University Southern California Trojans
A Look Back While Dancing...
March 19, 2005 | Women's Basketball
March 19, 2005
As I look back to the start of the season, I would have never thought the USC women's basketball team would be in the NCAA Tourney. We made it to the DANCE, baby!
All the hard work has paid off. It started all with preseason conditioning when we worked our butts off. During the months of September and October our team woke up at 5 a.m. to condition in the gym at 6 a.m. twice a week. We are a well-conditioned team and I think it shows out on the court because we like to push the ball up court and with how many people we play we should never be tired.
What makes this team so special? Why are we winning this year with less talent than previous years, when we had superstars on the team? The answer to these questions is how well we get along. We are a team, and there are no individuals. We all know our roles on the team. Our team bonding trip to Big Bear back in October was really an eye-opening experience. Trust, leadership and togetherness were taught and emphasized. We had to do a high ropes course. My partner was Markisha and I didn't think I would have a problem doing the activity. Well I was wrong! Without the help of Markisha I would not have been able to finish. It made me realize how much I can trust my teammates.
I feel that a turning point for our team this season was the TCU game. We played a tough team on their home court and beat them. That game gave us confidence and helped us see that even though we may be the underdog and not supposed to win, we can always pull it off.
The past month of basketball has been awesome! There are so many great memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Our home game against Cal was fantastic. We scored over 100 points and gave them their worse loss this season. Then my final home game at the Sports Arena against the Bruins was so exciting because we beat them, and did it in front of a huge crowd. I remember when UCLA had the ball at the end of the game and our fans stood up and were cheering for us. I have never seen anything like that at our games. I thought they only did that at the guy's games.
Our next step on the way to the DANCE was to make a good showing at the Pac-10 Tourney. Before we left to go to the gym for our first game against Arizona, we were treated with our Band (you all are the best) playing "Conquest" and "Fight On" at the hotel. The cheerleaders and yell leaders also put on a good show. Thanks you guys for your support this season. We love all of you.
When we beat Arizona we knew that we would be going to the Tourney because the word was that the NCAA would probably give an automatic bid to the semifinal teams at the Pac-10 Tournament. We faced Stanford in the semis and played them so tough. We should have won that game. Even though we lost, we knew we could hang with any team. Stanford is the #1 team in the country and we only lost to them by four points!
Congrats to Brynn, Meg, and Camille who made the All-Pac-10 team, which was announced at our tournament banquet. You three have been playing great all season!
Selection Sunday was such a great day to be a Trojan. Our team, family, administration and alumni gathered at the Galen Center to watch the announcement and see who we would play. I was nervous just because I had never experienced that before. I had butterflies in my stomach, but they finally called out "USC" as the No. 8 seed to play Louisville, the No. 9 seed, and our team went crazy! My dad even went up to Coach Trakh and gave him a kiss on the cheek!
Last week we had short, but hard practices to get us ready for the Tourney. The coaches decided that since our game was going to be played at 11 a.m. in Minnesota, 9 a.m. California time, with a pre-game meal around 6 a.m., we had to practice at that time all week. It is not fun waking up at 4:30 a.m. to get treatment before practice. Last week was also our Spring Break and I usually go home, but not this year. I am proud to say USC is still playing during the month of March. Our family and friends get to see USC playing on ESPN in March!
It is time to hear the funny side of our team... Before our first game of the season, Coach Trakh told us that if we made it to the NCAA Tourney he would dye his hair a weird color and jump off the high dive with his clothes on. Well, on Thursday Coach Trakh walked into the gym and he sure did change his hair color! He dyed it yellow, or blonde, but I like to tell him it looks chlorine green. You know how swimmers who have blonde hair have problems with keeping their hair looking blonde? Well, Coach Trakh's hair color looks like that. Our whole team was laughing at him. It doesn't look natural at all!
The weather is cold and snowy in Minnesota and yesterday it snowed all day. I am sneaky and I like to play tricks on people. I get a kick out of it, so I told my team when we were outside heading to the bus to make snowballs. We were planning on getting Coach Trakh but he was walking with someone so we decided to get Coach Jody. We attacked her and got it all on the video camera. I got her the worst and her face turned bright red. Jamie Hagiya was standing by Jody acting innocent and so I decided to pretend like I was going to hit Jody and instead threw it at Jamie's face. She couldn't see and she started walking and tripped over the curb and fell on her face. Later, when we got on the bus I guess the team conspired against me and decided that it was my turn to get it. They told me that we all were going to get our manager when we got off the bus, so I started making snowballs with the team. I made like 10 of them not knowing that all those were going to be thrown at me! Right when I started throwing it at our manager, I got attacked. The next thing I knew I was getting tossed on the ground with my head in the snow. Someone put snow down my pants. I was covered in snow from head to toe. But my team better watch out because I am a prankster and will be seeking revenge at some point during this trip!
Now to today's victory over Louisville. The media was saying how we would lose, but like always, we proved people wrong. We beat them by 16 points! It was our first NCAA win since 1997 and Coach Trakh's first tournament win ever. How exciting! Chloé Kerr stepped up big time today. She had a double-double. Overall it was a great team effort and it was televised nationally so people were able to see USC basketball. People saw how we are "Bringing it Back." This is such a special team. I have shared great memories with all of you girls and these memories will last a lifetime!
Fight On!
Rachel Woodward
P.S. - I was informed that I need to give some shout-outs to people. Sandy (our trainer) you are awesome we love you. You work so hard and put in so many hours. Ebony (our secretary), you keep me laughing all the time. Thanks for everything and for being here for all four of my years at USC. Coach C (our strength coach), I've learned that when doing the bench press, it needs to touch my chest. You crack me up. Thanks for your dedication to our program. Patrick a.k.a. 'P Diddy' what more can I say about you. Thanks for making it through all four of my years here. You have meant a lot to me and thanks for working so hard at getting people to attend our games. I know it is not easy. Donna (assistant to admissions), you are truly our biggest fan. You have made it to every home game and we thank you for all of your support. Lisa Love aka LL (associate athletic director), you have supported this team through the tough times and good times. You mean a lot to our team. Vicky (media), even though you left us halfway through Pac-10, I miss you. You are a wonderful person, and I am so glad that I was able to get to know you. Also, the reason why I am doing this journal is for Vicky. Last but not least, this coaching staff. You have made Kim and my senior year truly special. Thank you for all of your dedication and for giving us confidence. I am truly sorry if I forgot anyone. Thank you to everyone who has supported USC over the years. We are `Bringing it Back' to the national level.
