SportsPrep Live

Announcer 0:00
You're listening to local programming produced in KU NV studios. The content

Wesley Knight 0:06
of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Graydon Prescott 0:17
Hey everybody, and welcome to another episode of sports prep live, sports prep live, where we unbox the bike and talk excellence in athletics.

Graydon Prescott 0:35
What's up everybody? Welcome back to another episode of sports prep live. I'm your host, Graydon Prescott, and today is another big day for the program. We have UNLV women's basketball coach Lindy LaRock on the show. Coach, welcome to the show. It is an honor to have you today.

Lindy La Rocque 0:51
Yeah, thanks for having me. I'm excited. All right.

Graydon Prescott 0:54
So first of all, I would like to start with your background a little bit. You played high school basketball at Durango. You were an all state player each of your four years there, I think second team as a freshman and a sophomore, and then first team all state as a junior and a senior and valedictorian, which really stuck out to me. So what was it like balancing your academics as a valedictorian and also being an all state basketball player throughout your four years of high school.

Lindy La Rocque 1:22
Well, you're taking me back, you know, a few years, but I think I just remember from high school, you know, both of my parents were teachers and educators, and so kind of getting my homework done was just ingrained in me, and then I wanted to spend a lot of time playing basketball, being in the gym, and so I think the best way I managed my time was to kind of get my homework done so then I can play for longer. So that's what I remember, you know, I don't know if I had intentional goals once, I kind of knew I was getting some straight A's. It wasn't I never, like, set out to be, you know, valedictorian, but then I remember thinking like, Oh, if it was close, and I'm like, well, then I might as well not screw this up and finish it out. So, you know, I think it was just kind of my competitiveness and basketball also bled over to the academic side.

Graydon Prescott 2:16
Yeah, absolutely. So then after you get done with high school, you commit to Stanford, which is known worldwide as being one of the best institutions on the planet in terms of academics. And you played four seasons under the legendary coach, Tara VanDerveer, as a head coach yourself. Now, you spent some time as an assistant. What was it like learning from and being groomed by one of the most legendary coaches in the history of the sport for four years.

Lindy La Rocque 2:43
You know, that was part of my decision making. You know, when I chose Stanford, I knew I wanted to coach. I wanted to be an educator. I wanted to be a teacher, I wanted to be a coach. And so just having the opportunity to play for her, and she was one of the greatest of all time, then, you know. So that was definitely, you know, attractive and what I was excited about, and then, you know, kind of come full circle. I've had an opportunity not just to learn from her as a player, but also as a colleague, as an assistant coach for her, you know. So you could argue probably 90% of my basketball knowledge has a direct correlation to her and what she's taught

Graydon Prescott 3:23
me absolutely so you finish your four years at Stanford, and then you go to graduate school at Oklahoma, and you were an assistant coach there for two years, and you were in two NCAA tournaments, and then you coached at Belmont as an assistant coach, and then back to Stanford. So you spent a total of six years as an assistant coach, and you made six NCAA Tournaments in your six, maybe seven years as an assistant coach, and then you took the job at UNLV, but first focusing on your time as an assistant, what were your biggest takeaways and the biggest things that you learned that were able to set you up to become a successful head coach in the future?

Lindy La Rocque 3:59
Well, I think you know, as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma, I had to do a little bit of everything, you know, I was as much of a manager as I was any making any basketball decisions, you know. And then I go to Belmont, you know, kind of a smaller operation, to where, yes, I'm a basketball coach, but I'm also the equipment Lady and the director of ops. And, you know, be just because we didn't have a big staff so and then, of course, going back to Stanford, it was just the same place that I've known and loved, but a different role. So I think at all three stops, you know, what's helped me as a head coach is I've had a hand in all of the smallest of roles and details, and so I can really appreciate everyone on the staff, regardless of how big or small one might think you know the job is. I think every little small detail really matters. Yeah,

Graydon Prescott 4:50
absolutely. And then once you get done with your time as an assistant, you decided to take the head coaching job right here at UNLV. First of all, what made. You decide to come back to Las Vegas and take the job for you? And LV,

Lindy La Rocque 5:04
well, to be totally transparent, I didn't apply for it. They came after me. And because I wasn't, I wasn't, I wasn't looking for it, you know, I wasn't excited to be an assistant coach. I felt like I still had a lot to learn, you know. And then UNLV kind of came calling, and, and, you know, it was an opportunity of like, well, you know, why? Why? I've got to think about this. And so then, kind of, I put myself here so to say, and thought through it. And I thought this would be a great opportunity for my first head coaching job. You know, obviously, born and raised here, there's, there's more than just, you know, the rebels in the school. There's, there's a lot of pieces to it that felt right for me, you know, and so then that's why I'm here.

