LOVING WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: HOW WE BECAME FANS

We’ve mentioned several times all three of us love basketball. For

most of our lives that meant following men’s college basketball and the NBA, with interest in boys high school basketball thrown in occasionally because of an outstanding team or player. Now, we’ve developed an affinity for women’s basketball, especially the women’s college game. We each have a story for how that came about.

Rob Finds His Two Loves

Late one afternoon in early 1981, brand new to graduate school at the University of Texas, I sat in my communication department cubicle when several of my graduate student colleagues stuck their heads in my door and asked that I go with them to that night’s women’s basketball game. In the interest of being sociable, I agreed, though I should have declined because work for my own classes and my teaching assignments was already piling up.

I got hooked that night on the Texas women’s team – the “Lady Longhorns” as they were then known. They played fast on offense, pressed all over the floor on defense, and demonstrated a contagious enthusiasm I couldn’t resist. I went back time after time.

In May, after basketball season ended, I began dating a law student named Ida Stewart. Early in our relationship, over drinks one evening, we discussed our mutual interests. She made clear she didn’t share my affinity for college football. 

“I play soccer,” she said, “but I’m not into spectator sports, except Lady Longhorn basketball.”

My ears perked up. “I go to those games too.” 

“I’ll go with you to that,” she replied. “I’m not interested in football.”

Over the next 29 years, we attended countless UT women’s basketball games together. After we married and had children, we took them along. The sport remained our shared interest until Ida died in 2011. I’ve often wondered if things would have turned out for us as they did without UT women’s basketball.

Oh, she finally changed her mind about football.  

  

It Took A Village To Bring Henry To Women’s Basketball

Rob correctly notes my love of basketball. Both my sons and a granddaughter played while growing up. I watched and enjoyed them as much as I could during my working years.  I told them they stopped playing before I wanted to stop watching.  I didn’t follow women’s college basketball as my sons and granddaughter played, though I kept up with girls high school basketball in Arkansas to an extent. Now, I watch my three young grandsons play AAU ball.

Henry's Grandsons: AAU Champions!!

My granddaughter chose not to play past high school although she was talented enough to go much further, as directors of basketball camps she attended insisted. At some point, I decided I wouldn’t push it. After all, it was her choice. As I reflect on it now, I believe how little attention girls basketball garnered compared to boys basketball may have influenced her.  Maybe I regret I didn’t push her as hard as I should have.  

My interest in women’s college basketball for the last eight years or so has been influenced by Rob and by a friend and golfing buddy, Jim Lewis. The reason for Rob’s influence is obvious. Jim’s experience coaching men and women at the professional and college levels, and the insight he brings to our conversations about the sport, has kept me even more interested. I’ve bought into the excitement of the women’s game and the skill displayed there.

I’ve also been influenced by one of my college roommates,

Norman Bender.  He  may be the number one fan of the UCONN women’s team. I know more about that team than I could have ever dreamed because of the joy he brings to our conversations. Because of that joy, I pay attention.  I have become a fan.

Woodson Came Late to the Women’s Game

Saying I’m late to the women’s game may stand as my personal sports understatement of the decade. I paid some attention to

women’s professional  basketball for about ten years though generally, only at the urging of my son, Chike. I found the game interesting, but not enough that I embraced it. Chike continued encouraging me to watch the women’s college game for the last 10 years. I wasn’t listening. 

I grew up in rural Conway County, Arkansas in the 60s and played basketball throughout high school. In those days, women played six-on-six, with a three-player defensive unit on one end of the court and a three-player offensive unit on the other. That rule assumed women lacked the strength or stamina for full court play. I didn’t find it an interesting brand of basketball. That experience kept me from taking a real interest in the women’s game.

Chike persisted. He told me watching the UConn women play

“was a thing of beauty” and that Geno Auriemma was a coaching genius. So I watched. I was partially sold. I followed the UConn women for several years. My real breakthrough came I went to see

    Woodson & Hope                      Teaira  & Woodson

Mississippi State play UALR in 2019, again at Chike’s urging. He wanted me to see Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State's 6-7 post player.  I saw her and even got my picture taken with her.  But it was the Lady Trojans who caught my eye. They are as well coached as UConn, have won their conference championship for 14 of the last 16 years, and play their home games within a 15 minute walk of my front door.  

UALR'S discipline and team chemistry are things of beauty.  Right now they are 14-2 in conference play. I am now hooked on the Lady Trojans and women's basketball.