Ohio basketball coach Semeka Randall drew upon her basketball network to strengthen her staff this summer, adding four fresh faces to the Bobcats’ coaching ranks.
The new members of the staff — Patricia Charity, Elaine Powell, Jeffrey Marshall and Jessica Loding — join Randall and are in the midst of making the adjustment to life in Athens and playing in The Convo.
The team is already embracing the program’s new direction.
“We had our first individual workout and watching them work together — it’s going to be fun,” Randall said. “I think our kids have responded well to the first few workouts and are being very open to this new outlook.”
The team’s new attitude, she said, emphasizes fundamentals and discipline in hopes of improving its sub-.500 mark last season.
“Hopefully, you will see that improvement in the win column,” she said.
Charity, who will likely be Randall’s top assistant, said she was excited to join Randall’s staff because of the connection they have shared throughout their careers.
Charity recruited Randall while she was an assistant coach at Alabama, but Randall opted for rival Tennessee. Their paths crossed once more when Charity was an associate coach at Hawaii and Randall held the same position at
Michigan State.
Charity said she was excited because of the enthusiasm surrounding the Bobcats, even though they finished in the middle of the pack in the Mid-American Conference last season.
“This staff is very upbeat, very positive,” she said. “They bring lots of energy. Sometimes I tease Coach (Randall) and Coach Powell that I have to step away for a second, because I can hang at their level (of energy) for a little bit, but then I have to step back.”
Charity said she likes Randall’s heavily involved, hands-on coaching style.
“One thing that I really admire about Coach Randall is that she works really hard,” she said. “Some coaches out there will say, ‘I’m the head coach, I’m not picking up a broom, I’m not doing this, I’m not doing that.’ I have never seen that just watching her from afar.”
nr225008@ohiou.edu
