Hey Canes! We had a chance to sit down with the Head Coach of the Lady Canes Basketball team, Coach Kara Joseph.  Here are some questions we asked her! Thank you for the interview, Coach Joseph. 

Q: How do you view the relationship between academics and athletics?

“Student comes before athlete. You are a student-athlete and your grades have to be up before you even get a chance to participate in athletics. Your grades have to be spot-on if you wanna compete at this level. No matter who the player is, school comes first.”

 Q: Why did you want to become a coach?

“I grew up my whole life around sports. I had really great coaches in my life. My dad coached me all up until I got to high school. Just the way he coached us and how he coached us. He made such an impact on my life. I wanted to do the same and make a difference in my players’ lives too. I enjoy being a mentor to them and teaching them not only basketball but about life.”

Q: What are your core values as a coach?

“It’s so much more than basketball. I want to make a change in athletes one person lives as I said previously I want to be impactful. I want my athletes and other coaches to take something from me, in hopes they make their lives better from it. I hope to encourage females to be strong, positive, and respectful. I want them to have pride in what they want, and go after everything because the skies are the limit.”

Q: What approach do you take when your team is struggling?

“Life is a struggle in school and everyday life. Sports will be that hard for us. You have to be mentally tough. I tell my girls that this game is 90% mental and 10% physical. You just have to keep your mind strong.”

Q: What are your off-season expectations? 

“Every player has to get better whether it be at running, dribbling, passing. There has to be at least one thing you really master in the off-season. Start to get to know your fellow teammates because if you don’t know your team, you’re probably not gonna play well together. You have to work hard, 120% of the time whether it’s in season or off-season.” 

Q- How do you stay updated with the latest trends and techniques of this day and age, in coaching?

“My players keep me up to date with TikTok from that point of view. As a Coach, I will watch YouTube videos or Tiktok. Talking to other coaches and being blessed to be a relative of Coach Blundo, boys Varsity Basketball Coach. We would talk about how I can be a better coach. I just think about putting yourself out and you have to be willing to learn new things.”

We are excited for the girl’s basketball season to begin! Thank you again Coach Kara for an awesome interview. We will see you on the court.