Robertson eager to turn around Lady Eddies

Published 11:29 pm Monday, July 24, 2006

By By JEFF FISHER / Niles Daily Star
EDWARDSBURG – The Edwardsburg girls' basketball program has a combined record of 18-44 over the past three seasons, and have only won 10 conference games over that period. New head coach Diane Robertson, who coached the junior varsity last season, is ready to change that around.
The 41-year-old Robertson hopes to put 17 years of coaching wisdom to good use after being named the head varsity coach by Athletic Director Kevin Dean.
A graduate of South Bend Adams, Robertson takes over for Mark Zarycki, who stepped down from the varsity position.
"I am really big on the fundamentals and pay attention to the little things. I adjust to the talent I have on whether we will be a team that pushes the ball up or a team that slows it down. They have to have the fundamentals before they can run the offense or defense and that is what I basically focus on," Robertson said. "My biggest goal is to get the kids to believe they can win and expect to win. I want them to approach every game as they have the opportunity to win this game, and I don't think that has always been here, and that carries over on how you run your practices."
Robertson's previous coaching spot was at South Bend Clay where she compiled a 10 year (1994-2003), mark of 127-87 with two sectional titles and three Northern Indiana Conference championships. She left Clay to pursue a teaching position in Edwardsburg where her children would be going to school at. She is currently a physical education teacher.
She got her coaching start at Adams High School where she was the freshman girls volleyball and freshman girls basketball coach.
Robertson, who preaches a defense-first style, is a Manchester College graduate where she was a point guard on the basketball team as well as a outside hitter and setter for the volleyball team.
"I really preach defense. If you can control the game defensively, it's going to carry you into your offense. I'm really big on defense and that was my specialty in college," Robertson said. "I'm trying to get the girls to enjoy playing defense, relax some on offense and give 100 percent back on defense. Defense is going to win games."
Robertson wasted little time getting started. She's actually been working with the team for several weeks. She has open gyms, averaging around 15 kids, and has had scrimmages against Buchanan and St. Joseph.
"I think that it is more important with where I am coming into the program that they are learning my philosophy and my techniques on the fundamentals then it is putting them in a game. We can go play a game but if the are not playing with the proper fundamentals then it is just street ball."
She's got five returning starters and so far she likes what she sees.
"I am fortunate that we got a great nucleus coming back but there is no depth. We got five returning starters but we are starting fresh with a new offense, different defenses, and new out-of-bounds plays. But with the chemistry of the five or six returning from last year we can have success by the end of the season."
Robertson also has Stephanie Koontz returning. Koontz was an Honorable-Mention All Lakeland last year.
"I probably ride her the most. She has the talent to go to the next level if that is what she wants. She needs to get more ball touches and needs the ball in her hands more often."
Having been eliminated by Sturgis in the opening round of Districts the past two years Robertson feels that everybody starts at 0-0 when the playoffs roll around but it is one game at a time and play your heart out because it could be your last game.
"I am expecting the girls to win every game. I am never going to walk in and say well this team is better than us. If they are better than us talent-wise then I am going to find a way to find the weakness and beat them. If I can get them to believe in me and my system then I think we can have success."
Nicole Cartwright, who coached the eighth grade girls basketball team last season, will take over the junior varsity program this year.
"Expect to Win."