kids to run from all adversity because there is 10 other coaches telling you that they’ll treat you a lot better. I wish those young ladies the best.

Midwesterner/Southerner who moved to LA in high school. I too had to adjust my talk. Pop became Soda. Buggy became Cart. Orientals became Chinese, Japanese, Korean. Thurrr became There.

 

[GBBall4L]

Having a gay person get counseling is still not specific. I’ll show you.

If the gay player is contemplating suicide or is feeling depressed because of the social prejudices on campus then having her seek counseling is an excellent call.

If the coach is telling her that being gay is wrong and that she needs counseling then the coach should be fired.

Which one is it? Broad statements without substance is the reason why people’s lives get ruined.

As far as West Coast communication vs East Coast communication, you just need to find one person from the Northeast and ask them how they have adjusted their way of speaking on the West Coast.

I always protect the kids first but I also know that the AAU culture has taught kids to run from all adversity because there is 10 other coaches telling you that they’ll treat you a lot better. I wish those young ladies the best.

The Gay player wasn't suicidal and she noted that she was the only player being made to go to counseling. If that is true then that's is foul. But then again she would make players go to counseling for "body language"

Also
"Several players recalled writing sentences for multiple hours, which soaked up time they had allotted to completing school work."

You don't see anything wrong with that?

 

[GBBall4L]

Her telling her players things like the following tells me she doesn't care about them personally. And as a former player and as a parent that is a problem. She seems like all ego based on what I read but it was 7, not 5 not 3, not 1, but 7 players left. At some point guys you have to ask yourself if you are victim blaming because a basketball team isn't a football team. 7 players is half of your team. If half your team has to leave to find happiness in life not on the court but in life that speaks volumes. See the quote below and tell me that a coach that cares says that type of stuff.

“When I told her I was going to leave, the very first thing she told me was, ‘Who’s even going to recruit you?’ which upset me,” the player said. “It was sad because Amanda and I always had a good relationship, but that made me mad. I know she was going through a lot, but I told her I wanted to thank her for taking a chance on me and helping improve me this year, and she said, ‘Who’s going to recruit you? Who’s going to want you?’ Within 30 minutes of being in the portal, I had two Division I offers.”

 

[GBBall4L]

So if you have an issue you cant bring it up with the coach and talk about it or you have to go to counseling? That ain't normal bro

"Many players felt the counseling was being requested any time a player had a team issue it wanted to bring up with the coaching staff"

However, I don't know Coach Levens personally and she is willing to change certain things so that is important. But you have to self reflect when you lose that many kids. Even the great Muffett McGraw held herself accountable for Notre Dames season last year. I hope she can turn it around

 

[ClayK]

Again, regardless of the individual players and individual coaches, this kind of exodus is simply not normal. East Coast, West Coast, whatever ... when this many people leave of their own accord, there are some issues that should have been dealt with.

 

[ankleassassin]

i mean.. it is reno... i couldnt live there either and deal with a meanie coach.

 

[straightline50]

Would this happen on guys side?