DETROIT (11/3/2015) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball season opens Thursday as the Titans host Lawrence Tech for their first game of the 2015-16 season. New head coach
Bernard Scott enters his first season as the director of the UDM women's basketball squad and has more than 15 years of experience coaching at the Division I level. His stops have included Toledo, Arizona and Dayton, along with two Horizon League schools, Youngstown State and Cleveland State.
Scott sat down with DetroitTitans.com in a new feature called #TitanTuesday to talk about the upcoming season, his favorite player growing up and who are some of his coaching idols.
Where did you grow up and what were some of the hobbies that you had as a child?Scott: I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. I played basketball year-round. I played AAU, I played high school. But if I wasn't playing basketball, I was either playing video games with my cousins or my friends or playing basketball in the backyard. It was always something dealing with sports.
When did you know you wanted to be a coach? When did you think you could turn it into a career?Scott: It's interesting because I started playing in fourth grade and I wasn't very good and the coach told my parents that I probably wouldn't play much, he would put me on the team, but I probably wouldn't play much. I took that as an opportunity to push myself to get better because I enjoyed playing so much. The following year I came in and ended up starting. My fifth grade year I started to think, 'OK, maybe this is something that I can continue on in.' That's what I did. I played all through high school at Villa-Angela St. Joe's and a few years at Toledo. It was always a sport I loved. So I started coaching YMCA teams in college and when I was working out with the women on the men's practice squad, I would talk to the coach about coaching all the time. When he had a position open, he asked me to come on board and that's how I got started.
You've had a few assistant jobs. How has each job prepared you for this one?Scott: I've learned something from each job. At Toledo, I just learned how to be a coach. My head coach, Mark Ehlen, taught me just how to carry yourself as an assistant coach, how to scout, how to take players through player development. That was like my introduction to being a good assistant. When I went to Dayton, Jim Jabir allowed me to start thinking about how I would be as a head coach. He allowed us to have a lot of say in the program. He allowed us to use our ideas to make it work and if it didn't work, what could you have done better. He really got me to thinking in terms of a head coach. At Arizona with Joan (Bonvicini), I was only there for a year, but it was great to see a different level of athlete. I had been at the mid-major level and to work at a BCS school with those type of athletes was really good. I just learned how to do things at a different level there. Kate (Peterson Abiad) at Cleveland State, she gave me a lot of say in the program and really advanced my career in terms of thinking like a head coach. She would ask me ideas. I took advantage of learning from her and preparing for the next job that I would get.
Do you have a favorite game that you have been a part of or moment in your career?
Scott: Favorite game would probably be at Toledo when we beat Duke (in 2001). They were ranked No. 5 in the country and coach Ehlen put together a heck of a game plan. Just the atmosphere in Savage Hall that day and us actually beating a school like Duke at Toledo, that was pretty special.
Any coaching idols besides some of the ones that you have worked with in the past?
Scott: I watch Shaka Smart (at Texas) a lot because he's a younger coach and his teams have been very successful. I love his energy level. I love how he interacts with his players. I look up to him a lot. In the women's game, definitely Geno (Auriemma at Connecticut). The way he talks about his team and how he pushes them to get better, definitely those two.
You've brought a #FightForFirst mantra to Detroit and you've wore a hard hat to practice this season. How has the team responded?Scott: I think they are getting used to what I'm saying. Everything I say I believe. I believe we can be one of the top teams in this conference. As long as you keep preaching the same message, they start to believe in it themselves. We haven't played any games yet, but once we start to play some games and win a couple, they'll start to think, coach is right. I just want to change the culture here and get them thinking about winning. That's the main thing for me is changing the culture and getting winning into their minds.
A favorite played growing up?
Scott: I was a big fan of Gary Payton's. I liked him because he could "D" people up and he could talk a lot of trash. When I was growing up, I liked to do the same thing. So that's why I was a big fan of Gary Payton's. I liked when he was in Seattle, that was when he was at his best.
Any pregame rituals?
Scott: I always say a prayer after the national anthem or during it, just hoping that everyone leaves the game safe and definitely hoping that we get the win.
Talk a little bit about being an assistant in the league and now being a head coach and the advantage that may be for you?
Scott: It's definitely going to help me, taking this position. I've scouted all of the teams in the league. I can go through all of the teams in the league and know who they have coming in and who they lost, what type of style offense they have. So it'll definitely help me, our staff and our team as we prepare for the conference games. We'll have a great idea of what's worked, what hasn't worked versus those teams, so that'll definitely help us.
Fans, follow along all season for #TitanTuesday features and be sure to wear your red, white and blue Titans gear to support #DetroitsCollegeTeam!
