(00:00:00) Didn't (00:00:00) play basketball until her senior year in high school. She then went to a college that didn't have a women's basketball program until she got there, but she went on to earn All-America honors as a college player and became the head coach at Morgan State University in Baltimore at the tender age of twenty-four ten years later. She's now the head coach of the University of Minnesota women's team. Her name is LaRue fields and we'll talk to her today about the changes in women's basketball over the past few years and about the program at the you. Our phone lines are open for your questions as well. Give us a call at 2:00 to 7:00 6000. That's two two seven six thousand here on sport folio. There were Fields. It's a pleasure to have you with us today. I hope you had a Merry Christmas. Geoffrey, would you please turn on your microphone Jeff Walker never has made a mistake before this Merry Christmas (00:00:57) little yeah Merry Christmas to you and my Christmas was very (00:01:00) nice and was it a Christmas filled with basketball a free our practice yesterday perhaps (00:01:04) know we took the day off most of the kids are away and we wanted to take some time off. We don't want to be so into basketball that we forget that there's another you know other things going on in our lives basketball is not our total life. So we all just took a break from one another and went to get some hugs and kisses from (00:01:19) family and its back to work today. Huh? No question. You really never played basketball to you're a senior in high school. (00:01:25) Yeah. I played in the backyard and you know and playgrounds and things like that, but I never played on an organized team. I'll be darned. Where'd you grow up? I grew up actually in Newark, New Jersey and then my senior high school. We moved to South Carolina. So I think the South had more Progressive Sports for women then the north at that time. So I found that I could do some things well softball and basketball in high school sports was not a big deal in Newark, huh? No, not for women really had Man teams and things like that, but they really hadn't gotten into the women's sports (00:01:56) yet. Hmm. So you got to South Carolina and people say you're pretty tall we need and we need somebody in basketball (00:02:01) team, right and you can jump and you can run and you could play and you had a lot of heart and those are the things that I think that I helped my teams with (00:02:09) when you started playing this game. Did you ever feel like it would wind up being so much of your life that you'd wind up staying in it professionally? (00:02:15) No, not really. I majored in sociology in college and I really didn't think I would get into I knew I love sports and I did well in sports but I never thought it would be a career for me. Hmm and then thought I would actually be a lawyer or sir social worker but now coaching is about a little bit (00:02:32) everything I Social Work Lori found a way to combine all these things for a lot less money, but it still using all those same skills. Now when you went to college this was before the days when I guess when the NCAA got involved in women's Athletics and it was right around the time that the old day iaw is getting exactly. So it's a really your kind of one of the that Pioneer Group in what's become, I guess the modern era of women's Athletics where you started to get National competitions national championships more National exposure and some more money into the program's to with Scholarships in that kind of (00:03:06) thing. And that's exactly right. We were at that, you know, if still in a transitional period and the women didn't get the respect that they deserved and needed but I saw the progression of the sport I was involved with it, you know on hands in fact in a lot of areas as it grew and I'm always involved with a IW as a coach at Morgan and I was on various committees codec All-American committee and you know Regional committees and things like that and I just saw where the difference I just saw the commitment being made and just more of a commitment every year the commitments (00:03:38) just mostly money or more than (00:03:40) that. Well mostly money money was the thing that I felt that we didn't have in the programs and you can support your athletes when you have the funds for them, but if you have no funds and you have no support groups, that is very hard to do for coached ball that by (00:03:54) themselves Okay, I did those just momentarily distracted the hissing of the radiator here in our broadcast Duty that this throws me off. The roof Fields is our guest. He's the head coach of the University of Minnesota women's basketball team. I'm J.G. Preston and you're listening this portfolio any questions for LaRue LaRue to dry today tough words like LaRue anyway and give us a call at 2:00 to 7:00 6,000. That's our phone number here on sport folio Dana Walker standing by 2276 thousand the phone number and we'll get you through to the roof Fields here on ksjn. Let's talk about how the the player has changed in your time in this game LaRue. I suppose today. You wouldn't see somebody like you were who maybe took up the game fairly late in life in high school and go on to become an outstanding player these days that senior in high school. She probably started playing the game competitively at least in a city League eight or nine. She's probably been to summer camps for the last three or four years. She's probably had almost as much basketball playing experience as a male of the same (00:04:54) age exactly the with the Teams, they have around the country now and even in each state, you know, there are a lot of ways for the young girl now to started earlier (00:05:03) age. I guess if for no other reason than financial there's more incentive sure. There's there there isn't the professional outlet for women, but there's just as many college scholarships out there for women in basketball is there are four men are they mean is you can you can really turn basketball experience in (00:05:18) education? Oh no question those question. I think that you know, that's what we say to our recruits into our student athletes coming in is that you know, you have a god-given talent and use that Talent as a vehicle for you're getting you know your education and that's half the half the battle of (00:05:33) it. It seems like just from my experience watching say high school girls basketball Minnesota or last five years ago, maybe five years ago and state tournament teams there weren't. I mean if you look at the whole state tournament field, maybe half of those people could even make the teams that are at least not as regular players that are showing up now. It just seems like the level of play these the skill level improved so dramatically from year to (00:05:53) year. Yeah, and that's from state to state, you know. I think some states are behind others. But yeah, I think basically on the hold of skill level has changed some of the things that the women can do now with their bodies with the basketball in the game people would be really surprised even in the state of Minnesota some of the advanced skill level of our players here at the you you don't see that in high school, you know, some of the high school players are better players coming out now can do some of those things but it's a real high level of basketball even the teams we play Iowa Ohio State some of the moves and the plays in the things are just (00:06:28) who I saw Auburn coming here for this tournament last year. They just blew me away. I mean, it's unbelievable basketball team. I'd have paid to see them (00:06:34) play. Yeah, they're a good team and you know, of course they're ranked. But yeah, that's the style that we we know that we don't have right now that fast pace, you know, 15, totally Superior