Graydon Prescott 5:46
So your first season, when you were signed, you were the second youngest coach in all of division one basketball, which is just mind boggling to me. And you took a program who in their last 14 seasons had just four winning seasons, and you were immediately named Mountain West Coach of the Year in your first year. So what was it like turning around a program that hadn't seen much success in their last decade and a half, taking them to becoming a winning program in your first season?

Lindy La Rocque 6:15
Yeah, well, I think I'm really grateful for a UNLV and and kind of the opportunity here, because we weren't far off, you know, and there is a very winning history and tradition and culture here in the program. You know, when I was a kid in the early 2000s they were an at large bid. So maybe, you know, me going away, kind of missed some of the drought years, but it was a program that that wasn't far off, you know, I didn't some of the stats you read for four winning seasons in the previous 14 years. I didn't quite know that, but I knew they weren't, you know, bottom of the league. They were always kind of hanging around in the middle, you know. And so I think that was also attractive, because, sure, we might have raised it to new heights, but you know, it wasn't kind of like a worst of first situation.

Graydon Prescott 7:08
Yeah, and you mentioned hanging out in the middle, and that is about the farthest thing from what the program has been doing since you took over your second season, 26 and seven regular season title, conference champions, third season, regular season title. Conference Champions, 31 and three didn't lose a single game in the conference. And then 30 and three and 17 and one in the conference, all of these years you made the NCAA tournament. What was the process and what was your mentality that you took to taking a program like, I, like you said that was kind of middle of the pack, and taking that program and elevating it to the next level into a perennial postseason lock.

Lindy La Rocque 7:47
Well, you know, can appreciate the way you've gone about this, but you know, you mentioned I, all I ever know is going to the NCAA tournament, right as an assistant, as a player, you know? So I came here, and that's what I expect, that's what I knew, yeah, and, and that's how I've operated, you know. So that was just, I think some of that is just the belief, the knowledge of knowing how to get there, you know. And I tried to bring that to this program, and then, then once you do it, once you know, you're greedy for more, yeah, you know? And I felt like I can vividly remember that first championship, because, man, it was truly special. I mean, the first one in 20 years, you know. But then it's the second and the third one. It's like, you don't want anything less than that. And so then that's kind of what you're working towards.

Graydon Prescott 8:42
So you've won, correct me, if I'm wrong, four straight regular season titles and three of the last four conference championships. Yep. Okay, so that your total record is 128 and 30. That's 81% what what has been your biggest same memory in your last five years as the head coach. What's the most vivid memory that you have? Like, holy crap, we really did

Lindy La Rocque 9:05
this. I think for sure, absolutely, the championship game in that first, you know, post covid. So I guess it was in 21 you know, the first NCAA Tournament, birth, yeah, you know, I just, I can put myself there. I can feel it, I can smell it. I feel like I can taste it. I can vividly, you know, feel the emotion from our players and see the smiles. That's a core memory, you know, that's gonna be embedded in my brain for a long time.

Graydon Prescott 9:37
Absolutely, it's great in Prescott here on Sports prep live, and I'm sitting down with arguably unlvs most successful head coach to date, Coach Lindy LaRock for the UNLV women's basketball program. So Coach, one of the things that I've noticed in my time as a member of the media here at UNLV, I'm in my fifth season at sports prep live and. And all the time I've been here, your program has been the successful, the biggest, the most winning in probably all of you in LV I've rarely seen you guys lose. But the thing that I wanted to highlight was the how, at least I feel the lack of media attention and fan outreach and fan support that you guys have received. You see, you know, I grew up in Iowa, and I grew up around high school basketball in Iowa, so I would go to the school called Dowling Catholic, and that's where Caitlin Clark played. You know, it was a gym of about 2500 but the community probably had 30,000 people in total, and every single game was packed. What I noticed is the UNLV women's basketball games haven't been as packed like a high school game in Iowa, and I think that you guys should be receiving a lot more attention than you do. So what do you think? Do you think that the fans showing up plays a role in success? And do you believe in the sixth man on the court being the fans? Or do you focus more on the just the basketball side of things?

