Life After Maryland: Jade Perry
12/17/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 17, 2009
Watch 'Life After Maryland: Jade Perry' Video
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Here at Maryland, Coach B and the staff, help shape student-athletes for life. We give them all the tools, resources, confidence, guidance and real world experiences that help lead them to success after Maryland.
Maryland graduates are playing basketball professionally in the WNBA and overseas, managing companies, earning PhDs, and so much more. Maryland Women's basketball guides and empowers each student-athlete to be prepared for a successful and rewarding life after Maryland!
After winning a National Championship in 2006 and graduating with a degree in family studies in 2008, former Maryland forward Jade Perry is following her passions. Perry is currently working with the Prince George's County Day Care Center and came back to visit Comcast Center this summer for a trip down memory lane with her class of four and five year olds.
"My major was family studies and it deals with working with young children in different types of environments," Perry said. "Working with young kids is something that I've wanted to do for quite some time now. I ran a preschool camp and taught the kids basic basketball skills, teamwork and sportsmanship. I tried to incorporate things that I learned at the University of Maryland and things that Coach B taught me. Teamwork was a big thing because not only can they use it on the basketball court but also in the classroom."
Perry showed her students everything from the tutors in Academic Support to the locker room to the offices the women's basketball staff occupies.
"I'm really lucky that I got to play here at Maryland," Perry said. "Playing for Coach B and with my teammates was great and I miss being a student-athlete. It was so much fun. It's bittersweet when I visit because it brings back so many great memories. But knowing that I'll always be a part of the Maryland family is such a great feeling."
Perry started in 51 of the 139 games she played in while at Maryland. She accumulated 747 total points, 609 rebounds, 62 assists, 60 blocks and 49 steals.
Many other women's basketball alumni have gone on to earn masters, PHDs, become doctors, lawyers, business managers and pursue other professional careers. Of the players who have completed their eligibility at Maryland, 100 percent have earned their degrees.
Since Frese has been coaching at Maryland, five players have also gone on to play basketball professionally in the WNBA. Most recently Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver went two and three, respectively, in the WNBA draft.
"I try to keep in touch with every player," Frese said. "My open door policy definitely holds true after they graduate and move on. Basketball is what brings us together here at Maryland, but there is so much more to our relationship. It is important to me not just as a coach, but as a mentor, to ensure that they continue to do great things off the court. I'm so proud of my former players and they will always be a part of our Maryland family."
