Lou's article

#26
#26
VolBall09 said:
Yes. I would be careful reading too much into this article as well. I do find it sad that she felt she was being laughed at though, never a good feeling. Especially for a young person who was looking for a compliment and some encouragement.

To be fair to coach, she was not recruited by Kellie, was coming off an injury, was unable (and from the article it sounds as though she may have been unwilling at times) to practice and was not going to be continuing to play professionally. Not a very good use of the coaches’ time to spend a ton of time rehabbing her and working on her game. As she said, they were likely primarily concerned with the future of the program. This is one athletes perspective and Kellie took over a dumpster fire. I’m sure she had a lot on her plate and you have to prioritize.

I personally just inherited someone else’s team in a work situation and I can tell you it is not easy. When you did not assemble the people it’s very difficult to execute the plan you have in mind. She may have been repeatedly asked to work on certain aspects of her game and gave excuses instead of results. Which is what is happening to me now. People who have been allowed to underperform and who have been mismanaged in the past tend to have a lot of difficulty with new structure and expectations. Not everyone adapts well to having a new sheriff in town.

I do hope the coaches read this so they can see how she felt.
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#27
#27
VolBall09 said:
Yes I agree. My primary point was that Kellie and her assistant coaches were likely in a position where they had to decide where to focus their energy. As Lou hinted it seems the coaches basically wrote last season off before it even started. I’m guessing they spent a TON of time building and shaping the younger players. Most of which was probably extremely positive and we will never hear about it.

Jazz may also have not received much attention. Again, it’s tough to inherit someone else’s players. When you can tell someone isn’t fit for your system it doesn’t make much sense to try to drag them along. You focus your attentions elsewhere and let the individual decide if they are going to rise to the occasion or not. Players like Rennia and Rae certainly did.
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I agree, but Lou seemed to fit their system. She looks like all of her MO State players.
 
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#28
#28
luballer said:
I actually saw this statement and thought it was a positive thing. When you have 2 seniors that probably would not have played for the top half of the SEC, you want your new coach to build for the future. Kellie did not completely write them off and they both still contributed to the team. It sounds to me like she just put more energy into building up the players that were returning the following season. That does not always sit well with the group of seniors that you inherit.




I’m not sure I 100% agree that they weren’t given direction based off of Lou’s article. I remember struggling after an injury during high school and I felt very similar to what she mentioned in this article. When I went on to injure myself a second time in college, it was much easier because I had that high school experience to reflect on. I had such a hard time in high school because mentally I was struggling. Nothing my coach did or said helped. A lot of the things she mentioned I experienced and their was no “right word” that would fix my struggles because I read into everything my coaches did or did not say. Fortunately for me, I had more basketball ahead of me and the following season I was back to my old self both mentally and physically. Things that embarrassed me or upset me during those times did not embarrass or upset me anymore and I didn’t read into them as much because my mentality was completely different.
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Having read her post three times, I have to realized that she was under a tremendous amount pf personal pressure and she have having a really tough time mentally accepting her inability to physically improve her play on the court. The mind can perceive conditions which do not actually occur. Sometimes the mind creates thoughts which, in reality, do not exist. I have no doubt that she thinks some of these events happened, when in reality, they were more mental creations than actual events. I do not think that Coach Harper would have exixted as a head coach in the NCAA or hired by Tennessee if she and her coaches were laughing at players who were nonperforming because of an injury. Lou was a good player who was slowed because of a very serious injury from which she was unable to recover. It is obvious that she was also letting her inability to perform at her previous level of play affect her mental approach to her play. I continue to have strong faith that Coach Harper will be an outstanding coach for Tennessee and in no way believe she and her coaches acted in any way to amke fun of someone's inability to play the game of basketball.
 
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#29
#29
ept_sports_mlb_experts-575294055-1279409985.jpg
 
#30
#30
After sleeping on this upsetting article, I have to believe that what we have here is as big a misunderstanding between a player and a staff as ever was. Knowing what I know about the kind of people Kellie and her staff are, I find it incredibly hard to believe that they actually are capable of being so casually cruel as what Lou was perceiving. Perhaps her admittedly-fragile state of mind/body did make her misinterpret body language of the staff. Maybe, in her mind already filled with self-doubt and anxiety, she only saw what her anxieties had convinced her were the confirmations that she was right to see herself as “less than.”

I honestly hope and pray that Lou and the staff can somehow get together and resolve these misunderstandings if, in fact, that’s what they were. It probably wouldn't hurt if Lou were to seek professional assistance if there any underlying emotional/psychological issues that she, personally, needs to resolve. I have experience with a couple of family members who suffer from severe anxiety (and depression), and believe me, sometimes it boggles the mind how easily THEIR minds can play tricks on them when they’re triggered.

