Sophia Witherspoon, the former WNBA sharpshooter and now head coach of Fort Pierce Central, doesn’t know her career coaching record nor the scoring averages of her players.
Witherspoon, who’s been head coach in her hometown school since 2010, can instead whip out a player’s grade-point average from the top of her head. Witherspoon, whose club will start its postseason journey Monday night vs. Treasure Coast in the District 7-7A playoffs, still stands for all the right principles.
“The thing I enjoy about it is seeing a young lady come in as a teenager and go out as a young woman,’’ said Witherspoon, who played at the University of Florida, graduating in 1991. “We offer a whole lot in the program. It’s not just based on basketball, it’s bigger than basketball. We teach life skills through basketball. To see these young ladies well-rounded and the way they speak and act and carry themselves, character is one of our building blocks.
“It’s something we instill in them. So when they leave their parents, they can walk into any institution as a student athlete or regular academic student. Either way, we’re pushing them to go to school for free – whether that’s academically or as a student athlete.’’
When Witherspoon, 54, retired from the WNBA in 2002 as a pioneer member after playing for the New York Liberty, Portland Fire and Los Angeles Sparks, she was uninterested in becoming a head high-school basketball coach. Witherspoon wasn’t sure her old-school style was the right style for the modern day.”
“This is where God has called me back, to this area,’’ said Witherspoon, a Fort Pierce alum. “At this level here, a lot of kids do not get the opportunity to play. This was mandate from God to bring me back to his area and open the doors to a lot of these young ladies.’’
“When I retired, I didn’t want to do this,’’ Witherspoon added. “I didn’t want to do what I was supposed to do – coach, teach and come back home. I knew I wanted to reach people, but my tactics wouldn’t be what parents approve of. I’m going to be hard on their kids. I had to learn balance over the years. It’s been a learning experience for me not to be such a hammer. But I still can get the results I need. I’ve embraced the balance.’’
The Cobras are amidst a banner season – 17-8 – and on track for a potential district championship. If it beats Treasure Coast, Centennial is up next up.
It hasn’t always been flowers. This is just Witherspoon’s fourth winning season in her 14-season stint at the Title I school. That includes an 0-14 mark in 2013-14. The previous four seasons before this gem, Fort Pierce had gone 9-12, 5-15, 2-18, 1-15.
She talks about a recent rebuilding situation that has now come to fruition, points to success stories on the roster in senior Harmon Randolph, Aqunais West and Nyla Monds.
Randolph, a future pre-med student, is averaging 16 points per game and will play college basketball.
“(Randolph) was academically sound and didn’t really want to play basketball when she came in as a freshman,’’ Witherspoon said. “We helped her to understand that you can have both. She didn’t understand she can have both. She wants to go into the medical school, which she will do. She’s blossomed and embraced her moment. She’s went for thinking she can play at the next level to knowing. She does have some offers. We’re going to keep building on that so she can have options to choose from.’’
Randolph has a 4.5 grade point average and has offers from St. Petersburg State and interest from University of Fort Lauderdale. She envisions becoming an x-ray technician or anesthesiologist. Now Randolph is Fort Pierce’s top scorer.
Then there’s West and Mons. Both have played basketball for just three years. “And now both have colleges looking at them,’’ Witherspoon said. ‘In three years playing, to do the things they’re doing on the court and off the court, is amazing.’’
Monds recovered from a major injury – a torn meniscus and ACL. Her father did wonders in training Monds and getting her back to the court. But that’s not always the case.
“A lot of these young ladies, their parents don’t believe they can play,’’ Witherspoon said. “A lot of these kids are knocked down by their parents on a daily basis verbally. A lot of my parents are first-generation kids. It’s the first (generation) they will go to college. It’s changing the culture and mindset not to only believe in themselves but in the sisterhood.’’
Meanwhile, the WNBA has never been hotter but not the player paychecks. That’s Witherspoon’s lament.
“I was a 3-point shooter, midrange, I could fill it up from anywhere,’’ Witherspoon said. “But I make more as a teacher than I did when I played in the league.’’
Witherspoon, who shot 35 percent from 3 in her career and averaged double figures in scoring, said the WNBA stars shouldn’t have to rely on endorsements for income.
“The league is on the up and the rise, the talent level is up,’’ said Witherspoon, who played in Europe before the WNBA’s birth. “But we always talk about the discrepancy in the salaries. I’m proud of the ladies because they’re pushing for equality. The G League of the NBA makes more than the WNBA and it’s our top league for women in America. We’re still pushing.’’
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Sophia Witherspoon’s principles paying off with Fort Pierce Central success