athletes and that's what we're trying to do not have, you know, one of dimensional teams or anything like that but have enough on our team so we can do what we need to do to be successful. (00:06:56) Phones are ringing let's take some of your calls with the questions for LaRue Fields University. Minnesota women's basketball coach here on sport folio. I'm J.G. Preston Barry. Hi. Thanks for calling. All right, JJ. It's nice to have you back on the air. Well, thanks very much. I did put the other ear on my headphones here. I only get you one here. Go ahead LaRue. I got to First have a common. It's real nice. I like your approach. When I've read in the paper just about your being a black woman first and then a coach second. I think that's so rare to find in sports these days that it's real nice and refreshing and I certainly hope the U of M hires you back next year. Thank you. You're welcome. And I have a question about the U of M men's basketball scandal and if that's affected your program and all either helped or hindered it and I'll hang up and listen. (00:07:37) Yeah in the beginning it hurt us, you know recruiting. Why's everyone remembered that and thought of it negative. In fact when we recruit the minority athlete is mostly brought up there and the concern with can we help and will we have the support systems for the black athlete coming in since there are not a lot of blacks in the Area, but I'm yeah it did hurt. But what we try to say is one that we have separate programs and you know, the women basically run their program differently than the men we do things differently. We have a different approach our Outlook is different. We're not as Revenue oriented and we look for that achievement and that growth in each woman as an individual but um, but we try to overlook that and we say that that was something that happened and it was unfortunate incident and we hope to make those Corrections and with the with the you bringing in coach Haskins, I think that was a positive and that way we can change some minds and he has a very good background and he's a super person and I think that he's broken a lot of those negative image that negative image that do you (00:08:39) have I don't know if University is the only predominantly white college in the country that has two blacks. It's basketball head coach has but it must be one of the very few if it's not the only one but that's got to help to in letting the minority athlete know that yeah, there's a commitment here that you're not going to get just you know shunted aside. (00:08:56) Yeah, it helps but it also hurts on the other part. You know, sometimes we have some negative weights, you know parents and students and they don't understand that. Hmm and you know that Progressive attitude that the you has and just being fair to everyone and but we but then those are not the people we want in our program. Anyway, we want the good people the people that are about working hard and and respect and people for who they are and what they represent not what color or what race and that type (00:09:24) of thing that would I guess even in 1987 these things still had had that would be very disappointing to me to find it somebody that couldn't evaluate you or Clem as a person and as a coach without bringing race into the thing, but I guess it happens, huh? Yes, it happens. 2276 thousands our phone number taking your questions for LaRue Fields. Iran's portfolio Bob. Hope you had a Merry Christmas. I sure did. Thanks good. First of all, I'd like to say LaRue's doing a great job. I'm really impressed with what she's doing. My question for is how she sees the Big Ten race coming up. I know Iowa and Ohio State are both in the top twenty Fourth Street and Smith and I guess I was surprised at Iowa came out in front of Ohio State just because Iowa lost their front line from last year and seem to be really inexperienced up front. So I guess I'd like to have her comment on (00:10:14) that. Well Iowa has a potential All-American and Michelle Edwards and she's probably one of the better players across the country and plus they have some players coming back John the burying some real good ballplayer some real guard real good guards and and Coach during I respect coach Stringer as a coach. I think she's one of the best coaches in the country. She was a person that I've relied on and went to and talk with and we coached against each other years ago, and she was a chaining I was at Morgan. So I respect her coaching ability and I respect the way she can get her players to play they play on a level that you know, that's real uncommon among women and their dedication to what they need to do to be the best. Sisters is on a very very high level. So I would pick Iowa over Ohio State I've seen, you know will press guides and both teams and I was just a different team. They're a lot more poised and and pull, you know, more cohesive. I would say that's a cohesive group and our where we would fit in we have our work cut out Illinois is ranked in the top 25. So that's three teams in the top, you know 25 right there that are within our conference. But our key is that we're gaining respect and we may not beat those teams now like a Kansas. We lost a Kansas by 6:00 Sunday that we played home but cancers respects us we're gaining that respect right now. (00:11:39) And that was a team that won 24 games last year or something like that and they basketball. (00:11:43) Yeah, they were good bass and Miriam Washington also a good coach he has you know, she has good teams that she produces good teams. Lynette Woodard is from that next Globetrotter. She played at Kansas. So, you know, they were excited about beating. It's been a long time before someone was (00:11:58) really happy about beating the you you can just take Minnesota for Grant (00:12:01) exactly and we played and we should have one we could have won and we should have but we were tough and we were aggressive and we played hard and that's what I've asked my players to do and when that happens the winning and losing it'll be there. You win some you lose some but if you can look within yourself and say hey, I played hard one and I've played the best I could now Sunday. We didn't play the best we could but we played hard. So that's what I want to see. I want to show the state of Minnesota that these women that at the you on the team are are they have pride? They're hard workers. They are dedicated and they'll do whatever they need to do within the course of the game to try to win it and they're not so intimidated and afraid you're tough and they're strong and they're learn to be assertive and aggressive and and they're they're doing things that they are surprised they can do but they're real pleased with themselves because they've worked real hard I (00:12:53) get the feeling you spend almost as much time working. With these people off the court on things personality psychology call it what you will as you do working on their post up moves and their Outlet passes. (00:13:05) Oh no question. This is a team that needs some extra, you know help off the floor not because they're bad kids know they're real good people but with the transitional coaches and with the new style, I'm a very very intense person highly intense then and sometimes I think I'm too intense for them. So I have to sometimes break it down a little bit. So I'm not as intense so I can help them. What I don't want them to do is I don't want them to fall apart or the Crack by my intensity. I want them to you know to respond. So I have to work in a way that they can respond to me. So we're doing that so that may mean changes for both, you know, as a good is a difference but (00:13:46) is demanding a fair word to use about your coaching (00:13:49) style. Yeah. I'm very and they I'm very demanding and sometimes I can be a perfectionist and You