View From The Top with Tara VanDerveer. Former Coach of Stanford Women’s Basketball

15 May 2024 (7 months ago)

Tara VanDerveer's Coaching Career

Tara VanDerveer, the former Stanford women's basketball coach, holds the record for the most victories in college basketball history with 1,216 wins.
She recalled the moment when she won the record-breaking game against Oregon State in January and the subsequent celebration with former players and friends.
VanDerveer received a one-of-a-kind Nike jacket to commemorate her achievement.
Stanford renamed the court at Maples Pavilion in her honor.

VanDerveer emphasizes her role as a teacher and draws from her own experiences and observations to guide her coaching style.
She believes in being honest and direct with players but also in building strong relationships with them.
VanDerveer strives to create a positive and supportive environment where players feel valued and respected.
She uses unique phrases called "Tara-isms" to motivate her team.
To stay grounded under pressure, VanDerveer focuses on positivity and eliminates negative thoughts.

VanDerveer's passion for basketball began in the third grade, but she faced limited opportunities to play due to gender discrimination before Title IX.
She emphasizes the need for gender equity in sports, highlighting the significant gap in salaries between male and female athletes.
VanDerveer supports the concept of name, image, and likeness (NIL) for athletes, allowing them to profit from their own efforts.

VanDerveer announced her retirement after 40 years of coaching and expressed excitement about new opportunities, including writing books, starting a podcast, and possibly being involved in a movie about the Olympic team.
She suggested Caitlyn Clark to play Jennifer Azzi and Anne Hathaway to play herself in the movie.

VanDerveer emphasized the importance of being a great teammate, which includes being dependable, caring, encouraging, trustworthy, and respectful.
She encouraged everyone to forgive and give others a second chance to create a positive and supportive environment.
The best advice she received was "Be Yourself" from her parents.