April 30, 2010
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Maryland women's basketball assistant coach David Adkins joined the Terrapin squad last summer after Head Coach Brenda Frese heard about him from former Terp star and WNBA player Marissa Coleman. At the time Adkins was the assistant coach to the DeMatha Catholic boy's team. He had also started coaching off the court and in the classroom. Adkins earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Radford University and had just finished his first year of lesson plans and grading papers when he received the call from Frese.
It was an opportunity to help develop a young team at a championship program and one he couldn't pass up.
"It was great because I love a challenge," Adkins said. "I liked coming in after being a high school assistant for 16 years. I knew what was expected of an assistant whether it was with women or men, so that wasn't a change."
The other thing that didn't change was Adkins' philosophy on coaching.
"Teaching is coaching, and coaching is teaching. Comcast is my classroom," Adkins said. "At the end of the day, all coaches are teachers. You're not just teaching the game of basketball, you're teaching the game of life."
From his lengthy experience in developing top athletes, he knows how to tap in to the natural ability that lies within each of the players.
"I've been doing this with some really good players, and I've found that sometimes you're more of a psychologist than a coach," said Adkins. "There is always other stuff going on in their lives. When they come to practice you have to chip away at what might be bothering them at home or in school. You have to do that before you can get their mind right to work out, and I've been able to do that."
Adkins adapts and adjusts to each player as the individuals they are and finds the right buttons to push.
"On the court there is a certain way you have to demand work, but when the girls come in to my office they are more like my daughters," Adkins said. "I work really hard to get the girls to trust me and to understand that they can come in and talk to me about anything. But on the court there is a certain way you have to conduct yourself, and that's just like life. When you go in to the professional world, you have to be early, you have to be prepared for any task and you have to be successful at it."
His first year with the Terrapins was also an educational experience for himself. Adkins really learned the amount of time it took to prepare detailed scouting reports, getting ready for each opponent and plan practices.
"I thought I worked hard at my other job," Adkins said. "Here there is always something to do, whether it's a phone call or a letter or an email. We're always looking ahead to the next workout or practice. There aren't papers to grade or lessons to plan but there's always something you can be doing to get better."
Adkins views himself as a short term guy, focusing on getting better day by day. He kept a notebook throughout the year, jotting down thoughts and ideas as they came to him. This not only helped him better the players, but also improve himself. Adkins learned to develop ways to motivate each girl individually. He attributes a lot of his ability to have free flowing ideas to Coach Frese.
"Coach Frese is phenomenal to work for and with because she allows you so much freedom and wants your insights and thoughts which make me have to be ready at all times." Adkins said. "She wants you to give your feedback. She may look at you during a timeout or in practice for a suggestion and you have to be ready. That was fun and challenging; it kept me on my toes and makes you take ownership of the team."
Although he does look more day-to-day, Adkins isn't forgetting the big picture. His next goal for the team is to mesh the incoming class and the returning nine. Chemistry is imperative to success on a team. While the girls will have to compete against each other for positions, at the end of the day it is all about making Maryland a better program.
"In the ACC, every game is a dog fight," Adkins said. "We have to get the kids ready for that, the physicality and mental toughness of it. During the spring and summer everyone works to get better individually, and in the fall and winter your team gets better.
Practice and drills are what make championship teams. When asked his favorite drill Adkins' excitement is evident across his face as he smiles.
"My favorite drill is any drill, dribbling, shooting, whatever, and then they get it," Adkins said. "They look over at you when they get it and they make it, that's my favorite. I get silly; I jump up and down. When you can do a drill and do it correctly and get rewarded, that's my favorite drill."
Hard work is what makes Coach Adkins happy, especially when it pays off. He cites the road game against Virginia as one of the first highlights of the year.
"We had struggled a bit up until that point," said Adkins. "We were on ESPN, in a good environment and we won it on the defensive end. That was a lot of fun because all the work we had put in to that point had paid off."
Adkins is referring to the play where UVA inbounded the ball to All-American Monica Wright and three Maryland defenders surrounded her, forcing her to take a shot in the remaining seconds that had no chance through the outstretched arms of the Terps.
He also takes pride in the tenacity of the team in the ACC tournament. Maryland came off a difficult loss to Florida State on Senior Night and then went in to the tournament facing a tough North Carolina in the first round. The Terps defeated the Tar Heels in a commanding fashion and then hung with a top-five veteran Duke team down to the final seconds.
"A 21-13 season at most program's is pretty good," Adkins said. "At Maryland it's not because Coach Frese has set the standard high. We were able to work out some things and lay a foundation but next year we look to win the ACC, regular season and tournament. We want to advance as far as we can in the NCAA tournament."
A talented and more experienced nine, now juniors and sophomores, are up to the challenge. And having one of the most heralded freshmen class in the nation added to the mix doesn't hurt either.
"I like what we have," Adkins said. "As long as we all play together and compete every night, we have a chance to be a top team in the country. I tell the kids, look up at the rafters. Coach Frese has the blueprint. She develops pros, I can follow. It's really exciting and challenging."