know, I expect a lot from them. I expect no less than a hundred and ten percent all the time and is not about the win in an Illusionist about it's about the inner pride is about the Enterprise to stand there and that uniform and not just to show up to say I am a student athlete the University of Minnesota just like I think I am I know I'm proud to be the head coach of the University of Minnesota. So we can't play a role in just show up. We have to work real (00:14:21) hard. I have to admit from what I saw of the team last year. It was I don't know if our jig is a fair word, but it was not a team that played with an awful lot of emotion. It didn't look like and losing somebody with the basketball skills Molly tattoo Chad. I didn't think you were going to have much to look forward to a year but this year but you're already you're three and three and you've played with some good teams. And so so it seems we would seem as if strictly on attitude that's made a huge difference in their level of play. (00:14:47) I agree. I think the skill was there, you know, I just think that the attitude, you know, they needed to change their attitude the attitude is what needed to Changing we are theme is new attitude Patti LaBelle song. We have a new attitude. So that's our theme and and our word of every day before practice after practice his pride. So in still in that sense of self-respect and self-esteem back into each person as an individual was my goal and I think that once they got that and once they get that and it's consistent then I think they would do real. Well, what do you (00:15:20) do to draw that out? I mean, you've got a bunch of players that have been on some losing teams. They seen some hard times may be there, you know used to things not going very well. Well, what can you say to them or what? What can you do to them to make them feel (00:15:33) different to ourselves? You show them by example. You show them. I show them how hard I work. I show them how much pride I have. I showed them that I'm going to do everything that I can my assistant coaches. Do the same. They we give up. We were the last ones that leave and were the first ones in you know the office in the morning and practice and what have you we put in 12 hour days we get home and is on the phone calling recruit. So we showed them that we're going to make them build this program the way we wanted on they're going to do it my way and they play like I played I played aggressively I do things hard. I work hard I play hard. I you know relax hard I guess so, you know, but that's the way I see it and they play like I played they play with that intensity. I instill that in them and I give them a proud strong woman and they respond to (00:16:25) that. I suppose you have the ultimate incentive and that the ones that don't adapt to that so well don't wind up plan so much, huh, (00:16:31) right? That's probably true and they probably end up not liking me very much and we don't have a Relationship and you (00:16:36) thinks I mean you're saying with individual some individuals (00:16:39) or yeah with some individuals. I mean, you know, if you're trying to change a mentality that they've had over the years and all of a sudden here's this woman here yelling and screaming and making me do things that I don't really want to do but I want to do them, you know, that's just the discipline part. So they some of them won't understand until later when I'm trying to teach them (00:16:59) now by later you mean 10 (00:17:01) years from now, yeah or five or whatever they get out there on their own and they're trying to teach some things to other people so they may not understand it now, but it's what every team across the country is going through. I mean working hard and running and sacrifice in a dedicated any team that wants to be good or wants to be the best each team could be and we're trying to be the best we could be we won't be maybe an Iowa Ohio State not now. Hmm. But we want to be the best team that the University of Minnesota can produce right now today tomorrow. That's what we want to do next year the year after. (00:17:36) The roof field is our guest here on sport folio. She's a women's basketball coach at the University of Minnesota. I'm J.G. Preston. It's 19 minutes after 12 o'clock 12:19 on a sunny and pretty but cold day after Christmas. Our phone number here on sport folio is 2276 thousand. You have a question for LaRue about the program at the University about women's basketball whatever 2276 thousand the phone number to call here on ksjn 1330. We talked about the the Big Ten race before LaRue. I know that in men's play. The Big Ten Conference is generally conceded as the toughest in the country and if you look at the top 20s and men's and women's you see some names that are the same but you see a lot of different names and is it tough for a women's program to flourish where there is a successful men's program. Is it a little easier maybe if a men's team isn't doing so well for the women to get if they do well to get more attention and kind of feed off of that or a lot of that just Regional, you know more Southern teams seem to do well in women's basketball proportionally than they would for men's is there just because the high school programs are strong. The South and those schools were able to capitalize on that. Where do you see the (00:18:39) differences? I think there are a lot of differences. I agree in the South for women that the high school programs are stronger and they the women there seemed to stay closer to home. They don't travel along out of you know, they wouldn't leave (00:18:54) Louisiana for Iowa or maybe in Iowa, but (00:18:56) they wouldn't leave Louisiana for Minnesota right now, but the men get a lot more out of sports. So they get a lot of other perks that they would travel long distances for but most of the women Southern athletes will stay in the South. So those Southern teams are stronger the LSU's and Louisiana Tech's and you know, son and cows and some of those teams Auburn those teams keep those women in the south Mississippi has a good team and then where the men have a tendency of traveling around a little bit more and being exposed in that exposure is a little different as you go but the Big Ten is a tough conference for women as well that but the key is they They respect their athletes and they support and they've made that commitment the women teams in the University of Minnesota. I mean at the in the Big Ten of made the commitment to women's athlete and women's Athletics has a hole they've made that Financial commitment. They've had all even the spectators and the support they get when Iowa Ohio State and we're getting that at the you we find the more intense play in the exciting brand of basketball that we bring will generate more fans. I think they'd like to see that I like to see that running and the fabrics and the shakes and bakes and around (00:20:12) available always had an affinity for the running game you (00:20:14) bet. So (00:20:16) now you take your typical high school guy who's going to play especially at the Big Ten level that the Premier Division one level. He's thinking about a pro career. He may not get it and 80% of them don't have a chance anyway, but they're all thinking about it. And of course with the women that that's not an option, but, you know compared to their level of play. They're just as good. So how does that affect the way? That you relate to them as a coach and the way they relate to the game. I mean, they're not playing for the million-dollar contracts later on. They're not playing to prepare themselves for a career as basketball players. How does that affect their relationship with the (00:20:49) sport? Well, the way it helps is that they will get a lot of self-esteem from that exposure. They get in a Big Ten we get TV games and