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We still have not peaked
Gail Goestenkors, a native of Waterford, Michigan, is in her ninth season as coach of the Duke Blue Devils. The three-time ACC coach of the year led Duke to the 1999 NCAA title game and it's first ACC tournament title in 2000. The Blue Devils are currently ranked No. 4 in the nation. Check out Goestenkors diary every other week on CNNSI.com.
February 16, 2001
It's hard to believe we have only three regular season games left. They will all be difficult as each of the three teams (NC State, Virginia and UNC) are all still capable of finishing in second place in the league and are trying to ensure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Our league has been so tough from top to bottom that we could get as many as seven teams into the NCAA Tournament. I've talked with our players about the fact that every team is going to give their best effort against us because they know that if they can knock us off it will go a long way in convincing the NCAA committee that they should be invited to the big dance. Therefore, we have to be focused to play for 40 minutes every game. We are playing for a number one seed in the ACC and NCAA Tournament, therefore, every game is crucial for us as well. It's hard as a coach to know how much to tell your team. We are very young and therefore, I don't want to put too much pressure on them. At the same time, I think it's important that they realize the significance of each and every game. At this point, I think we've had a good blend of leadership from our seniors and youthful excitement. Georgia, Rochelle and Missy West have been great role-models for our young players. They show them the type of intensity and focus that is needed each and every day in practice to be successful and they will accept nothing less than their best. As they say, sometimes ignorance is bliss and this definitely holds true with some of our young players. Sometimes, they don't understand the pressure of certain situations. I'll never forget when our game with UNC went into overtime. We had a three point lead and missed some free throws and they hit a shot at the buzzer to take the game into the extra period. The momentum had definitely swung in their direction and one of my seniors was very upset with herself for having missed a free throw and a defensive assignment. It was one of our freshmen that told her to "simmer down, now." She told her not to worry, everything would be fine. It really broke up the tension and helped the team to focus on the present, instead of worrying about the past. As a coach, you're always hoping that your team will peak at the right time, and I know that we still have not peaked. It was difficult when Alana Beard, (our leading scorer) broke her thumb and missed four games but I was so proud of the way the team stepped up. We now have Alana back and the roles of some of the players have changed again. I think we are still in the process of adapting, learning and growing as a team. It's exciting to think that although we're 23-2, we believe that our best days are still ahead of us. Take care and I'll talk with you again, soon. -- Gail Goestenkors
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