I read a story about Kari Duperron in the Daily Breeze. The story from the Daily Breeze on Feb. 15, 2008. The story was mainly about a female coaching a sophomore high school basketball team. But the arrogance or is it delusionals of grandeur, of the story is what really got me upset. This link is the archive section of
The Daily Breeze.
Before I go on, this isn't a rip job on Kari Duperron but a comment to any recent college graduate, who is entering college coaching. You have to pay your dues as an assistant coach before thinking of getting any type of head coaching interest. I mean if former Stanford and Tenn players paid their dues before becoming head coaches, even at smaller schools; why shouldn't somebody from a smaller school like Cal Poly, pay their dues too.
The story mentions that after the 2006-2007 season, Kari, at 26 years old, with only half a season experience as a D-1 assistant coach, was suprised she didn't get a job as a head coach at smaller colleges. The story didn't mention exactly what schools I'm guessing schools like Hope International.
Kari didn't get any jobs she was applying for and felt politics was the reason she didn't get the job.
Now let's look at Kari's resume.
She played at Cal Poly, NEVER having a winning season as a college player.
She spent four seasons as the director of basketball operations at UCLA. Do you know what director of basketball operations does? That is a glorified gopher job. They make tapes, they get things ready for practice, they get what the coaches need. This isn't a coaching job. It is an administration job.
Then in her last season as operations director, she was an assistant coach for half the season.
That's it!! No coaching experience, no recruiting experience, nothing. And she thinks somebody with that resume deserves to be a head coach?
But instead of putting the blame on herself and her lack of expereince she blames it on her lack of connections!!! She worked for Kathy Olivier at UCLA, who is very well connected. I'm sure Olivier gave Kari good reviews, because Kari is currently an assistant coach at UNLV under; Kathy Olivier.
This is a quote from the story. "From what I've learned in the coaching business, you never know what will happen," she said. "I feel like it's based so much more on connections than qualifications. It was fun to be at the pure stage of the game again and to be around boys who, even as sophomores, know basketball is what they want. I can't really tell what my next step will be because I'm enjoying this level. I couldn't tell you what is next, to be honest."
Kari, I'll tell you what to do next, be a part of a winning season as an assistant coach. Get more experience as a coach. There are assistant coaches who paid their dues and never get a chance to become a head coach. What makes Kari think she deserves to be a head coach. For somebody barely five years out of college, to think she deserves to be a head coach, even at a small school, is just delusional.
As I mentioned earlier, Kari is starting her second year, as an assistant coach at UNLV for Kathy Olivier. She maybe she has learned that to become a head coach, you need to pay your dues.
Again, this isn't meant to be a rip job on Kari Duperron but a comment on any recent college graduate, who is entering college coaching.
