Tara Vanderweir thought about her parents, her past and present players, and the legend of fellow trainees.
Stanford’s 104-61 victory over No. 1 Pacific team on Tuesday was the 1,099th victory of Wanderwire’s career, the most in Division 1 women’s college basketball history.
He then handed over the sports ball, and was then presented with a new jacket, which featured the nickname “D-Dog” by his celebrants.
“It was a great trip,” Wanderweer said. “I hope Pat Summit looks down and says, ‘Good job, Tara, keep going.’ I loved training against the song, and we miss her.”
Vanderwire passed the late Summit, a glorious life in Tennessee that ended prematurely in 2012, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s type early dementia. Sumit, who had 1,098 career successes, died in 2016.
Vanderweir, 67, began his college coaching career in Idaho in 1978, and took charge at Stanford in 1985, where he recorded 947 wins. He has won two NCAA titles, advanced to the other 11 final fours, won or shared 23 Pac-12 regular season titles and has won 13 of the 19 league games held.
He has coached some of the best players in the sport. Jennifer Assi, who helped take the Cardinal to her first NCAA title in 1990, is a four-time all-rounder, starting four times with All-American Candice Wiggins, Nineka and Saini O’Keefe 5-0.
Despite Stanford’s failure, this season has faced its challenges. Due to the COVID-19 protocol in Santa Clara County, which banned indoor activities, including contact sports, Stanford had to relocate to Las Vegas for training and had to play two of its games so far. Sunday’s record-breaking victory came on foot in Berkeley. Tuesday’s win was without fans in Stockton, California.
But video messages of congratulations came to Vanderver from famous Stanford alumni Condoleezza Rice and John Elway, and from fellow women’s sports pioneer tennis legend Billy Jean King.
“To get a knife out of her … I mean, I have to pinch myself,” Wanderwire said of King. “I am pleased to be a part of the development of women’s basketball, helping to encourage women in training to support the Women’s Sports Foundation and the legacy fund in my name.”
Another reason why Wanderer brought up his post game video conference call was hunger; She said with all the good luck she was experiencing, she was now well aware that many were suffering. He donates $ 10 to each of his 1,099 wins to a local food bank.
Gratitude is a primary emotion that Wanderever feels when running this feat. He has been heard from by many colleagues and former players. His current team is grateful to be the one who helped achieve this identity.
“The first phone call we got, I remember how nervous I was,” said Giana Williams, Stanford senior at the recruitment mission. “I was speeding up and down my hallway. My dad was telling me to sit down. I was talking to ‘Tara Wanderer.’
Wanderwire, an East Coast native who went to college in Indiana and saw the practices of pop night, has created the Cardinal as the crown jewel project of the West Coast. He has won 81.3% of his games, with just 253 defeats. In Pack-12 play, Wanderever 512-82 (86.2%). As coach of the U.S. national team that won gold at the 1996 Olympics, he had already reached this milestone, with the exception of Stanford’s 29-3 final four seasons in 1995-96.
“Basketball has always been, and will always be, a great team sport,” Vanderweir said. “It may be a record named after Tara Vanderver, but it’s about the athletic directors who hired me and gave me a chance. The best, best, best assistant coaches who worked so hard for our project.
“I’m never been the best player on a team I’ve ever played. I’m not considered a junior coach with John Wooden. But I’m sure, I’ve working hard, I love this game of basketball.
No wonder Wanderer thought of his friend Sumit after Tuesday’s game. The coaches were born one year apart: Summit in June 1952 and Vanderwire in June 1953. Summit began his college coaching career in Tennessee in 1974, and Vanderweir began in 1978 in Idaho. Their teams started a series in 1988, thanks to Assisi being a Tennessee native, and the coaches met three times in the NCAA tournament, all of which Tennessee won.
Vanderweir said he made progress through training against the Summit.
“He helped me do that because he played against his teams,” Wanderweer said. “One thing I’m learning from the bottle is to be interested in the game. I read others; I’m a copyist. The importance of restoration, playing so hard – her teams did it, they did not give up. They did not give up. Determined teams.”
1099.
Pat will be proud.
Congratulations, Coach Wanderweer! pic.twitter.com/T2R6hmVqCh
– Lady Block Basketball (ady Ladywall_Hobs) December 16, 2020
Yukon coach Geno Ariamma is not behind Vanderweir; He had his 1,093th win on Tuesday at Seyton Hall. In the same year that Wonderweir took charge of the Cardinal, Ariamma captured the Huskies.
“I’ve been here since 1985. Tara is still at Stanford,” Ariamma said. “Will [the success] Being in the same place for so long, does it do anything for stability? Does the pot have to stay in one place for a long time? I think there is some connection between that and this.
“Tara [has been] A great school, a place where girls really value athletics and girls basketball. The test of time – in the end, it’s your legacy: time. This is a lot of games for the coach, very few hits. “
Those who have played for Wanderers, except on the court, talk about how they have made an impact in life.
“The issues of racial justice that are going on in the world, we are not together as a group [earlier this year during the pandemic], He was calling everyone and testing them, “Williams said.” It’s not even about X and O, you know Tara cares about you. “
Vanderweir said, “I never said, ‘I’m going to go to the gym and ruin someone’s life today.’ I try very hard, set a good example with work ethic, and respect our student-athletes.
“I want them to be someone who wants to play hard. That’s my goal to be a great coach for them. That’s what I work for.”
Vanderver admitted that there was a moment when he thought it was time to retire a few years ago, feeling tired and a little burned out. He spoke with Stanford graduate and beneficiary John Arillaka.
“And he said, ‘Take the summer off,'” Vanderweir said. “So I did.”
She spent her time doing water-skiing, swimming, fitness bike riding and so on. Focusing on her health and fitness and time off from work refreshed her and made her more excited about training, which is a state of mind. Wanderweer helped achieve this milestone.
“When I’m at the gym, I’m excited,” he said. “It’s not a job. It’s like FUN fun.”
