New coach has high ‘hoops’ for program

For the Lady Apache basketball team, the only constant from the past few seasons has been change. This year will be no different.

The Gonzales girl’s basketball team will be starting fresh this upcoming season with new coach Valerie Akpan. Although this will be Akpan’s first coaching job, coaching is in her blood.

“I love the game [of basketball] and I grew up around it,” Akpan began. “It’s what I know. I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else.”

Akpan grew up playing basketball and was around the game due to her father being a basketball coach.

“I’ve been playing basketball since I was three,” Akpan said. “I have a picture and it’s one of those rubber goals that I was shooting in and I’ve been playing ever since.”

After grade school, she played basketball for Howard College in Big Spring from 2005-2007.

Now, with her degree in Kinesiology and minor in secondary education in science, Akpan will also become the girl’s physical education teacher.

“Both of my parents teach science and my dad is a coach, so it’s kind of a family trade.”

The Lady Apaches’ last playoff appearance was in 2010. Ever since then, the basketball team has failed to make it to the postseason and keep a coach after the season finished.

Akpan is hoping to change that.

After applying to a few jobs, it was coach Cully Doyle, the girl’s coordinator, who convinced Akpan to take this job.

“I already accepted another position and Coach Doyle sold me on [the job],” Akpan began. “Coach Doyle is the one who found me and talked me into it and brought me down here.”

“What drew me to the job was a chance to build a program. I want to come in and bring in my energy,” Akpan said. “I’m a real intense, hyper person and I want to draw the girls in and start structure and discipline and make it fun.”

Akpan wants to give the girls an opportunity where the game of basketball can provide them everything it gave her. In doing so, she will be implementing the acronym ICE in the program. “I” for ice, “C” for concentration and “E” for effort.

Akpan understands that there has been a lot of turnover in the program and is hoping her energy will change the perception of the girl’s basketball team.

“There’s been so much turnover that there’s really a bad attitude about it. I want to turn it around and be positive and energetic and invite the girls in so that they want to play [basketball].”

She continued by saying, “We have a lot of good athletes, I’ve seen the talent. I’m excited about bringing everyone together.”

In order to change the bad attitude, Akpan wants to capture the support of the community and bring them closer to the team.

“I want to bring the community back in. I want it to be a pride thing where they are following the girl’s basketball team. I want the community to rally behind us to make this a high energy, exciting program.”

Although there will be a lot of challenges for the new basketball coach, Akpan knows that she can change the culture of the girl’s team around.

“[Gonzales] used to be a powerhouse [in basketball]. I know it’s possible,” Akpan claimed. “We just got to bring it back together. I’m that girl.”