UC's Sherry M. Winn

'Energy is contagious,' says winning coach

September 26, 2006

"Success is not a matter of skill so much as a matter of relationships," Coach Sherry Winn told Putnam Rotarians today. "Energy is contagious," she said.

Society has brought us so many conveniences that we neglect some of the basics, said Winn. "We tend to neglect nutrition in this time of 'super-sizing' and fast foods," she told the group. "If you can't read the ingredients on the box, don't put it in your mouth.

"Even exercise is structured," said the the University of Charleston head girls' basketball coach.

"There's no free-play which you need to develop leadership and maturity. It's important to emotional health as well as physical health.

"Technology is creating distance rather than bringing people together," says Winn. "I see one of my girls on the bus talking on a cel phone when she could be talking to the girl sitting beside her.

"People want to be challenged.

"Expectation is a key," she says. Rather than pointing out faults, she tries to give positive direction: "'You are better than what you are playing,' I tell them.

"When they know I really believe that, they have motivation."

And the extra workouts at 5:30 on Monday mornings help to keep everyone focused.

This season the Lady Golden Eagles will not have any home games until January. Perhaps that is the price of success. "Nobody wants to lay a winning team," says Coach Winn.

And maybe when the coach talks about relationships, she is also talking about winning by working together.

Maybe she's talking about teamwork.

When the home games begin this season, Golden Eagle booster Chet Marshall has declared a complimentary admission for "Putnam Rotary night".