I would be hard-pressed to find any YSU sports fan who would not be rooting for Cindy Martin to turn the YSU Women’s Basketball Program around in the next couple of years.  This is only her second year on the job and she has basically assumed responsibility of keeping air in a tire that has been flat for awhile.  To talk with her, one can easily buy into her philosophies and hands-on approach.  After a 3-27 season, Martin thinks that this year’s team will not only be better, but has set a goal of finishing sixth or better in the Horizon League to asssure a first-round bye at the conference tournament.  I had the pleasure of meeting Coach Martin for the first time this week.  She was very open and discussed the meat and potatoes of women’s basketball with me.

Paneech:  With one year in the books, how do you feel about this teams chances of improving on a 3-27 season?

Martin:  I feel great about our chances for improvement.  I’m excited to have five returning players who know our system, know what is expected, know the drills, know what we want on the court and off the court, in the classroom – and they [five returning players] are doing a tremendous job of teaching the new players the system.  From that standpoint, I think we are going to win more games and from an improvement standpoint, I think we already have improved.

Paneech:  Can we expect to see you suit up if one of your six healthy players gets hurt?

Martin:  (laughs) I’m retired buddy.  I wish I could play my coaching staff.  We have got to go with what we have.  I am a card player and believe that you play the hands that you are dealt.  This is our hand and we have to play it to the best of our ability.  More than anything, we are trying to restructure our practice plans to make sure we are getting the most out of our healthy players, as well as, making sure that they are working on skills and cohesion, but not overdoing it. 

Paneech:  Who is hurt, who is healthy?

Martin:  We have got eight right now that would be able to play if it was a game, with two of the eight being very, very limited.  Kaitlin Rohrs and Kaitlyn March would both be very limited.  Our six healthy players are Boki Dimitrov, Rachael Manuel, Macey Norton, Makala Gasparek, Brandi Brown, and Kenya Middlebrooks.  The other three players (Shea Johnson, Maryum Jenkins, and Melissa Thompson), we are not sure about, two of them might have season-ending injuries. 

Paneech:  What are the goals for 2009-10?

Martin:  Our biggest goal will be to finish in the top six of our conference.  If we can finish in the top six, we will get a bye, which obviously in our situation would be the best thing to position ourselves.  If we don’t get that bye, it is going to be extremely difficult to win out.  We are trying to think positively, all we have to do is beat four other teams head-to-head if you look at it like that.

Paneech:  How did your first full year of recruiting go?

Martin:  Our recruiting went great!  My assistant, Bernard Scott, is our recruiting coordinator and does a fantastic job of leading our effort.  We signed seven girls that are all here on our roster.  One of the girls, Tieara Jones, has to sit out due to transfer requirements.  I’m very happy with the talent we were able to bring in.  The dilemma is that four of the six we brought in (minus Tieara Jones) are injured and we have to get them back in. 

Paneech:  I know you consider yourself a perfectionist.  How hard is it to do things perfectly at practices this early in the season?

Martin:  I think that is where I can never lower my standards, like going from three hours to two hours or from five-on-five to three-on-three.  We’re trying to change some of those parameters, but where we can still expect our girls’ skill level to be on point.  I don’t expect us to play perfect, basketball is a game of mistakes.  The team that can recover from those mistakes the fastest, and makes the fewest, is usually going to win the game.  I am a perfectionist, but I understand that it is not going to be perfect and a little sloppy at first.  What we are shooting for is that by January, we have a polished product on the floor.

Paneech:  How is this working when you can’t even have a five-on-five drill in practice because you only have six healthy players?

Martin:  We can’t unless my coaches are out there.  I have actually talked to a few girls on campus about coming and trying out for us.  If a student is in good academic standing, and can contribute to this team in a positive way and can play the game, they would be considered to make this team.  We are trying to find a few more and if the possibility of adding players to the roster exists, we would consider that.  We are also looking for a couple of guys, you are allowed three, we have one, to give us practice minutes.

Paneech: Who is the team to beat in the Horizon League this season?

Martin:  I think there are three or four.  I think Green Bay is always going to be good.  I think Cleveland State is exceptionally good this year, Butler is bringing alot back and should be very good.  Those are probably the top three in my opinion.  Night in and night out you don’t know who is going to be good.  I feel the Horizon League has teams from top to bottom that can outplay each other on any given night.  There are upsets in our league, you rarely see one team dominating. 

Paneech: Talk about your two seniors (Kaitlyn March and Rachael Manuel):

Martin:  I think they are going to have great years.  Rachael is really improved.  She spent the whole Summer here with Makala [Gasparek] and every single day that I would come into the office they were either coming or going to the gym or the weight room.  I think Rachael’s skills have gotten better in the post, we are letting her shoot the three this year which will be a new twist, to let our post step out and shoot the three.  Kaitlyn March is really having problems with her shins and her playing time will be limited.  We need points and production from her in those minutes that she does play.  She should be able to give us 15-20 minutes at the most because of what her physical limitations are.  We will play her as we need her because she is one of our best shooters.

Paneech:  With a normal sized roster, if a couple of players are shooting poorly, a coach can bench them.  With six players on the roster right now, you do not have that luxury, how will you handle that situation when it arises?

Martin:  I don’t think we will be able to do much during the games.  Our job is to practice for that situation.  If we are having an off night, here are some sets we can run, or here is how we can tweak our defense to create more stops and open the break opportunities.  If our half-court offense isn’t working, you have to do something to pick up the tempo.  The girls know they will be called upon to play 30-35 minutes.  If someone is having a bad night, someone may have to step up and play 40 minutes.

Paneech:  Walk me through a day in the life of Cindy Martin – start to finish:

Martin:  Well, I am committed to taking better care of myself this year, so I  wake up at 6 a.m. and am usually here and working out by 7.  After a workout and a shower, I try to get in the office.  We have a set staff meeting at 10 every morning.  We meet from 10-11 to talk about the team, recruiting, scheduling, and planning.  From 12-1, I try to watch film from the day before and my 12-1 is nothing more than me trying to get ready for practice or talking to a student-athlete to prepare them for something we may want from them on that particular day.  By 1 we are on the floor for practice.  This schedule helps me and my staff to have a regular schedule.  I’m normally done working by about 9 o’clock at night.  Sometimes I am here in the office until 6 and will go home to make calls.  Sometimes I will go home and watch film.  I think it is important to not always stay here and make recruiting calls and watch film.

One Word Answers

Favorite Meal Of The Day:  Dinner.

Favorite Board Game:  Chess.

Best Musician Out There Right Now:  Keith Urban.

Favorite Vegetable:  Broccoli.

More Important, Free Throws Or Threes:  Free Throws.

Best Show On TV:  Grey’s Anatomy.

Greatest Female Basketball Player Ever:  Jennifer Azzi.

Ultimate Vacation Destination:  Jacksonville, FL to see my family.

Favorite Holiday:  Christmas.

Browns or Steelers:  Neutral.  I’m a college fan, we have the Gators back home and the Jaguars, so I am very neutral here.

One Word To Describe This Years Team:  Fiesty!