Anyway, all the possible anxiety issues aside, I still can’t shake the hurt I feel for Lou. As we all know, perception is reality, and if Lou perceived herself as being slighted by the staff, truly accurate or not that’s LOU’s painful reality — at least until the staff has a chance to clear that up with her. And I hate that for Lou, a player and a young lady I came to admire and respect greatly and will miss this coming season. The entire program will miss her and her sharp mind and her willingness to put herself in harm’s way for her team.

I hope Lou finds peace and resolution. And I hope and pray the staff learns from this. They should take away from this that they need to be doubly — no, quadruply — sure that they never, ever again give any player any reason to doubt that they care about them. They need to take special care with injured players who may need extra positive reenforcement, and there should NEVER be another player — anxiety-induced or not — who can even remotely misunderstand them as being inattentive and/or dismissive of a players’ need for direction.
 
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#31
#31
I tore my rotator cuff in 2008, had surgery at KOC by Dr. Holloway. My first and only surgery as of now. I had surgery on a Tuesday and my first physical therapy was the Friday after. I understand Lou's feelings from a mental perspective. At one point in my therapy, I had a very real depression come over me. I started to think my arm was never going to be the same as before the injury. Eventually it started to come around and I have probably 99% of the range of motion as before the injury. Saying that to say this; I'm a very strong person mentally, but even still, I started feeling sorry for myself and having doubts. My injury was not related to sports, but the physical rehab is the same. Lou sounds like she went through the same thing mentally as I did. Glad she is overcoming it. As for KJH, maybe she realized someone as seasoned as Lou would figure it out. Remember, KJH had a torn ACL herself and maybe it reminded her of her own struggles.
 
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#32
#32
lvocd said:
After sleeping on this upsetting article, I have to believe that what we have here is as big a misunderstanding between a player and a staff as ever was. Knowing what I know about the kind of people Kellie and her staff are, I find it incredibly hard to believe that they actually are capable of being so casually cruel as what Lou was perceiving. Perhaps her admittedly-fragile state of mind/body did make her misinterpret body language of the staff. Maybe, in her mind already filled with self-doubt and anxiety, she only saw what her anxieties had convinced her were the confirmations that she was right to see herself as “less than.”

I honestly hope and pray that Lou and the staff can somehow get together and resolve these misunderstandings if, in fact, that’s what they were. It probably wouldn't hurt if Lou were to seek professional assistance if there any underlying emotional/psychological issues that she, personally, needs to resolve if there’s a chance that she has anxiety issues. I have experience with a couple of family members who suffer from severe anxiety (and depression), and believe me, sometimes it boggles the mind how easily THEIR minds can play tricks on them when they’re triggered.

Anyway, all the possible anxiety issues aside, I still can’t shake the hurt I feel for Lou. As we all know, perception is reality, and if Lou perceived herself as being slighted by the staff, that’s LOU’s reality — at least until the staff has a chance to clear that up with her. And I hate that for Lou, a player and a young lady I came to admire and respect greatly and will miss this coming season. The entire program will miss her and her sharp mind and her willingness to put herself in harm’s way for her team.

I hope Lou finds peace and resolution. And I hope and pray the staff learns from this. They should take away from this that they need to be doubly — no, quadruply — sure that they never, ever again give any player any reason to doubt that they care about them. They need to take special care with injured players who may need extra positive reenforcement, and there should NEVER be another player — anxiety-induced or not — who can even remotely misunderstand them as being inattentive and/or dismissive of a players’ need for direction.
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well said👏👏
 
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#33
#33
I am a little confused. I know how debilitating self doubt can be, I have experienced it many times in my life. My heart goes out to her for how badly she felt. I don’t want to apply the often quoted line from “A League of Their Own” but it applies to some degree. Knowing one of the Lady Vols during the 80s and watching several open practices because of it, laughing would have been the least thing to worry about. The intensity was off the charts and consecutive turnovers would have lead to a verbal blast at whatever was left after the stare. She practiced that stare as well. Don’t get me wrong, CPS had a heart of gold and would do anything off the court for her players. On the court was another thing entirely. If you were a weak link, your playing time would be limited, no matter how much you were liked.
 
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#34
#34
I am disturbed by this article. It doesn't align with my impression of the coaching staff, albeit from a distance. Articles like this certainly do not help the recruiting efforts, which in today's world includes retention of current players. Whether or not Lou was being over-sensitive or not, she wasn't getting what she needed. Hopefully the coaching staff reads this article and wakes up!
 