we get a lot of exposure. There's a lot of media attention and a lot of things going on. So we try to show that to recruit the help her make a decision. They now women recruiter in the same thing as been their worksite. What kind of shoe you wear. How big is your locker room and how much space are the dorms? You know, how much space I'm going to get what am I going to get not so much money or under the table? But what can you give me and it made me for five years and not 10 like the men but it's still a commitment that the student athlete want to know a lot of different especially to women a little detail things that they didn't in the past. It was just that but now we stress academics. We stress that they will come as a student athlete that that's their first priority. And that's our first concern. We want them to put back in the community where they've taken away. We want them to go out and represent us across the country and different careers and different fields and different areas that they will go into and and we want to tell people that what our graduation rate is and that they're contributing and and that type of thing and we want them to be successful. So we help them in any way and that's on a high level possible to be successful. Not just a student athletes. I mean not just as athletes but as students we help them, you know makeup resumes at the end of their term and we get V u8 now, that's a big plus. So we're saying to that athlete at the end of your four years of Eligibility. If you don't have your credits complete for graduation will pay for your fifth year school. Hmm. So, you know, that's something that's most helpful because that's making a commitment to the student not just the (00:22:32) athletes now, I would hypothesize just blindly that The women's basketball player would be a real strongly committed to academics knowing that she's not going to make a living playing basketball exact and be probably be more committed to the game of basketball because you're basically playing it for love. You're not looking ahead to the easy money maybe later on you're playing it. Nobody's making you play it you're playing it because you enjoy the game. You're good at it and you want to play it right now. I would think that would just make them. I don't know if healthier is a fair word, but are just a real solid commitment to what you're doing. Exactly. Now, (00:23:03) what do we have to teach? Our we teach is how much Dedication that they should have for the level that they're coming in, you know and making sure they understand that on this level and this level being Division 1 and in the Big Ten your dedication would be far higher greater than it would be of you in a division to division three school. So not only now do you have to work harder in your Athletics, but you will also have to work hard in your academics because now you're competing with 45,000 other students. So, you know, the competition will be on all levels and No, that's why when we recruit we recruit that epitome of a student athlete that person that understands the work ethic for academics as well as Athletics. We can have as an athlete without having an academic person. (00:23:48) What's a kind of time commitment that young woman puts it in your program both on and off the court as far as meetings scouting sessions all the kind of things that go into it during the season what when and how much time are these people put in? (00:24:00) Well, we we practice from 1:00 to 3:30. So we're talking about two and a half hours a day and we usually go seven days a week now during the Big Ten season we play on Fridays and Sundays. So Monday Mondays are off since we get in late on Friday or we have a game on excuse me later on Sunday or have a game. So we'll go Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday, Tuesday, Wednesday regular practice 123 30 Thursday were using on the road if we're traveling if not home will practice and Friday. We play Saturday. We practice Sunday. We play practices are two and a half hours. Basically when we're When we do weights twice a week. Hmm, and and we do a lot of film sessions, but we think we take up about four hours the max okay for our student athlete and during the preseason workouts is it's a little different they we go from 1 to 3:30, but then we do wait on Monday Wednesday Fridays and some extra things on Tuesday. So we take about three (00:25:01) three-and-a-half. How long is weight training really been an integral part of the the women's (00:25:05) game? Oh about five seven years. Maybe we didn't do it. As you know was a strenuous as it is now The Stereotype, of course with the young woman is, oh, I'm going to get muscle and you know be big like a guy and things like that now they're realizing their toning hmm muscle and that they're stronger and they could run longer and faster and jump higher, you know, it's just that way because their muscles and their legs and everything is just a lot more toned than their more. Muscle than fat (00:25:36) but mostly it's the attitude that's evolving here that this is exactly thing to do. (00:25:40) Right and it's and and I still can look. Okay, I still can wear my bathing suit and my shorts and and now the and then of course is the men want to see me, you know, well, I look good for the men, you know, our kids are you know like that they want to look they want their bodies to look good for their you know for the guys and that's important to them and that's good because you know, nobody wants a flabby body (00:26:04) sounds like playing for you. You're not going to have one very long. (00:26:06) No, they won't they're they're pretty tone. They're pretty pretty muscular and they're pretty toned and they're very pretty women. So they have to go through a transitional period of I think being an athlete and being a woman hmm. Sometimes they think you can't be both but you can you could be aggressive and be a woman you could be assertive and be a woman (00:26:27) how much of those kind of attitude judgments do you have to make with them when they get to the college level or is more of that happening at the high school level now, (00:26:34) well, it is happening at the School level but I did I think it depends on the type of athlete you recruit. Hmm you recruit. I like to recruit strong athlete strong strong women in a sense of day know who they are and they know what they're about and they know how they're going to get things done. They don't know exactly what order they know they're going to be this and that and the other a doctor or lawyer or whatever. They want to be there. Not as wishy-washy. They're pretty (00:27:01) determined. This is the kind of thing where you can't just watch somebody play and I can evaluation. You've really got to spend some time with a young woman (00:27:07) exam our and talk to her and see her off the court and see how she handles herself and see how she dresses and see her parents. I mean, this is it's down the line see who her friends are hmm, you know, all those things make a difference. You don't want to bring anybody in this environment that they don't have a chance to succeed so you can't take a fish out of water. (00:27:27) So I suppose you you look at a lot of people as basketball players and then must probably weed out a fair portion them because they don't have the other things that it (00:27:34) takes exactly. Exactly. And that's true. Sometimes with the black athlete that from the inner city. They this is a hard environment know and you know, and I think is difficult to bring them into an environment where they don't have it where they would be insecure or not feel comfortable. That's not fair and we don't how we as coaches don't have time to really mold the player. We don't that's not a Reno have enough time. There are a lot on their own they have to become who