Senior Kaitlyn Cresencia may have finished her basketball career as a player here at Conn, but her time with the sport is only just beginning. Last week The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced its class for the annual “So You Want To Be A Coach” program and Cresencia was selected as one of 29 players.
The program revolves around increasing the player’s understanding of skills that are needed to find coaching positions in women’s basketball. Additionally, the program will raise awareness of the existing talent of female basketball players who have the passion for a career in coaching.
Women’s Head Coach Brian Wilson shares, “She has always led herself well and it has been a pleasure to see her grow and become more comfortable with bringing teammates along with her. As a tri-captain this year, her leadership has helped guide us to one of our most successful and enjoyable seasons in recent history.”
Cresencia has known that she wanted to be a coach since her freshman year. She will head to Tampa, Florida this April to participate in the WBCA program. Her CELS experience last summer allowed her the opportunity to coach the AAU program she was a part of, the New Jersey Panthers. This exposure to assistant and head coaching experience “solidified her love for being a member of a coaching team.”
Her desire to be a coach stems from the coaches who served as mentors throughout her career as a player. These coaches inspired her “to want to motivate others,” and she is excited about the opportunities that lay ahead. Although sad to be ending her career as a player here, her career aspirations have offered a transition that will allow basketball to always be a part of her life. •