Lindy La Rocque 11:14
Well, I think it's a balance, right as the leader of the program, it's my job to kind of fight for for every ounce of support and respect that I can get for our young women. You know, there's a few more things to do here in town than Iowa, you know, so that that's a truth, yeah. But, you know, I don't disagree with you, you know. And, but there's a lot of, there's a lot of other things at play. And so how I've tried to approach it is, well, we have to do our job and win, yes, and then, you know, we put a great product out there, then we can, you know, start holding other people accountable to how do we get more butts in seats? Right? Because it's not for a lack of a quality product, exactly. And so that's kind of been my approach. We have seen increased tendency year over year, you know, I think especially in our first few years, we had a few sellouts, you know. And honestly, I'm trying to hold, you know, people around me, you know, accountable to where this year, to your point, like we need to have some sellouts. We have great home games. The league is better than it's ever been, yeah? And so, you know, I'm with you at the end of the season, if we don't have increased attendance, I'm looking around because I know the product's not going to be bad, absolutely. So then I'm looking around at the rest of the department and and, you know, seeing, well, what's going on in here and who needs to be evaluated,

Graydon Prescott 12:39
yeah? So when I got to the chance to speak to Coach Pastner, he had he echoed all of your sentiments about fan attendance and needing people to show up. And he's a new coach, so of course, he's still trying to get people to buy in and all of that. And I get that, but you're seasoned here. You're entering your seventh season, and you've won 81% of the games you've played, and over the last five years, you've lost a total of what, 20 games in five seasons, which is absurd. That's one of the best in the nation. So this isn't a program where you guys lack the success because you've proven that you're a winning program. So what do you think needs to happen for the fans to realize, hey, this women's basketball program isn't something that you can just overlook. This is a program that deserves the same amount of support as the football program and the men's basketball program. Heck, even the aces you guys are winning on that level. So what do you think the fans need to realize, or what needs to be shown to the fans for you guys to get the sell out after sell out, after sell

Lindy La Rocque 13:41
out. Well, you know, I'm happy to talk with you today because I think we'd love more student engagement, you know, and and have some more student support, because those are our peers. You know, you're right here, around campus, on campus, and our students should be more activated and excited to have some pride in their university and and the teams, you know, you know, I'm no dummy, but like football and men's basketball, they they're provided a lot of resources. They also bring in more bring in more revenue. I mean, that that's a fact. Their their tickets are more expensive, like and, and frankly, we need them to do well. And I'm excited with how football is done. You know, this season, there's no one that wants, you know, Josh and the men, to be successful. There's no one more that wants it than me. Because I think, you know, people get excited about basketball, then we can get even more fans too here. So, you know, I think it's we're trying to be creative and continue to find new ways to, frankly, attract students, first, you know, but then, really, I, like you said, kind of, there's a women's basketball fan base here, yeah? Because the ACES get a crap ton of fans, yeah, you know. And so it's really trying to reach, reach all different people, you know. So it's pretty why? Widespread, you know, and I don't think I can point the finger to one thing, whether that's, you know, social media, advertising or different things. I think there's, there's, there's, it's a complex issue. But, you know, I'm happy to be talking with you because hopefully we got a few students may listen in and come check out next week, you know, this week

Graydon Prescott 15:21
and the students, I think, is, that's what Coach Mullen told me, football, that's what Coach Pastner told me. So I think everybody's on the same page where student engagement is kind of the forefront, and everything will fall in line after the students. And I'm trying to do my part here at sports prep live as a program for students by students, run by students at UNLV. And we want to push these sports programs at UNLV as much as we can. And I think talking to coaches is one of the most important things that we can do. But like you said, student engagement, the students showing up first is probably as big a component towards fans and sell outs as you can get. So you think once the students fall in line, and, you know, the students build the excitement, you think that's when everybody else will start to fill in? Yeah, well, I

