REASON #2 TO ATTEND THE 3rd ANNUAL GARY BLAIR COACHING ACADEMY

As we inch closed to the 3rd Annual Gary Blair Coaching Academy, I want to occasionally list a few of the reasons that make us proud to be the host.  First and foremost, Coach Blair has a great passion for growing our sport.  Not all programs open their doors and share anything and everything with coaches off all levels.

Besides great meals, an Academy Notebook and some great videos, you get to hear to of the best clinic speakers in the business -- Hall of Famer Gary Blair, and WNBA head coach Dan Hughes of the San Antonio Stars.

Coach Blair hasn't slowed down after leading our Aggies to the National Championship and into the SEC where we have won the SEC Tournament Championship and then advanced to the Elite 8 the past two seasons.

Coach Blair, a two-time national finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award, has guided Texas A&M to nine straight NCAA Tournament appearances, and to four conference championships.

Blair led the Aggies to their first national title in their first-ever trip to the NCAA Women’s Final Four and closed out the 2010-11 season with a 33-5 record, the most victories in program history. The Aggies were voted as the No. 1 team in the coaches’ poll following the season, the first time Texas A&M stood atop either poll in women’s basketball.

In 2013 he was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Coach Hughes is the winningest coach in San Antonio Stars history and will enter his 10th season with the organization next summer where he also serves as General Manager.  His list of honors and awards include:

• WNBA Coach of the Year (2001, 2007)
• 14 WNBA All-Star Selections
• 9 Postseason Appearances
• 5 WNBA All-Rookie Team Selections
• 4 All-WNBA First Team Selections
• 4 All-WNBA Second Team Selections
• 4 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Awards
• 3 WNBA All-Defensive Team Honorees
• 1 WNBA Top 15 Honoree
• 1 Conference Title

The academy includes sessions led by each of the Texas A&M women’s basketball coaches, focusing on wide-ranging topics on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

Registration for the Academy includes three meals, a Texas A&M highlight DVD, a DVD of the Academy sessions and a notebook that includes tips on scouting, motivation, coaching philosophy, conditioning, and practice planning, in addition to a playbook.

Interested coaches may register here or get additional registration details here.

For more information, email Coach Bob Starkey at rstarkey@athletics.tamu.edu

SATURDAY - OCTOBER 4, 2013
12:30 PM      Registration

  2:00 PM      Aggie Basketball Philosophy (Gary Blair)

  3:15 PM      Stars Basketball (Dan Hughes)

  4:45 PM      Dinner

  6:00 PM      The Don Meyer Legacy (Bob Starkey)

  7:15 PM      Quick Hitters vs. Zone/Man (Kelly Bond-White)

SUNDAY - OCTOBER 5, 2013
  8:00 AM      Breakfast

  9:00 AM      Point Guard Play (Amy Wright)

10:00 AM      Aggie Offense
                      ◄Primary & Secondary Break
                      ◄Man to Man Offense
                      ◄Shooting Development

11:45 AM      Lunch

  1:00 PM      Aggie Defense (Bob Starkey)
                     ◄Ball Screen Defense
                     ◄Shell Defense
  2:00 PM      Q&A with the Aggie Staff