they are by themselves. We can't babysit. (00:28:07) We'll talk a little more about recruiting and about your current team in about Canada. What's ahead for you here in a couple minutes on this portfolio? I'm J.G. Preston. The roof Fields women's basketball coach at the University of Minnesota is my guest. It's coming up on 12:30 hear on the news and information service of Minnesota Public Radio. Ksjn 1330 Minneapolis. St. Paul 2276 thousand is our phone number if you have a question for LaRue Fields 2276 thousand is our phone number here on sport folio. Afternoon, this is Mark. I stood reminding you the week in review is coming up just after the news at one o'clock here on ksjn as always this afternoon. We'll review for you. The top news stories will also take a look at some of the underlying causes of the unrest in the West Bank more young Palestinians. And the Israeli Army continued to do battle will profile the Reagan administration's Point man on Nicaragua. He is National Security advisor colon Powell and we'll have a report on presidential campaigning in New Hampshire it seen Through The Eyes of a high school kid those stories and more on the week in review coming up this afternoon following sport folio. I'm J.G. Preston with the University of Minnesota women's basketball coach LaRue Fields here on ksjn 1332. 276 thousand is our phone. Number two, two seven six thousand LaRue. Maybe we can talk for a little bit about your recruiting process. I know that you've already spent a lot of time on the road looking at women to play at the University next year and in the early signing period in November, I guess you already got three signed the commitments for next year traditionally. This program is always had a real strong focus on in-state and adjacent State players, but you're really trying to shift that focus a little bit and make this more of a national program. It seems like (00:29:57) yes, we're trying to get those student athletes that we think of fit in regardless of where they're from and you know, and what areas are what region and what have you but we're going to those cities that have the outstanding basketball players play all the time and they love the game and they have the better. We and just a correction we've signed to and we have another commitment from the third but we haven't signed (00:30:19) that only to actual signatures on the pieces of paper exactly. (00:30:22) So but we're going into Detroit we had one of our early signees is a Minnesota player Jennifer Zeller from Faribault and and the other players from Greenfield, Indiana. So we've got a couple of players couple places looking for some players. We've been to Boston and Baltimore DC Philadelphia Detroit Chicago we go a little bit ago and we don't just go to the inner city, but we go to the Low Country towns and anywhere we think we have a lead on a player that can help us in that want to be a part of our program. We try to (00:30:52) see how do you find the message being received about Minnesota basketball in some of these places where they maybe haven't heard the message before? (00:30:58) Well, I think that as being received very, well my assistant coach one of my assistant coaches and I can't russki she and I are recruiters. I mean, we're we don't want to brag but we think we're very good recruiters. We sell the program more so than we sell. Selves as far as I don't sell myself because my position is interim, but I tell how I feel and my philosophies and my principles and and where I am and and what this program means to me and I think that the recruit picks up on that and the parent I just give them a little piece of me and they have to understand and I think that you know that works real well, you know, even in early signing it helped us a lot and it works real well and I think and hopefully we're to work out just as well in April signing (00:31:44) merrily Dean Baker the athletic director for the women's program at the you when you were given the job as interim head coach alluded to the fact that she hoped that maybe you could help strengthen the the program's relations with the black student athlete. I know you've got two black women on the team now both of whom grew up here in the Twin Cities. I know Leslie Morgan is a proposition 48 student. I guess it'll be planned for you next year. She's from Rochester but these are these are people who know Minnesota. It's I mean the men have this problem too, but at least they've got The with different factors, they've got the national exposure in the TV and the you know, all that stuff but talk about talking with the the perspective black athlete. I mean, it's got to be I don't know if I'll only place is the right word, but it just you know, when there aren't that many other blacks in a team and aren't many people from outside this area to share with I can imagine to be a very difficult (00:32:33) adjustment. Yeah, it can be but you know, the city has a fairly large and don't have a large but the black population wants to be a part. I want to be two part of the you they I think they're jumping on with me because I'm a community person. I do things for the National Urban League and the United Negro College Fund and Big Brothers Big Sisters and lot of things like that and and they want to relate with someone and have someone to share some Joy with as far as being black and and I tell the black recruits that yeah, it's difficult and they're not a lot of blacks, but the growth that you will gain from the experience of being at the University of Minnesota is one that You will have and that will help you through your life. And and that's how I feel. I didn't even want to come for interview when you when I was the assistant (00:33:23) coach. Yes. I can imagine you've had to make this adjustment yourself having worked in South Carolina and Baltimore and been in environments that are a lot more racially diverse that this is you've got to make the adjustment and you don't maybe even have the the kind of you know, at least the instant camaraderie of a classroom or whatever to have the opportunity to make those kind of ties (00:33:41) right? I didn't even have Tim teammates or anything like that, you know, so yeah, I agree and and I was a little older I think but you know, it wasn't was just something that you have to experience and once they come though when they come for visit a campus visit they like it they feel the warmth of the people. I think the hardest part is getting over the fact that is cold. The first thing they say well coach is cold up there. You know what I tell them that the growth and experiences is is that on a high level and I think that they would like it if they were to come and see and they use Do they usually do (00:34:13) we've got a caller on the line for LaRue Fields here on sport Foley 02276 thousand is our phone number and go to st. Paul Ben. Hi. Thanks for calling. Hi. First of all, I let me tell you their coach that you don't get used to the cold. I have a sister who's spent most of her 50 years and the and Minnesota and she dreads it just like somebody from the south. She's a wimp in any way, but let me say that I'm I've been very impressed with everything I've read about you and listening today have been even more impressed and I hope you stay on as the permanent coach. Thank you and welcome change in the program my question is and maybe you've dealt with it. I've been doing my Saturday chores and haven't always been able to catch everything today, but I would imagine that in women's Basketball programs around the country. It's a fairly small number of coaches at least compared to the men's and and probably pretty well-known social network. What what nationally has been the reaction to you becoming the acting head coach at Minnesota. (00:35:33) Well, I've gotten a lot of positive response a lot of positive