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#35
#35
I find it interesting how so many boarders are able to read so much in an article. Factually the former player, who many boarders were constantly reflecting on her defense and aware of her playing through pain, also recognized that she was a starter not on the far end of the bench, and frequently the middle of the post-game interviews. I do concede she expressed not all positive feelings on her play and the coaches. My reason for writing is the chorus of boarders to their perceptions drawn.

just my opinion, a person who doesn't draw conclusions from any political article, social media posting or even book these days. I didn't start to build a bomb bunker after reading the Tennessean yesterday on the coming end of the world.
 
#38
#38
After mulling over the article, I have several thoughts from the perspective of both former athlete and former coach. I do believe that circumstances influence perceptions and that perceptions often change as the circumstances change...different age, role, situaions all have a bearing on how we view events now and later.

But right now the yard needs mowing before it rains.
 
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#39
#39
stllvf said:
I find it interesting how so many boarders are able to read so much in an article. Factually the former player, who many boarders were constantly reflecting on her defense and aware of her playing through pain, also recognized that she was a starter not on the far end of the bench, and frequently the middle of the post-game interviews. I do concede she expressed not all positive feelings on her play and the coaches. My reason for writing is the chorus of boarders to their perceptions drawn.

just my opinion, a person who doesn't draw conclusions from any political article, social media posting or even book these days. I didn't start to build a bomb bunker after reading the Tennessean yesterday on the coming end of the world.
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Any way you look at it, these types of articles about a fan-favorite player are not what you want to see when you are trying to reestablish a program on the national scene and recruit high quality players. Just my opinion.
 
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#40
#40
stllvf said:
I find it interesting how so many boarders are able to read so much in an article. Factually the former player, who many boarders were constantly reflecting on her defense and aware of her playing through pain, also recognized that she was a starter not on the far end of the bench, and frequently the middle of the post-game interviews. I do concede she expressed not all positive feelings on her play and the coaches. My reason for writing is the chorus of boarders to their perceptions drawn.

just my opinion, a person who doesn't draw conclusions from any political article, social media posting or even book these days. I didn't start to build a bomb bunker after reading the Tennessean yesterday on the coming end of the world.
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But the thing is, when you reflect back and look how the season played out, Lou's comments make a lot of sense...
 
#41
#41
Okay, yard is done.

Observation#1: Lou and Staff 2019-20.

Having the utmost respect for both Lou and Kellie (and staff), here's the upshot: Lou strongly implies or alleges based upon her feelings that (1) the coaches didn't give her the support and encouragement that she had confided to Kellue that Lou needed, and (2) the staff priority was toward rebuilding for the future to the detriment of last season.

Both could be true, one or tbe other could be true, or neither could be true. Regardless, Lou has earned the right to be heatd out and have her insights seriously considered.

One major data point is in conflict with those thoughts to varying degrees. First, the staff shoed Lou the ultimate respect by continuing to start her despite her obvious physical limitations. If they did not value her or ridiculed her regularly, that would not have happened. That also tends to belie the feeling that they were playing for the future and writing off this year. In fact, many posters here gnashed their teeth because Kellie played lots of bodies including previously-little-used upperclassmen. In fact, the one player who hardly played was a freshmen. One would think the senior would sit and the freashman play if the future was all that mattered.

Note that Lou's previous experience was with a staff with a different approach, although she spent many years in that program vs. one year with this staff. Perhaps a coach or coaches did try to humiliate her as she perceived. She doesn't say whether she made her feelings known to any of the staff. It's also possible that the coaches were making light of the practice mistakes to downplay them and reduce the pressure. Or that they felt that she, as a 24-year-old sixth-year senior who had displayed considerable toughness, could handle the hard treatment and set an example of no excuses/favoritism for the younger players. At any rate, she did continue to start.

The insensitivity charge is one that has been leveled at many former and current coache in the top ranks. As for the future-building effort, I'd wager that a majority ,fans would agree with that approach over consistent mediocracy.
 
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#44
#44
creekdipper said:
Okay, yard is done.

Observation#1: Lou and Staff 2019-20.

Having the utmost respect for both Lou and Kellie (and staff), here's the upshot: Lou strongly implies or alleges based upon her feelings that (1) the coaches didn't give her the support and encouragement that she had confided to Kellue that Lou needed, and (2) the staff priority was toward rebuilding for the future to the detriment of last season.

Both could be true, one or tbe other could be true, or neither could be true. Regardless, Lou has earned the right to be heatd out and have her insights seriously considered.

