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Creating Community Spirit Through University BasketballAt WNMU, Coach Ezell's basketball team wins games -- and the community's heartby Cathy Goodwin DESERT EXPOSURE November 2003 Last fall Gail Joy of Las Cruces received a surprise phone call from her daughter, Janel, newest rookie on Western New Mexico University's Lady Mustangs basketball team. They didn't talk about shooting percentages or upcoming games or playing time. "Mom," said Janel, "I wish I'd packed a nice dress. The team will be meeting sponsors at a country club event!" Head Coach Samantha Ezell would be pleased. She asks her players to prioritize family, academics, community and basketball -- in that order. The Lady Mustang philosophy focuses on giving to the community and expressing appreciation for what they get in return. This spirit translates directly into action. Radio host and city councilman Nick Seibel says, "It seems like anytime something worthwhile happens in this community, Coach Ezell, or the players, or all of them, are there." They're not just on display at parades, parties and games. They're behind the scene, making events happen. To take just one example, Tuesday evening, October 7th found the team hosting their annual International Dinner. Each player had invested up to twelve hours setting up, chopping, dicing, cooking and serving a dish that represented her cultural identity. Ivana "Skippy" Stojkovic, the six foot-three center with the big smile, ranks third among US women in rebounds and fifteenth in scoring. That night the senior Co-captain served shrimp soup based on a recipe from her native Croatia. Nichole "Rookie" Ruegsegger, a six-foot center averaging ten points a game and a Homecoming Princess, dished up sauerkraut. Dessert included chocolate cake by senior Co-Captain Elyza Schafer, a five-four point guard, averaging ten points a game while maintaining a 3.5 grade point average. And Coach Ezell contributed her own jambalaya. Over two hundred friends and fans paid twelve dollars to attend. A post-meal auction of donated shirts, books and household items raised several hundred dollars more. And fans learned there's more to this team than what they see on the court. This cooperative spirit has created the Lady Mustang's proudest asset -- a remodeled locker room that, says Coach Ezell, ranks as "one of the finest locker rooms among Division II schools." Ernie Terrazas of Timberland constructed lockers, using donated wood stained by the players themselves ("a great bonding experience," says Elyza Schafer). Dr. Tawana Sparks donated a stereo. A group of country club golfers donated a large-screen television set. And Coach Ezell's father, Walter Ezell, built the stand on which it rests. "I'm very demanding," Coach Ezell says, "and the players deserve to be rewarded: locker rooms, good shoes, and more. The community makes these rewards possible." A magnificent locker room also helps sell new recruits, says Ezell, along with bleachers filled with enthusiastic, cheering fans. And a winning record doesn't hurt either. In fall of 2001, Coach Samantha Ezell took charge of a team that had not won a single game the year before. In her first year, the Lady Mustangs won five games and lost by an average of twenty-one points. During home games, the bleachers were nearly empty, holding only a few dedicated parents and faculty members. Last year, Coach Ezell's second at the helm, the team won eleven games and lost by an average of just one point. And this year, entering Fall 2003, senior co-captain Irene Falk says, "Our team goal is to play in a national tournament." Ask the players what made the difference and they'll point to a coach who brought them not only discipline and fundamentals, but also "a lot more encouragement," says senior point guard and Co-captain Elyza Schafer. "We were excited again," says Irene Falk. Coach Ezell graduated from Arizona State University and began her career as assistant coach at Southern Mountain Community College, Arizona. After nine years of assistant coach positions in the eastern United States -- "where the jobs are" -- Ezell was ready to return to the Southwest to live near her family. And she was ready to become a Head Coach. As a new coach, Ezell's priority was not winning games but "getting publicity and building our reputation." She began promoting the team to local business people, and the Lady Mustangs soon became one of the few Division II women's teams to have its own booster group, the Fast Break Club. Thonda Oliver of Coldwell Banker Enchantment Realty accepted a two-year term as the club's first president. Anyone may join, Oliver says. Memberships ranges from fifty dollars for "Dribblers" to five hundred dollars for "Coach's Club." Benefits include newsletters, media guides, t-shirts, and sweatshirts, along with the satisfaction of supporting a team that has earned the community's appreciation and respect. And, fans add, they enjoy the players. Oliver initially resisted adding a major commitment to her crowded schedule, but she was won over by Coach Ezell's enthusiasm and by "a great group of young women who do a lot for our community. Last year they read to children in elementary schools and this year they'll work with Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Besides," Oliver laughs, "being around a group of high-energy young women helps keep me young." Players directly assist specific sponsors, Oliver explains. For example, they helped with a special event for her real estate business -- everything from setting up a tent to serving food. "If someone gives us money," says Coach Ezell, "we'll help any way we can." Players benefit socially as well as financially, learning to relate to business people while they represent the school. "As a team, we meet a lot of people," says Elyza Schafer. "I've learned how to talk to all kinds of people." Adds Irene Falk, "It's not just about fundraising; it's getting out in the community." On the court, the team looks forward to a strong, successful season. Last year, says Ezell, "we had eight new players and it took awhile for the team to gel. By January you could see the lights go on." This year the team lost only one senior to graduation, kept three senior co-captains and added three impressive newcomers -- "the best freshman class I've ever seen," says Ezell. "They actually reported in shape." Rookie Crystal Smith was ranked one of the top five high school women in her native El Paso. "We recruited her early," Ezell says, "or we might not have gotten her at all." And the Lady Mustangs just became the only WNMU team outside football to hire a full-time assistant coach, Brent Hansen. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed. Last year, the women's games drew larger attendance than the men's did. Seibel, a long-time fan of WNMU women's basketball, says, "In the last two years, it seems like each game has higher attendance than the last." These days, fans come early to get a good seat and they're wildly enthusiastic. From the players' perspective, they're like a sixth player, says "Skippy" Stojkovic. Coach Ezell would like more home games in front of those fans. Because the Lady Mustangs do not belong to a conference, they endure a brutal travel schedule, beginning with twelve straight days on the road this year. However, this schedule might prove an advantage at tournament time, Ezell points out. "After all, we play other teams on their home courts each year. If we can win on their home courts, why not win in a neutral arena like a tournament?" Lacking a conference, Coach Ezell has devised creative ways to showcase her team. In mid-December, Lady Mustangs fly to Alaska for a mini-tournament, facing both Anchorage and Fairbanks university opponents. Right after Christmas they host a tournament in Phoenix -- a chance to meet other teams on a neutral court, close enough for fans and family members to attend. What about the future? During a KNFT radio interview, Nick Seibel asked Coach Ezell the question her fans have been asking off the record: "Can the university keep you here?" Ezell claims to be amazed at this question. "I love it here," she says. "I'm close to my family. The administration has been wonderfully supportive, from Athletic Director Scott Woodard, to Vice President Chris Casey and President John Counts. I love the players and enjoy the support of the community. Why would I want to go anywhere else?"
(c) Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. Please email author for more information. NOT available as free content. |