responses and congratulations from their Big Ten coaches. And my college coach is at the University of North Carolina. So she's also the assistant Olympic coach. So she has all the networking, you know, and it's been well, it's been I've been received very well. I've been in the circuit as a one a coach at Morgan as an assistant at Minnesota and just being around those people coach Stringer from Iowa Miriam Washington from Kansas and and my coach coach at you from North Carolina. So I'm around a lot of coaches and they introduced me as you know, my college coach. This is my first All-American, you know, and she's Minnesota and that type of thing so I've been received very well even the community and I think that this is something that you know makes my heart feel real good and sometimes it makes my eyes water as the people that have received me. He wanted the you in the office the staff people the community. I mean, it's just been outstanding the parents of my players and my players themselves and you know, I wish that my parents could come up and see and meet my team and meet some of the people that have helped me like, you know even recently I didn't get to go home for Christmas my first Christmas away from home, (00:36:49) no kidding in my life. (00:36:50) So, you know, but my friends at the you and I've had oh number and number of invitations to come and share holidays with their families and my players families of called and and or everybody was just so nice and they knew that, you know, it was going to be hard kind of for me, but they were very supportive and I've had and I didn't go anywhere. I just kind of said home. Out that, you know, if I couldn't be with my family I didn't really want to share but I really appreciate it. I told my family how warm and how fulfill it made my heart to know that people cared about me, you know, not just as coach Fields but mean the rule the person and that made me feel real good and and I always will remember that. This will be a time that I will always remember the community for and my friends for for just, you know, even inviting me and offering to open their homes and their lives to me and that meant a lot to me. So that's what I feel that everything recruiting. I've dedicated myself to the University of Minnesota that you know, I know I might not be the coach next year and and I know that the recruits that we've recruited a people we sign will be good for the you regardless of who the coaches but you know, but I've worked for the University of Minnesota and that's my purpose that they get the best recruits in the best players and they have the best program that they can have that's been my goal from the beginning. So I recruits All that when they come visit and and they still want to sign of your part of my program. And that makes me feel good. Even with the losing record. And even with that my being interim they I can't say they signed just to be a part of the you they would like to play for me. Hmm. (00:38:30) You are hope to get your parents up for a game maybe before the end of the (00:38:33) season. Well, we're scheduled to go play North Carolina (00:38:35) next year so down there. So I think that's about the best I'm going to do right (00:38:40) now. Maybe they'll drive up from South Carolina to you know, see as play in North Carolina. So that's what I'm hoping right now. (00:38:48) Maybe you could get the you moving on national holiday tournament and then your whole family could come holidays with you each (00:38:56) year. Yeah, that would be nice. That would be nice. We have a doll classic and that's around Thanksgiving and that would be a good opportunity if I can get my parents to come to that they're getting a little older and it's a long ride. It's a long ride, but they're real proud of me as mine. The family members (00:39:13) Ben. Thanks for the call. I appreciate it. Two two seven six thousand our phone number here on sport folio. I'm J.G. Preston LaRue Fields women's basketball coach at the U of M has our guest 2276 thousand is a phone number for your questions and we'll go to st. Paul Stewart Hi, how are you? Hi, great Merry Christmas to everybody. I just wanted to call and say I got to have been listening to the coach. He was on that University Station. I heard your last last week he weeks go anyway, and I was just wondering other than winning, which we know is the most important of course to a coach one of the things are important too for you to do with your team this year. (00:39:47) Well, I'm teaching my players how to be the best people they could be and if they're the best people they could be there will be the best students they could be there will be the best athlete we teach them to play hard and be tough and and to understand others and to be open-minded about life and to share and just to be appreciative of what they have instead of and be thankful and understand. the Lord makes a way and that he's a part of our lives and And I'm teaching them about life and growth and we cry together and we laugh together and we hug and we crack jokes on each other and we share a lot of memories and we have a good time and we work real hard. But this is a time. I know this year with me being a part of me. I know that they will grow from it. I know that they will remember it and the other night and one of our games. In fact Arkansas game are three honorary coaches were plus a guy from the radio station of school, but three surprise honorary coaches at the game. We were Molly tatted Cowper Turca and Larkin and they came for the game and they gave our pregame talk and (00:41:04) they all four people don't know they all played very well, right University last few (00:41:07) years. All Americans model are coonan and both Clara Carol and Molly were big ten all-big ten players in Mali even Big Ten all academic. So We wanted them to know that their ex lady golfers, but they're always a part of our program and always a part of our lives and when they come back, we want them to know that their part and once a lady Go For Always a Lady golfer. (00:41:31) It's easy for people who aren't involved in sports. I think to to get the stereotypical image of the Arrogant selfish jock who's got things delivered on a silver platter and all this stuff but it's easy to overlook the other skills and you touch on some of these some of the things you pick up through academics you get a lot you you have the opportunity for a lot closer teacher-student relationship than you ever will in a classroom. You have the need for interaction with your peers that in 98% of the classrooms. You'll never get you have to develop the kind of dedication perseverence the kind of the kind of skills that I think translate much more readily to a successful life than most of the things we did to get by in the classroom even as good students. It's easy to forget about the things that Sports an attractive vehicle for personal development exactly. It's nice to hear you talk about some of those things that you do with your (00:42:23) women. Yeah, it's a carryover, you know, it's just preparing them for Life preparing them to be competitive in assertive and to to be dedicated to something that's important to them and to be the best they could be you know that growth and as a person is important factor, you'll be surprised how many businesses and companies will hire an ex-athlete, you know, they know they have good work ethic. They know that about hard work and dedication and especially playing for a program like the you you know, that carries a lot of weight, you know that carries a lot of weight and it it should make that student-athlete proud and that's what we would like it to do the same thing with Laura coonan and Cowper turkey day on the USA handball team miles the starting goalie. So, you know, they've carried over they of course they