YSU’s Martin expects record improvement

By Greg Gulas

Her Penguins were 3-27 in her initial season as basketball head coach.

BOARDMAN — When it’s the first time you have been associated with a team, either as a player or coach, that has a losing record, you become humbled very quickly.

Such was the case last season for first-year Youngstown State University women’s basketball coach Cindy Martin.

Going 3-27 overall wasn’t what she had envisioned when she accepted her first Division I head coaching assignment.

Martin is the first to admit, however, that despite their overall record there were still a few positives that she has been able to draw upon throughout the offseason.

Speaking to the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s meeting at the Blue Wolf Banquet Center, Martin said she cannot wait until Saturday when preseason practices officially begin. At 8 that morning, her squad will be more than ready to accept her challenge of improving.

“We have five players returning from last year’s squad and with seven newcomers, we’re really excited about the upcoming season,” Martin said. “The biggest thing that I learned last year was that come the conference portion of the schedule, you need to be physically stronger and mentally tougher.

“Every team has excellent coaches and players that excel; student-athletes that lay it on the line every night so you have to be ready,” Martin said.

With only four non-league home games and a challenging pre-conference schedule, she cautions that her team will need to grow from those games if they expect to be ready for the grind of Horizon League play.

“Our record might not be what we would like it to be coming out of those games,” Martin said. “We will, however, embrace the competition knowing full well that it will help us to become a better team overall; preparing for what is once again shaping up to be another tough league schedule.

“If a weakness is exposed, then we will work harder on that particular area in practice so we can rectify it before we move on,” she said.

While Martin’s first year was an adjustment period for her and her staff, the players also needed to adjust.

She said each of the five returnees has embraced her system and has taken an active leadership role in guiding the newcomers during offseason workouts, preparing them for “Martin-style” basketball.

“We run, run and then run some more and while I am not big into predictions, I can assure you that when you come to the gym or to a game, you will always see a 100-percent effort from our team,” Martin said.

“I was never the best player, but you could always count on my effort,” Martin said. “That is what I ask of our team.

“We’re not a team of superstars; just blue collar players willing to accept their role and the challenge that lies ahead,” Martin said.

She visited two of her mentors in the offseason, Amanda Butler (University of Florida) and Curt Miller (Bowling Green State University). Those visits helped Martin stay the course with her coaching philosophy and ideals.

“In order to successfully rebuild you have to keep your approach, know your place and then recruit the student-athletes that fit your system,” Martin said.

“When chatting with each about rebuilding a program, we talked about mental toughness and teamwork, as well as how to get the most out of the personnel that you currently have on your team.

“Those talks really helped me out,” she said.

Next Monday, P.J. Fecko, football coach at Cardinal Mooney High, will be the guest speaker.