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University of Houston Athletics
Joe Curl Chat Wrap
10/11/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 11, 2002
Brittney(houston): Hi Coach! I just wanted to say you are a great coach and I'm glad that I got to waork with you at Coach Cook basketball camp.I wanted to know what's the hardest thing about coachin? Good luck with the season!
Coach Curl: Brittney, there are so many things about coaching that are difficult but at the same time, very fulfilling. One of the toughest things is keeping the balance with what's really most important. From a player's perspective, there's nothing more important than their academics. Many of the things that a coach deals with, the fans really don't see from the day to day obligations. Whether it be radio, TV, print media, meetings on budgets, counseling players on many problems life bring to us -- but I find this a very fulfilling part of coaching. Thank you.
New Mexico: Out here Womens basketball is second only to the Mens program. They have already sold over 6200 season tickets to Womens basketball. Can you give us a insight to your recruiting, as New Mexico brags on getting great Texas women players.
Coach Curl: The Univ. of New Mexico should be complimented for their committtment and support of their women's basketball team. To sell over 6,000 season tickets is tremendous. Having played a regular season and first-round WNIT game, there is no place better -- the athmosphere was unbelievable. My compliment s to the Lobos and the University. Yes, UNM has done a great job recruiting in Texas, as have many other out-of-state universities. Texas now has over 21 million people and is a great place to start recruiting. We would like to keep our share here at UH, and feel we are doing that at this time. Thanks for your questions.
Jack (Houston): Pre-season polls and rankings aside, how far do you expect this team to go this year and how hard must they fight?
Coach Curl: There is no question, we are playing the toughest schedule in the history of our school. But I have never been a coach that is looking to pad the win-loss record. We are a program that is trying to get better and to reach a national-power status and you do that by playing the best. In playing the best, it does nothing but make your team better and shows us as a staff what we need to do to continue to get better. We must play our best basketball to compete with this schedule and with no excuses, we are up for the task. Thank you.
Mimi (Cleveland): Who do you expect to really come off the bench this year and make a difference in the lineup?
Coach Curl: One of our strengths this year will be our depth. We are selling to our players, it's not important who starts, but who contributes and finishes the game. I could go on for hours about our players and who will be playing vital roles this year, but everyone with a Lady Cougar uniform on will see action and contribute to the successes of the team.
Ed Reed Baggs, WY: Coach Curl, Good Luck in 2002-03 my question is will the Lady Cougars be ranked in the top twenty five in preseason?
Coach Curl: Ed, it's great ot answer your question. The Lady Cougars have been listed in the Top 25 in two separate polls, and I think it's great for our program, but as you know, those polls mean nothing-- it's what you do on the court. We hope the polls a the end of the season see the Lady Cougars not only in the Top 20, but higher. Coach Reed -- I would like to congratulate you on your Hall of Fame coaching career there in Wyoming. Thank you for your question.
Chris-CoogFans (Sugar Land): Hey Coach. A lot of people are getting really excited about the Lady Coogs!
Are the Ladies ready to build on what they accomplished last year, and take the program to the next level?
Coach Curl: Yes, we are ready to build on last year. Last year was great for our program and with the toughness of our schedule this year, it may be tough to win 26 games like we did a year ago, but we have no excuses. We are very talented and the Lady Cougars are very hungry -- and this program seems to thrive on challenges. The Lady Cougars are ready to take this program to another level.
Bill(Milwaukee): Can you ask Nicole Oliver if she will marry me?
Coach Curl: Bill from Milwaukee ask is I would ask Nicole Oliver to marry him. Get in line, Bill. But before you can get in line, you have to send me a picture, a bio and I'll be running an extensive backround check before I pass your name on to Nicole. Bill, that was fun and Nicole is a great young lady, and I know she appreciates your support.
Tyler: Coach Curl, I have seen on a high school website that Longview's Tamara Taylor may commit to the Lady Coogs. Is this true? Also, what are our chances of signing Crosby's Destiny Drew. How do you feel about these players?
Coach Curl: Tyler -- I appreciate you staying up with our recruiting through the various websites. I cannot make direct comments on recruiting and specifically, the young ladies you mentioned in your question because of NCAA rules. But I will confirm that Tamra Taylor is on our recruting list, and Destiny Drew is not.
Mark-Webster: Coach Curl, You are thought of as one of the finest college basketball minds in the country. What are the three most important things an athlete should consider when choosing a school. I have also looked at your schedule and see that it is one of the toughest in the nation, will this challenge your team this year to excell?
Thank you Coach, your the bomb!
Coach Curl: Mark, I appreciate your comment. I think the three things a person should look at in a school when being recruited is one, without question, can they get a degree in their area of interest. Two : they should go to a program that has stability of coaches, players, administration, and a program that wants to be successful. I could go on and on about the different things that a young person should look at, but in the third area, happiness is definetly a major factor. Will you like you teammates, coaches, style of play, and if you will be playing a vital part on the court? Thanks Mark for recognizing the toughness of the schedule and the challenges that lie ahead -- the Coogs are up for it.
Val (Houston): What is the key in beating TCU, Georgia, and other powerhouses on your schedule?
Coach Curl: Val, I love your question. I believe in winning. All games on our schedule are vitally important. When you play people like TCU, Alabama, Georgia, Cincy and all the other powerful teams on our schedule, winning has always come down to the little things. If you do the little things such as diving on the floor after loose balls, blocking out, playing hard and smart, and together, you give your team the best chance to win. You don't do the little things sometimes, you do them all of the time, whether it's practice, games, or academically, or in your personal life. Success breeds success. Thank you for the question.
Charles (Houston): How has this group of athletes matured/changed since they first came to the team?
Coach Curl: Wow. There has been so much over the past four years that has really helped build our program. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the first group of athletes four years ago. They started the success by accepting myself as a coach , the philosophies and concepts, and our program is what it is today because of the efforts of all the great young people that have been in our program. We certainly have matured, and expect to win and have no excuses not to win. We just want to do the very best we can each and every day, starting with giving back to this community, representing UH and being role models. This is not about me as a coach, and even about the players in our program as we speak. This is about something much bigger -- the University of Houston. I am very proud and humbled to be the UH women's basketball coach.
David: How is recruiting coming along for next year? Good luck on this year!
Coach Curl: Dave-- thanks for your recruiting question. Again, because the NCAA limits us on what we can say publically, but we do plan on having the best recruiting class since I've been here this fall. This fall's signing date is Nov. 13 at 8:01 a.m. and but the end of Tuesday, Nov. 14, we will have signed three or four of the top players in the country -- both out of high school and junior college. Thank you for your question.
Moderator: Coach Curl must be on his way... thank you for all your great questions, and we look forward to seeing you this season!