said what school you go to I went to University of Minnesota and that they're proud of that. So when they come back into town, we want them to know that we're Of them as well. (00:43:18) There are a lot of things that you can learn from your parents or from a real exceptional classroom teacher, but I can understand why businesses are attracted to people who've been through Sports because you have to learn some of those skills to start to get by just to just to get by Sports let alone succeed. Exactly. So 2276 thousand is our phone number. It's quarter to 1:00. Well 45 here on ksjn 1330. I'm J.G. Preston the roof Fields as our guest on sport folio here this afternoon and we'll go to Minneapolis. Next Grace. Hi. Hello. (00:43:48) Hello. I have a question. I had heard one time that women's sports teams that have women coaches have statistically a better record than women's sports teams that have mail coaches. I can't it seemed to me that was the high school basketball tournament tournaments that where I heard that I wonder if she knows if that's true. No, I don't know if that's true. I would think it would be logical that it might would be true. I think women relate. Women very well just like as much as a coach. There's nothing my players cannot there's nothing they could tell me that I would not understand there's no circumstances that I've not gone through a herd or something, you know, when we can be friends not friends going out and hanging out and things like that, but we could be she I can be her Confidant and sometimes we take the place of mothers and big sisters and psychologists and psychiatrists and analysts. And you know, we are a lot of things to a lot of people and I say to my friends my team and they know as my team they know that that's my family and that's what my time and my energy go into and and and we do make a lot of sacrifices as coaches for our teams and I think that the women respond to women really well on a different level now, I have a mail coach on staff and I think that my players respond to him differently. They're not as they don't tell him Secrets, but they might would talk to him about their boyfriends or things like that like, Would do a dad let's say but they wouldn't sit down and say well coach, you know this and that to him where they would do it to myself, you know with myself and way other assistant Karen so and what we've tried to do is try to touch base. Oh, but it would have someone to talk to and tried to have our staff as diverse and you know, but yet in sync to our kids problems in our needs that we (00:45:40) have even 10 or 15 years ago. There were an awful lot of men coaching in the women's Collegiate ranks were at their identity until now the point that there are really very few. (00:45:49) Well, it was really opposite. It was a lot more there are a lot more men now now really, well you make more money when you didn't make any money in women's sports the men didn't really want to do it and the women did it and now those groups of women are older the men are coming because this money is mine who make money now, so of course they want to be involved in that it's more money than years ago that brings the men in. Oh, no (00:46:14) question. That's this isn't the first industry where that's happened. I would think though that the specially now that women's programs in the last ten years have grown so much in this kit, you know, as you get more X players like yourself who are interested in you know, you know, you can make a living in the business now interested in staying in the business. I think we've seen it at the high school level. I think we see a lot more young women in coaching now in high school least around here, right and and fewer men, I guess that's been my perception. I suppose I should have some numbers to back it up and I really don't but you say no it's not even true in high school (00:46:45) level. I think the high school programs that I've seen in the state of Minnesota has more men coaches. Hmm. I went to I think this past week I've gone to I've seen about seven High School game and I think they all had man coach. In fact, they all had men coaches (00:47:01) as is that good or bad or doesn't matter. I mean wouldn't it wouldn't be nice for another vehicle for women as Leaders women as Role Models if you will women in (00:47:10) Authority. Yeah, I think is another Avenue of that's what they want to do, but it's just, you know, it's still the system and you have to pay your dues and you have to go up the right way. Have to do things, you know that way and a lot of women I guess in the state are not into that right now being coaches and staying around and helping out. I don't I don't know. The reason I haven't been in Minnesota that long with other states. There are more proportion of men and women coaches across the country, but I know in the state of Minnesota, I've observed more men coaches than women. Hmm my college coach in my college coach also taught me she did a study when she was at University, Tennessee going to grad school that women Peak sooner than men because yes women will be at their best their senior high school first year college, and then that's when they're getting to a point of peeking and not that they go downhill is just a kind of stay the same day playing then off emotion and experience more so than actual skill. They're combining their skill, but they're anticipating they were they have that experience (00:48:08) because the guys at that age are still actually exactly getting bigger and stronger (00:48:12) and and and going up maybe playing pro ball and things like that. So women Peak sooner, so And I don't know if that's good or bad but the freshman sophomore coming out of college, you know are coming out of high school in their freshman sophomore year. They should be going going real strong and working real hard because that's going to be a good time for them and they should understand that (00:48:33) talking about men coaching and women's programs. Do you see the day coming that they'll be more women involved in men's programs either at the high school level or the college level as coaches now, (00:48:43) I don't know. I don't know if they would want to do it on the Collegiate level is you know, we find a very difficult to coach women when they're not as many demands and there's not as many, you know things going on. I don't women or you know, what we do is we burn out real quick coaches women coaches, we burn out because the menu think yeah quicker than men we don't go, you know, you don't see any woman coach until she's 60 and that type of thing like some of the men of 50-ish and things like that. So, you know, we burn out faster. We put a lot more hard in it, you know, we put a lot more So we put everything it drains us. I mean, we're just not saying maybe more than men but that's what we do. That's why we burn out it we just put all that in there and we make so many sacrifices and and we just don't go as long and then we wonder if it's worth it. You know, it becomes a 24 hour seven day a week job. That's why I couldn't go out on Thanksgiving. I mean Christmas nor Thanksgiving. I just wanted to do nothing. I didn't just to rest just a rest can because you know, we have practice today and we go to California tomorrow and then it's just a big time we get back and it's just busy busy busy and recruiting and just everything (00:49:55) else. I mean really the coaching demands in the women's programs now are just as much as there are the men's it would seem like with the with the year-round need to recruit you sure in the year round need for for weight training and fitness maintenance type of things. Do you see women's programs getting some bad models for men? I mean, do you see the type of scandals that could infest women's programs that men's programs have been found