Q&A With New Assistant Coach Trisha Stafford-Odom

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DURHAM, N.C.?GoDuke.com recently sat down with new assistant coach Trisha Stafford-Odom to see how her transition has been since arriving at Duke and get to know the former California-Berkeley student-athlete and WNBA professional player.

Stafford-Odom, a standout student-athlete at the University of California who went on to play professionally in the WNBA and overseas, had previously served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at UCLA from 2005-08. Recognized as one of the most influential and positive coaches that continues to impact the women’s game, Stafford-Odom has an infectious personality that captivates players, coaches, event coordinators and parents.

GoDuke.com: How has your transition been since arriving at Duke?
Trisha Stafford-Odom: So far, the transition has been very good. Everyone has been very helpful and hospitable. My biggest thing right now is finding a home so that I can bring my family here.

GD: Have you been able to get out and see any of the area around Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill since arriving?
TSO: I think I’m going to enjoy it. It’s going to be definitely different than Los Angeles. There are a lot less cars and less traffic, but I think it’s something I can adjust to.

GD: What are the things you like so far about being here?
TSO: The hospitality. It seems like it’s not a strain for a stranger to say hello and give you a warm smile. That’s how I grew up within my family, the Stafford household. I think it’s always exciting to feel like someone is excited to see you, and happy to have you in their company.

GD: You have two boys and a husband you left in California to come to Duke. When will they be able to make their way across the country?
TSO: I will have my little guys here. I call them small, medium and large. So small and medium, I would like to have here at the beginning of August, as soon as we can get off the road. We found a school for them, and have already set it up. I would like to have them here at the beginning of August so they can go to school. As soon as I get off the road I plan on getting to L.A. and boxing them up and getting them here. My husband’s timeframe is a little different, because he is waiting to hear about how he can transition from his current job

GD: Do your boys play sports and how old are they?
TSO: They play every sport there is to play. They are only two and four, but truly in their mind, they think they are completely competitive. My four year old is giving me the toughest time, because in his mind, he is supposed to be here right now coaching with mommy. He says he’s my coach, he says that he’s going to play for Duke and that he’s ready.

GD: What are your impressions of Coach P and how she runs her program since you have joined the staff?
TSO: I think she has complete control of her program. She’s made it very, very clear to me her goals for the team, short-term and long-term. Every day she is filling me in and giving me a little bit of history so that I will understand what I’ve stepped into, and the direction that we need to go. So I think so far she’s been an outstanding communicator, and that is something that I am drawn towards.

GD: Are there any certain coaches that have impacted you over the years?
TSO: Thus far I will say the biggest impact for me has been Coach P, to be very honest with you, because I see a lot of similarities in our personalities and our intensity, so a short relationship, but I foresee her being the coach that will impact my future the most.

GD: At Duke, you will coach the guards as well as be heavily involved in recruiting. How excited are you to get on the court with the Blue Devil guards and on the road recruiting?
TSO: I still have a player’s mentality, meaning that my mind is doing a lot of things that my body still can’t do anymore, but I’m excited to get out there with them. Just the other day, they all came back from their breaks, and we began camp, and just to see how they interact with one another, how they interact with the campers, I’m excited, because I feel like I can clearly expand the way they’ve been thinking basketball-wise. I know that I bring an intensity level that is ridiculous so I’m going to make them compete. I will get out on the court with them and bang them a little bit. As far as recruiting, I’m back in my element. I love it. I’m excited about the upcoming months and I’ve already made a lot of different contacts with some of our recruits and their families and coaches, so I think I’m right on track.

GD: You played in the WNBA and professionally overseas for a number of years. What did you learn during that experience that you try to bring with you as a coach?
TSO: I learned that you truly have to control what you are capable of controlling. It may seem like a clich? statement, but I learned that all I can do was work hard, play hard, and when given any and every opportunity, go full out, because if I don’t do that then I don’t need to step outside to look for any other reason as to why something did or did not take place.