One major data point is in conflict with those thoughts to varying degrees. First, the staff shoed Lou the ultimate respect by continuing to start her despite her obvious physical limitations. If they did not value her or ridiculed her regularly, that would not have happened. That also tends to belie the feeling that they were playing for the future and writing off this year. In fact, many posters here gnashed their teeth because Kellie played lots of bodies including previously-little-used upperclassmen. In fact, the one player who hardly played was a freshmen. One would think the senior would sit and the freashman play if the future was all that mattered.

Note that Lou's previous experience was with a staff with a different approach, although she spent many years in that program vs. one year with this staff. Perhaps a coach or coaches did try to humiliate her as she perceived. She doesn't say whether she made her feelings known to any of the staff. It's also possible that the coaches were making light of the practice mistakes to downplay them and reduce the pressure. Or that they felt that she, as a 24-year-old sixth-year senior who had displayed considerable toughness, could handle the hard treatment and set an example of no excuses/favoritism for the younger players. At any rate, she did continue to start.

The insensitivity charge is one that has been leveled at many former and current coache in the top ranks. As for the future-building effort, I'd wager that a majority ,fans would agree with that approach over consistent mediocracy.
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Lou was a SIX YEAR SENIOR..... not a Freshman! Just Saying

The coaches best compliment you can give a player ! She was a starter ... P. T. Baby 🤔
 
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#45
#45
Darth_Vol said:
Are you sure you even read the piece? Playing time isn't the issue...
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Then what is the issue? Playing time is the true indication of what your coaches think of you. She acknowledges that "both parts" could have done more to build a relationship.

I could mention some other successful coaches who are highly-regarded by some here...coaches who have a very sarcastic and demanding demeanor who would not hesitate to rip into or ridicule players.

This looks like a perfect storm situation of an injured, gutsy athlete who is highly-frustrated at not being able to physically perform at her previous levels. She says as much and even uses the word "fragile" to describe her mental state. Meanwhile, you have a new staff charged with turning around a failed program and instilling toughness in a program perceived as being soft. In addition, the staff is working with players whom they hadn't recruited and trying to mesh holdovers with newcomers.

I don't doubt that Lou felt neglected and lacking the support she needed. Oddly enough, she says that her teammates always supported her even as she said she made herself do the things her teammates "weren't necessarily willing to do, like take charges." Maybe if her teammates had taken some of those charges, Lou's knee could have gotten the rest it needed.
 
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#46
#46
Observation #2: Pat & Holly

Anecdote: Pat once suspended a player whose high school coach (winner of multiple championships) said was the most coachable player he'd ever had in his program. He didn't believe she was capable of disrespecting the program as Pat had charged. I actually got to see this player as a h.s. senior against other top AAU players, and she was a marvel...and a model teammate.

Pat had run-ins with players over the years and rubbed some the wrong way. It's likely that she would have lost some outstandi g talent had she not had Good Cop Holly to soothe ruffled feathers and give emotional support when needed. Maybe Kellie needs a designated assistant to be the shoulder needed for that support. Without Holly (and Mickie DeMoss), trophy case might be a little lighter.

It's not clear whether Lou is saying that a couple of isolated incidents hurt her or that she wasn't being heard and taken seriously or that there was a pattern of neglecting her expressed need for encouragement. Whichever is true, it seens certain that the staff would take steps to communicate more frequently with individual players and use the feedback to address individual needs. The staff may be totally shocked to read Lou's account. They may want to meet with players to see if anything else is being missed.
 
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#48
#48
Darth_Vol said:
Are you sure you even read the piece? Playing time isn't the issue...
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One of Lou's perceptions being discussed was that last season wasn't as much a priority as the future.

That was the point being addressed. If the perception were true, the little-used seniors would sit while the freshmen and sophomores played.

I knew a successful coach whose school was one of the smallest in the league. Her system was to give underclassmen experience to be able to contend for a title when they were seniors. Then the cycle would begin again. Only the most outstanding kids in the "off-years" got to play (or were even kept on the team). The average kids were out of luck unless the came along in the "rebuilding" year.

Barring transfers, playing underclassmen is how you prioritize the future until a program is on sound footing.
 
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#49
#49
Terrells Bay88 said:
No wonder the turnovers was such an issue when the head coaches were laughing about them.
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Where did Lou say that the coaches made a regular practice of laughing at turnovers?

In fact, Lou said that she was relieved when she didn't get yelled at for making a turnover in a subsequent game.

Her complaint seems to be that she didn't feel that she was getting the "support" or "corrections" that she felt she needed. Not that she was constantly the target of ridicule. She seems upset that the staff didn't understand what she was going through and how it affected her well-being as well as her play.
 
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