guilty of over the years. Worried at (00:50:18) all. Oh sure. It happens and is happening. Now. There are a lot of not only it legal things going on. There's negative recruiting and the women are getting in the same system as the man, you know, and it depends on the programs that you're talking about. But you know, they're you know, some of the recruits in the student athletes that they recruit, you know, you just and it's just hearsay, but all the hearsay isn't you know all wrong after but it could happen it can happen and you know, you just get caught up in a you want to do well in the more money. It's just like the man the more money you generate the more money you can make and the more money to player one and you know it just but I know for one that you would never have a problem like that especially women, I think I our athletic director merely Dean Baker is an exceptional person and she's a super fine role model and I think she keeps in tune to the programs and the needs of the women and I think that she's hired and she has coaches on her staff myself as well as the Coaches that are that have integrity that have pride that you know, she's been very selective in the coaching and in the selection of the coaching. I think she has a qualified staff. I think that she runs a we run a clean ship we do things by the book and we don't work in the gray and we believe in that every single coach in their believes in that and and we work real hard to follow that and she's a good role model with that and she's a good person that instills that in us and that's what we want to do. We want to have a program where things are done the way they are supposed to be and we don't do a lot of sneaking and hiding and that type of thing and and I like that part of it but I also like the commitment they make to the women they say, okay, we're going to run a first-class program and we're going to give you first class things. We're going to travel first class. You're going to eat first class. You're going to sleep first class and that's the way it should be but I say to my players if you did getting everything first class, you better play First Class. You better not just show up. You better play like you deserve the stay in a room. Don't know higher than all that type of thing. You better play like that. You are not just play like you we could've stayed at a Motel 6, (00:52:27) you know, this is the way you're playing and and it's got to feed off on the player though. It's some point to were you know, that that's part of the whole self esteem trip is exactly. Yes. It's a big time. Yeah, you're (00:52:36) flying here and everybody saying all this is a University of Minnesota women's basketball team and you get all that, you know, it pat on the back, you know, and then you get out there and play like that. How can you do that? So you want to carry over that image you need to play like you represent the University of Minnesota like is something to you like it means something you know, and that's what they're doing it now. They're you know, they I make them really University of Minnesota on their shirts and things and they think I'm crazy, you know, because I crack jokes on them and things like that and we laugh all the time your practices, but they know I love them I give them what is referred to as tough love. I'm real tough on him, but I think that's what that's what's going to make them better and they know I have no problem with saying Then I love you. I love you guys. I miss you. I was gone for a week recruiting. I miss you. They said we miss you too. It was nice and quiet (00:53:24) 2276 thousand is our phone number on portfolio. We got a few minutes to spend with the roof Fields U of M women's basketball coach. If you want to slip in a question or two, we've got news to catch up on it one o'clock and then Mark Heist at has the week in review, but in the meantime 2276 thousand maybe can tell us about your team a little bit LaRue what you do? Well, I know you were your three and three so far you won your tournament. You're going off the West Coast for another tournament here this week, (00:53:51) right? We're going to plan a Stanford to one of the Cardinal classic and the teams involved are Stanford ourselves, Oklahoma and Simon Fraser, which is a team from Canada and we play Stanford first and ranked 15th in the nation, and I'm real excited about that. But we go to California, so I'm real excited about that. And then we play the following day. I think the dates are the 28th and 29th and they were going to fly up the west coast and play the University of Washington. They're ranked 17th in the nation. So I'm not real excited about that either but we know at Stanford and at Washington we're going to give them a good game and we're going to work real hard and we will definitely represent the University of Minnesota and the state of Minnesota. So they what they what they do. Well they play hard and they're very aggressive women. They are good Shooters, excellent Shooters. They're learning to run. We have le fast-break game and they're getting some rather Dowsers and some of the players are really doing. Well, we have five seniors so weird, we've dedicated the season to them, you know, the last game of the season and your final year as a female athlete is real hard because you know, you're not going to play you're not gonna get that lime light exposure TV games that attention anymore was a man could go pro. So we make it exception for them and we've dedicated ourselves to them. And if I have some time I would like to name some of the players already the five seniors marriage. Oh no a kiss from Cudahy, Wisconsin bet Hufford or boots, huh? From she's from Iowa. Oh my three try captains or Diane candy from Burnsville Susie peering from she's from st. Paul here and Debbie Harrison from Little Falls and they're all those three. Try captains are Minnesota kids (00:55:33) when my wife and I go to games we invariably wind up next to Debbie's mother. Is that right? (00:55:39) Yeah, we get a lot of support from the families and we're getting a lot more from the community as a whole around that Island are team players or our junior is Cindy Bradley from Eureka, California. So we're going over her area and her family's going to be there and get a chance to see her play and our sophomores. We have a large sophomore class and Lea Black well from Edina. Jackie goulet's from Wisconsin. Excuse me, Jackie's from Michigan, Midland, Michigan Jennifer Hall is from Burnsville. Minnesota. Jody. Olson is from Washington Seattle area. So we are Bellevue actually, so we'll get a chance for her family to see (00:56:20) us perfect. I'm told it's pretty customary in in women's basketball when they recruit a player from outside the area. They make a commitment to go to play near that players home. Great writing or four years. (00:56:31) Yeah, we we like to do that. We want the student to know that we're going to you know, we want the parents a lot of parents can't make all the trips. So we want the parents to at least see the player some time or another. So yeah, we do that and that is customary and we liked that part (00:56:44) the rear we have to go. Our time is up. I'm sorry to sex. Okay been a great pleasure having you here. Thank you very much. I need a best of luck. Thank you very much. See you next Saturday here on this portfolio at noon. We'll hear from Twin Cities physical therapist Tom coplin who can help you set and keep your New Year's resolutions on Fitness. My thanks to associate producer Sue winking to our technicals are Jeff Walker and to Dana Walker who answered the phone. So well my thanks to you for listening. I'm J.G. Preston. I'll see you next year on portfolio. Turn it on J.G. This is the Minnesota Public Radio news and information service. Ksjn. 1330 Minneapolis-Saint Paul one o'clock.