Lindy La Rocque 16:15
think, you know, we're going to have our regular fans that come every game. You know, those aren't the, you know, honestly, the ones that we're trying to attract because they're coming, you know. And I think that's probably similar to men's basketball and football too. But, you know, I think when people see other people excited, then they're like, oh, what's going on over there, you know? And if we have a sellout, then more people it'll be on the news and be, you know, widespread, and then other people like, what's going on, you know? How do we get over there? So, you know, I don't think, I think students again are a part of it, you know. But as collegiate athletics, we're trying to attract families, young families, with kids, then sometimes the game times are hard. I know that firsthand, you know, but it's just continuing to try to reach all different kinds of people, you know. I think the students are impactful because they're young and they're loud, you know. I mean, they're they're loud. That's just, you know, a fact, they like to gather. They like to have a good time. They like to bring their friends, you know? So I'm like, bring your friends, come loud to our game. That would be great. I would love for them to yell at the refs.

Graydon Prescott 17:28
Yeah, absolutely yelling at the refs. That is something that I can relate to 100% I got a chance to see your exhibition game last Wednesday, and you won by like 38 points, or something like that. Season opener is Wednesday, the fifth against Washington state. What do you think your team can expect playing against Team like Washington state? What do you expect from your team and what are you looking to do game plan wise for this season opener? Yeah,

Lindy La Rocque 17:59
you know, these early games, honestly, are pretty difficult to kind of get you behind the scenes in our coaches circle, if you will. I mean, Washington State, they have a tremendous coach. She's been there for a number of years. I really respect her. But kind of similar to us, they have a whole new team. They have a lot of foreign players, which is, which is even harder to kind of find tape on, if you will, you know, so some of these early games, you've got to be really good in game adjustments. You've got to keep the focus on yourself, mainly because the scouting report is pretty shallow. You know, we don't really always know what we're going in to the game until we get to the game, which honestly is not my forte. I like to be the most prepared, and kind of prepare my team for as much of what's coming as I can. But these early games, you just have to be flexible. And so, you know, really, for Wednesday night, you know, we're preaching to our team is we have to play incredibly hard. We have to give, you know, extreme effort. So then when we we are going to make mistakes, we're going to have to make some adjustments, but we can do that more swiftly and easily if we're playing hard and kind of playing together. So, you know, some of these early games are a little unknown, you know, especially until we get some tape on some of these other teams from this season, not just relying on last year's game film.

Graydon Prescott 19:19
Absolutely, I think one of the most difficult parts of being a coach in collegiate sports, more so than professional sports, is the roster turnover, and it's changing every single year, and you've had to deal with that, especially this season, your roster looks a lot different than it did last year. So there's been a ton of change coming in, but what's it been like to bring this new team together and to kind of build this program not from the ground up, because, of course, you guys have been winning, but what's it been like to build this new roster and try to build camaraderie between the team?

Lindy La Rocque 19:51
Yeah, you know, I think I know you said it's not like it, but I don't it does feel like a little bit from the ground up, because. This is the first year where we have more newcomers than returners, and newcomers being incoming freshmen and transfers and so but it's been a great challenge, honestly, because with change can come a lot of positivity. We have we have players that are excited to be here, that want to win, that chose to be here that have given, kind of, our program a great breath of fresh air. But then, you know, they chose to be here, but they also, for the most part, aren't necessarily coming from winning programs, right? So, and then that's a big change. You want to win, but they don't always know what it takes. And so well, they're learning, you know, and that, and that's my job, but, and so we've had to strip it really down to the ground, and then really kind of build, build it up with them. So I think that's been refreshing and a challenge, but in a really positive way for me, my staff and even our returners, because, you know, we're not really at a space where we can just, you know, ride the wave and just kind of do what we did last year and expect to go to the same place. Because, you know that that can't happen.

Graydon Prescott 21:12
Yeah, absolutely. One of the things I noticed from your game, and you know, as the coach, you probably noticed everything, but I noticed you guys were a very, very strong rebounding team. You controlled the glass almost like unlike anything I've ever seen. You probably outrebounded them by 25 What do you think are going to be some of your team's biggest strengths coming into this season?

