Adams Gets Panthers Moving

The learning process didn’t stop for Alicia Adams when she graduated from college.

Two years ago, she was Orange High School’s trainer. Today, she’s the girls’ basketball coach and has turned around a team that was 3-41 in the two seasons before she took over, including 0-23 in 1995-96. Under Adams, the Panthers are 17-17.

And she has done it despite never playing basketball in high school or college.

“I basically sat on the bench and watched what was going on,” said Adams, the school’s trainer the past four seasons, “and it was very frustrating to me. I’ve always loved sports and I’m very competitive, I just felt it wasn’t a very competitive program.”

She told girls’ Athletic Director Charlie Fisher she would love a chance to work with the girls. “They came to me about two days later and said, ‘Would you like the job?’ And I said yes,” Adams said.

Adams, 24, replaced Chuck Newman, who retired from coaching. She became a student of the game, asking questions, reading books and seeking advice from colleagues.

Fisher knew what Adams was up against: He had coached water polo at El Modena and Orange, but had never played the sport.

“Even though she’s never played, she has a lot of knowledge for the game, offense and defense,” Fisher said.

Said Adams: “I think when you have played, you concentrate all your interest on one position. When you haven’t played, it forces you to go out and learn all the positions.”

Adams, who attended Mater Dei and Chapman, said she learned a lot from former Orange boys’ coach Richard Bossenmeyer, who is teaching at Orange and is an assistant men’s basketball coach at Chapman.

“If I had any questions, he’d help me out,” she said. “I spent the summer at the public library, checking out books, reading up on things. And I found an incredible assistant, Michael Bailey. He’s been an absolute lifesaver.”

But if learning the game was a challenge, so was changing her players’ attitudes. “I think the best thing I did for the girls,” Adams said, “is openly admit to them, ‘Hey, I don’t have a lot of experience. I’m a freshman, like some of you are freshmen.’ ”

The team had three talented freshmen last season: Randi Perry, Crystal Bernal and Kristi Richard. Perry had played National Junior Basketball, and Bernal and Richard had more court savvy than some starters.

“They ran circles around the girls I inherited,” Adams said. “It was tough because I wanted to start the seniors. . . . I eventually got to the point where I wanted to win some games. So we started the three freshmen, and we did win some games and we did start to become competitive.”

Adams’ goal last season was to finish .500. The Panthers fell short, going 9-13, 2-8 in league, but won their first Century League game in three seasons. Orange is 8-4 this season.

Not only was Adams helping the program, she was also affecting some players’ lives. Joanie Abrahamsen, a 6-foot-1 senior, was among those benched during the youth movement last season.

“She was a great kid, just not very coordinated,” Adams said. “And instead of just sitting there and pouting--she had started since she was a sophomore--she watched Randi and learned a lot.

“I don’t think that kid will ever forget scoring 18 points against Canyon in our first league win last year. She came up to me and said, ‘I was going to graduate from Orange and not play basketball. Now, because of you, I’m going to play.’ ”

Abrahamsen now plays at Irvine Valley.

“I was going to play my senior year [at Orange] just to finish my high school career,” Abrahamsen said. “But Coach Adams and Coach Bailey taught me so much, I am so glad I did. She gave me the confidence to play, which is a big reason I went on.”

Others, too, can tell the difference a year makes.

“Before, we used to get frustrated,” senior Kristy Mortley said. “Now, some of us still don’t get along, but we don’t bring it on the court and that’s what brings us together as a team.”

Said Bernal, now a sophomore: “I used to come to the games [when I was in junior high school], and they’d be yelling at each other. Now, we cooperate with each other.”

Adams teaches anatomy and physiology at the high school with an emergency credential, while enrolled in education classes at Concordia. She is still the school’s athletic trainer, too.

But she is hoping to be even busier in February, at the end of the regular season. Her goal for the Panthers is a playoff berth.

“Coaching for me was a dream,” Adams said. “I thought it’d never happen. I could never see myself coaching.”