Despite not having much coaching experience to show for, new Assistant Coach Lindsay Bowen brings a different element to the coaching staff of the women’s basketball team.
Bowen, a former standout at Michigan State University, is someone the players can relate to. Bowen was once a student-athlete which gives a special insight for the coaches of the team.
“It is nice to be able to relate to the girls, and yeah it’s very tough, you have to be responsible and have time management,” Assistant Coach Lindsay Bowen said.
As the men’s basketball team has had problems with APR and many of their players have issues on the academic side, Bowen supports the idea of being a student-athlete with the student side coming first and likes what she sees from the FIU women’s basketball team when it comes to hitting the books and the classroom.
“There is tons of academic support and the girls have study halls and they are very focused in their books and that’s great, Bowen said. “It’s a lot of pressure on them but they do really well in the classroom and on the floor.” Bowen said.
While Bowen will have the chance to share her experiences as a student-athlete with the team, Bowen also has experience of playing basketball on the professional level. Bowen played a few years in the WNBA with the New York Liberty.
“The WNBA is great league; there are not many teams but it is very competitive and it’s the best players in the world that play there,” Bowen said.
Bowen looks forward to preparing senior Jerica Coley, who might be bound for the WNBA draft after her tenure at FIU. Bowen, like Coley, was also a point guard.
“She is a very athletic player and can make an impact in that league [WNBA] and she is obviously a great player and we believe in her, and for sure I can definitely help her,” Bowen said.
While Bowen was a former college and WNBA player, she also has experience of playing overseas which is also another alternative that many players do after college if they do not make it to a WNBA squad.
“It was life changing going there, it’s a different world, it kind of opened my eyes and made me appreciate what I have here,” Bowen said. “It was a great experience and I encourage any player who gets the opportunity to go overseas to play. A lot of times too, players will play in the WNBA and then go play overseas for like six to seven months to make it a year round thing. Getting a lot of experience and a lot of playing time.”
Bowen also has been in favor of the Panthers playing their up-tempo style that was seen last season and sees it being effective for them this upcoming season.
“We definitely want to run, push the ball and get easy buckets, that’s what we want to do, so definitely an up-tempo style but we also want to play with poise and with patience as well in the half court,” Bowen said.
With the up-tempo offense comes questions about how effective the defense can be.
“We have a lot of energy on the offensive end but we need to have that same intensity on the defensive end and taking it one step at a time,” Bowen said. “It’s tough but the girls are great and are very coachable.”
As Bowen enters her first season, she hopes that her experience as a former player can be a new dimension to the coaching staff and be of benefit to the team for this season and beyond.
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