GD: While being out on the road recruiting, what do you look for in a student-athlete?
TSO: Character -- how a young lady carries herself, on and off the court. When we’re on the road, we have the ability to see these young ladies in different environments, not just on the basketball court. We see them in hotel lobbies, or at restaurants, and all that matters. So I’d like to know that the individual that we ultimately place in a Duke uniform has character outside, in addition to the ability to dominate on the basketball court, whether it is verbally or through their actions, I want them to be an impact player on the court

GD: What is a typical day like for you out on the road recruiting?
TSO: Starting with the night before, coaches gather around all of the brackets in the host hotel. We’ve already identified before we get on the road, who we are coming to see, whether that be a specific team or likely, a specific player. We find out what time they play, what time their next game will be, where the site is out on the road. So the night before, we’ve already figured out where we’re going, what time we have to be there, and it’s usually back-to-back, and all-day. We try to figure out at what 30-minute interval can we go grab something to eat, and once we figure that out, I’m hitting the gym and usually there all day. There are usually several games going on, so if games are overlapping, we try and spread ourselves thin, pretty much. Usually we’ve already established a relationship with those players that we’re indentifying, and they’re looking for us in the stands, and we’re just there to show support.

GD: How has recruiting changed over the years?
TSO: It seems to me that it’s changed for the better, because it seems to me at earlier ages, parents are getting involved, and the young ladies are taking responsibility of doing their research earlier. Their not just going on reputation anymore, they’re not just the last game of the season. They’re sitting down, and taking time to do research about any and everything, from statistics to populations, diversity of a university, tenure of coaches, and win-loss records of coaches. It seems to me now, because people are doing it earlier, everything’s moved up, and now kids are taking the liberty of going online and finding out everything they can about a school, a coach, and assistant coach, and everything. I like it, because it seems like they are more prepared.

GD: How much interaction have you had with the Duke players so far and what has been your impressions?
TSO: With limited interaction, I have been extremely impressed, with once again, the character of these ladies. First of all, I know that they’ve come here not only to play basketball, but they’ve come here because they see how great their futures can potentially be because they’ve chosen Duke University. That tells me a whole lot about their background and what they value, so I see them for not only basketball players, but for women that are productive in the community in the future. They seem very intense. They’re kind of goofy, some of them, but for the most part it seems like everyone is on the same page. They’re not satisfied by any means by last season and the way it ended, so it seems like because of that, they are on the same page and focus on this season.

GD: For those of us that want to get to know you, tell us some things about you like what you like to do, favorite food, hobbies, etc.
TSO: I welcome all dinner invitations. I’m really a laid back person I would like to think. I will do a movie when I get in the flow of things, if Coach P would give me a brake in the middle of the day. I may do that alone and often do it alone, because I consider that Trisha time. I like different restaurants. I’m kind of picky, so I’m not trying to experiment with everything, but when I like something, I like it. I’m a social butterfly. I like to bowl. The highest I ever bowled was 197. I like swimming and singing, I go to church, I’m excited to find a church home here. I’m a little shy though too

GD: Did you play other sports besides basketball growing up?
TSO: In high school I played varsity softball and varsity volleyball. I was pretty decent in both. I didn’t know a lot about volleyball but because of my size and athletic ability I kind of stood out. I also think I could have gotten a scholarship in softball.

GD: If you were not a basketball coach, what would you be?
TSO: This past year I was an unemployed basketball coach, so I would like to think I was a great mom and a great wife.

GD: Do you have aspirations to become a head coach one day?
TSO: Yes, I do. It’s not in my forefront right now. Coach P being the mentor that she is and she’s already sprinkled little conversations around of how good of a head coach she thinks I will be. So, I have to receive that information and learn from her, and Coach Brown, and Coach Sam. I have to think about it, because I don’t want to be hypocritical. I tell the kids out there that I coach that you’re not out there to be second, you’re trying to be the best. Your goal should be the best you can be. My mom used to say all the time reach for the sky, and if you hit the top of the trees, then you aren’t necessarily a failure. I’m not in coaching to always be second. When the time comes, if the time comes, I will consider it, but I’m preparing myself to have a program of my own.

Q&A With New Assistant Coach Trisha Stafford-Odom

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