Lindy La Rocque 21:33
Yeah, rebounding absolutely has to be one of them. Yeah, you know, and it's a little easier to do against the division two team like we played in our exhibition. It'll be a challenge this week, but rebounding on the defensive end helps our defense. Rebounding on the offensive end makes our offense look better. So I do think we have to be a good rebounding team, you know, and to give us kind of really a chance to compete against the highest level of teams, which I which I'm really confident that we can, but we do have to rebound. Yeah,

Graydon Prescott 22:08
so Las Vegas native, like we discussed, and you got to see the ACES kind of come from San Antonio, and that program go from, you know, a San Antonio Stars team that had a number one pick three years in a row and struggling to now, you know, the dynasty of the WNBA. What was it like to kind of see that program grow and become what they are now, and at UNLV women's basketball, are you trying to replicate the success that they've had, especially with women's basketball being this growing community in Las Vegas.

Lindy La Rocque 22:42
Well, you know, I think, if anything, it's a representation of the possibility and the opportunity that's here in Las Vegas, you know, because they weren't, they weren't a poor organization in San Antonio. And San Antonio, you know, honestly, has a great basketball fan base with the Spurs, you know. But then I think, you know, they move here, and it just shows the possibilities that can happen here. We've got a vibrant city that loves winners, that loves winning, that will invest, that will show up, you know, and they had a new opportunity to be someone different, you know. And kind of, in a lot of ways, start fresh, but with a with the same organization. So, you know, I think, if anything, it just points to what can be done here in town. So, you know, there, I'm a huge fan. I've had season tickets, you know, since day one, and I plan on keeping them, yeah.

Graydon Prescott 23:33
So as we get close to the close of this interview, one of the things that I 100% wanted to ask you, was, of course, your program the success that you've had, but what are your expectations coming into this new year? Of course, with a new roster, it's going to be difficult to kind of see. Okay, what do we expect? You know, because a lot more newcomers than returners, but still, as the head coach that's built a winning program and a program that's had four straight postseason appearances. New extension. Congratulations, by the way. Thank you. What are your expectations coming into this year for this program, and where do you see this team going by the end of the year?

Lindy La Rocque 24:14
You know, my expectations really haven't changed. Honestly, year to year, I expect to win. I expect to win championships. I expect to play in the NCAA tournament, and I expect to win games there, you know, and that's what we work for, you know, we came up a little bit short last year, and so did we meet those, all of those expectations? No, does it mean it was a failure of a season? Absolutely not. But I'm not lowering my standard or my expectation, because we have some new players, you know, people have done it before them, and it's my job to, you know, raise them up. And so we expect to win, you know, and I expect to win every game. Am I realistic? And are we going to go undefeated this year? I mean, crap, I'd love to, yeah. I mean. Well, we probably won't, you know, because we've got to hit some adversity and learn some things, I'm sure, here and there. But I'm not trying to lose any game, you know. And then once we really start playing for all the marbles in conference play, I want to beat everyone because we can, you know. And then we know when the conference tournament comes, we've got to handle our own business and not leave kind of our destiny, our postseason destiny, up to the decision of other people. So we want to win our conference

Graydon Prescott 25:27
tournament. Yeah, ladies and gentlemen, this is a coach that has won three conference tournaments in her last four years. So don't get it twisted. This lady knows what she's talking about. Coach Laura oak, everybody, thank you so much for coming on to sports prep live. It's been an absolute honor to have you and you guys, thank you for listening. Go up, show up, show out. Women's Basketball this year, the program is great. They're going to be great. They need your support. They need student support. They need Las Vegas support. This is what this city is about. This is what this Sports City is about. We need people to show up and show out, because this program has earned it. They deserve the respect, and they should be getting it this year. Thank you, Coach for coming on to the show. This has been sports prep live. I'm Graydon Prescott. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of sports prep live. I'm Graydon Prescott, and don't forget to catch all of our episodes on Apple Spotify or wherever you get your podcast, and be sure to follow us on Instagram or Twitter at sports rep live. Thank you.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai