Shownotes
Tiffany Sardin is in her first season as the Women’s Basketball Head Coach at Presbyterian College in . She was previously the Associate Head Coach at Saint Louis University where she helped the Billikens win the Atlantic-10 Conference Tournament Championship and earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Prior to her one season at Saint Louis, Sardin was the Head Coach at Chicago State where the 2021-22 team matched their total number of victories from the previous four years combined. As an assistant coach, she has spent time at Longwood, Boston University, Clemson, Illinois-Chicago, and Mount Olive.
Sardin's stellar playing career at the University of Virginia spanned from 2002-2006, where she was a three time team captain. She helped lead the Cavaliers to consecutive 20-win campaigns as an upperclassman.
On this episode Mike & Tiffany discuss the importance of building a strong culture and a solid foundation for success in her program at Presbyterian College. As she navigates her first season, Tiffany reflects on her journey through coaching, including her experiences at Chicago State and St. Louis University, where she learned valuable lessons about leadership and resilience. She highlights the evolution of opportunities for female athletes compared to her own upbringing in Chicago, where access was limited. Tiffany's passion for coaching is evident as she discusses her approach to developing relationships with her players and staff, fostering an environment where everyone can grow together. As the conversation unfolds, she shares insights on the challenges ahead, particularly in adapting to the changing landscape of college athletics, including the impact of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) on recruiting.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.
Make sure you’re subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts and while you’re there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you’re hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.
Please take some notes as you listen to this episode with Tiffany Sardin, Women’s Basketball Head Coach at Presbyterian College.
Website - https://gobluehose.com/sports/womens-basketball
Email - tsardin@presby.edu
Twitter/X - @BlueHoseWBB
Visit our Sponsors!
When a player becomes unguardable, the game shifts, the defense breaks, the crowd roars, and your team takes control.
Great players don’t just get lucky, they stoke the fire within. They’re built in practice, accelerated with the right reps, the right motivation, and the #1 Selling Shooting Machine in America™ — Dr. Dish. Feed Your Fire. Visit drdishbasketball.com today.
Your first impression is everything when applying for a new coaching job. A professional coaching portfolio is the tool that highlights your coaching achievements and philosophies and, most of all, helps separate you and your abilities from the other applicants. Special Price of just $25 for all Hoop Heads Listeners.
Empowering athletic coaches with financial education, strategic planning, and practical tools to build lasting wealth—on and off the court.
If you listen to and love the Hoop Heads Podcast, please consider giving us a small tip that will help in our quest to become the #1 basketball coaching podcast. https://hoop-heads.captivate.fm/support
Twitter/X
Podcast - @hoopheadspod
Mike - @hdstarthoops
Jason - @jsunkle
https://www.facebook.com/hoopheadspod/
YouTube
Transcripts
Foreign the Hoop Heads podcast is brought.
Sponsor/Co-host:To you by Head Start Basketball.
Tiffany Sardin:It's a process, right?
Tiffany Sardin:That's what I have to tell myself.
Tiffany Sardin:It is a process and it's not going to happen overnight.
Tiffany Sardin:We try to lay the foundation and building a culture daily, not overnight.
Sponsor/Co-host:Tiffany Sardin is in her first season as the women's basketball head coach at Presbyterian College.
Sponsor/Co-host:She was previously the Associate head coach at St.
Sponsor/Co-host:Louis University where she helped the Billikens win the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament championship and earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Sponsor/Co-host:Prior to her one season at St.
Sponsor/Co-host: h at Chicago State, where the: Sponsor/Co-host:As an assistant coach, she has spent time at Longwood, Boston University, Clemson, Illinois, Chicago and Mount Olive.
Sponsor/Co-host: sity of Virginia spanned from: Sponsor/Co-host:She helped lead the Cavaliers to consecutive 20 win campaigns as an upperclassman.
Sponsor/Co-host:Hey Hoop Heads.
Sponsor/Co-host:Find your team's dream shooting machine this holiday season during Doct Dish Basketball's December end of year super sale.
Sponsor/Co-host:From now until December 31, you can unlock the biggest deal of the year.
Sponsor/Co-host:Buy one Dr.
Sponsor/Co-host:Dish CT plus get one for $2,000.
Sponsor/Co-host:This offer is only valid while supplies last, so hurry to secure your machines while you can learn more@drdish basketball.com and follow their incredible content DrDishBBall on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Sponsor/Co-host:Mention the Whop Heads podcast and save an extra $300 on the Dr.
Sponsor/Co-host:Dish, Rebel All Star and CT models.
Sponsor/Co-host:Those are some great deals.
Sponsor/Co-host:Hoop Heads get your doctor Dish shooting machine today.
Tiffany Sardin:Hi, this is Phil White, author of the Leader's Mind and you're listening to the Hoop Heads podcast.
Sponsor/Co-host:Prepare like the pros with the all new Fast Draw and Fast Scout.
Sponsor/Co-host:Fast Draw has been the number one play diagramming software for coaches for years.
Sponsor/Co-host:You'll quickly see why FastModel Sports has the most compelling and intuitive basketball software out there.
Sponsor/Co-host:For a limited time, Fastmodel is offering Hoop Heads listeners 15% off Fast Draw and Fast Scout.
Sponsor/Co-host:Just use the code HHP15 at checkout to grab your discount and you'll be on your way to more efficient game prep and improved communication with your team.
Sponsor/Co-host:Fastmodel also has new coaching content every week on its blog, plus play and drill diagrams on its playback.
Sponsor/Co-host:Check out the links in the show notes for more Fast Model Sports is the best in basketball.
Sponsor/Co-host:Please take some notes as you Listen to this episode with Tiffany Sardin, women's basketball head coach at Presbyterian College.
Sponsor/Co-host:Hello and welcome to the Hoop Pets podcast.
Sponsor/Co-host:It's Mike Clensing here without my co host, Jason Suckel tonight, but I am pleased to be joined by Tiffany Sardin, head women's basketball coach at Presbyterian College.
Sponsor/Co-host:Tiffany, welcome to the hoopet spot.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah.
Tiffany Sardin:Hey, Mike, thank you for having me.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm happy to be here for sure.
Sponsor/Co-host:Thrilled to have you on.
Sponsor/Co-host:Looking forward to diving into all of the things that you've been able to do throughout your basketball journey.
Sponsor/Co-host:Let's start by going back in time to when you were a kid.
Sponsor/Co-host:Tell me a little bit about how you got introduced to the game.
Sponsor/Co-host:What are some of your earliest, earliest memories of basketball?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, so you know me, I'm born and raised Chicago girl.
Tiffany Sardin:So all I know is Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen.
Tiffany Sardin:Um, so grew up around, you know, just hearing all everything.
Tiffany Sardin:Bulls, Chicago Bulls.
Tiffany Sardin:But my brother, my brothers played basketball.
Tiffany Sardin:And how I truthfully was introduced is because I used to go with my brother to his basketball games and he was playing small fry.
Tiffany Sardin:It was a league that he was in.
Tiffany Sardin:It was only for guys at a certain height.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, I couldn't join in because it was all guys.
Tiffany Sardin:And I just fell in love with it.
Tiffany Sardin:I was watching him and I just kept going back.
Tiffany Sardin:Every day, every time he had a game or practice, I would go and his coach would be okay with me riding along, the only girl there.
Tiffany Sardin:But I would just watch and watching like, I can do this.
Tiffany Sardin:I knew I can do it.
Tiffany Sardin:And eventually it was my time and, you know, it was my turn to go ahead and give it a shot and the rest is history from there.
Tiffany Sardin:So my brother was the one who really introduced me to it and his small fry basketball team.
Sponsor/Co-host:As you got into the game more, how did you go about improving, getting better?
Sponsor/Co-host:What did you do in terms of working on your game, whether it was by yourself or playing pickup games?
Sponsor/Co-host:And just how did you get.
Sponsor/Co-host:How did you improve once you started taking the game more seriously?
Tiffany Sardin:Oh, my goodness, this is crazy.
Tiffany Sardin:So we used to play.
Tiffany Sardin:Look, in Chicago, we have alleys, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like where you get a milk carton, a crate.
Tiffany Sardin:Truthfully, like, I know this sounds crazy or made up, but we used to nail a crate, a milk carton crate to the tree and we used to go at it.
Tiffany Sardin:So, like, you had to have really good aim, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like you had to really get the ball, that basketball inside that cart, that crate that we drilled the hole in and out.
Tiffany Sardin:So the Ball can come through the, through the crate, drop straight down.
Tiffany Sardin:So really playing in the alley is really where it got started, truthfully for me to get my game together.
Tiffany Sardin:The toughness part of it, just playing with the guys, being able to, you know, you sliding across rocks and all type of stuff out there.
Tiffany Sardin:And then we were able to go indoor and I played, I started out playing co ed with majority of guys.
Tiffany Sardin:It might have been me and one other girl in our, on our elementary school, middle school team.
Tiffany Sardin:And it really went from there.
Tiffany Sardin:And I had a coach who just stayed after it with me.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, he come on, you can shoot extra, you can do this extra.
Tiffany Sardin:Everything was just all about just extra.
Tiffany Sardin:He seemed so invested in me getting better regardless of, you know, me being a girl.
Tiffany Sardin:And although it was a majority guys, but I was able to hold my own.
Tiffany Sardin:He felt like at a really early age.
Tiffany Sardin:And it went from there.
Tiffany Sardin:So it was just constantly like we stayed in the gym.
Tiffany Sardin:That's all we knew and that's all we truthfully wanted to do is either we were inside or we were outside in the alley on the crate.
Sponsor/Co-host:So how do you look at the way that the explosion of opportunities for female players today compared to when you were a kid where obviously you're kind of fighting your way through and with your brothers and you're.
Sponsor/Co-host:You're playing as one of the only girls in the league or on a team versus now you have just, I mean, again, you go to these giant AU terms, there's just so much more opportunity for young girls to be able to pick up the game.
Sponsor/Co-host:How do you look at that in terms of the way you grew up in the game versus the way that the players that you're coaching grew up in the game?
Sponsor/Co-host:It's obviously very different.
Sponsor/Co-host:So just maybe talk a little bit about your experience versus theirs, if that makes any sense.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, no, it's.
Tiffany Sardin:It's actually, it's exciting to see, truthfully, because it's rewarding to see how much the game has evolved and how many, how much opportunity is available for the young women right now.
Tiffany Sardin:Growing up where, you know, everything was so limited, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like it was select tournaments or you go to select state to play here, or select city was hosting this tournament with X amount of teams and now it's like, goodness, you can look to the left and right.
Tiffany Sardin:Everybody got a team now and hey, you didn't make this team, okay?
Tiffany Sardin:This, this dad over there is creating his own team for his daughter, you know, so it's just so many more opportunities.
Tiffany Sardin:I would say, but also for me, growing up, we were.
Tiffany Sardin:It was very competitive.
Tiffany Sardin:It's still competitive right now on a different level.
Tiffany Sardin:But it was like it was only one city championship, where now it's like multiple city champions now.
Tiffany Sardin:And it was one state champion.
Tiffany Sardin:And now, you know, it's multiple.
Tiffany Sardin:It's multiple everything.
Tiffany Sardin:So you really had to compete and be your best on every night to really get that, you know, feel that recognition of, like, your team.
Tiffany Sardin:Your school is absolutely the best school in the state.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, not only just the city, but just the state in itself.
Tiffany Sardin:But I think it's great the amount of opportunities that's presented to the young women today, because it's true.
Tiffany Sardin:It's almost like it's no excuse, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, okay, you didn't make that team, so, okay, go prove yourself on another team.
Tiffany Sardin:So just the amount of opportunities and the different.
Tiffany Sardin:The way the training has evolved and all those cool things that's happening.
Tiffany Sardin:Although I'm kind of old school, so just, you know, stick with the fundamentals and basics.
Tiffany Sardin:It's truly how I see it.
Tiffany Sardin:That doesn't mean I don't like the flashy stuff and all that, but that just wasn't my game.
Tiffany Sardin:It didn't work for me.
Tiffany Sardin:And I learned to see how it can work now for the young women that I'm coaching and just picking their brains on how does the moves and exciting, cool, flashy things that they do now, how we can apply it to the game within the team game and organize balls.
Tiffany Sardin:So.
Tiffany Sardin:But yeah, no, it's been good.
Tiffany Sardin:I mean, obviously I'm super happy to see the growth of the game.
Tiffany Sardin:And just again, you can't say enough about how much opportunities is out there for young women today.
Sponsor/Co-host:No question about that.
Sponsor/Co-host:What's your favorite memory of being a high school basketball player?
Tiffany Sardin:Oh, man.
Tiffany Sardin:So it's so many.
Tiffany Sardin:So I went to two different high schools, and I was fortunate to play varsity as a freshman.
Tiffany Sardin:And I was at the same high school with my brothers.
Tiffany Sardin:I started out the same high school with my brothers and my cousins.
Tiffany Sardin:So it was always that name we had to uphold.
Tiffany Sardin:So everybody knew who a sergeant was.
Tiffany Sardin:So it was like, oh, she's the youngest Art.
Tiffany Sardin:She's the girl.
Tiffany Sardin:She's the girl sergeant.
Tiffany Sardin:And so it was like, pressure in itself there.
Tiffany Sardin:But it was also like, okay, I can, you know, create my own, you know, identity and things as well.
Tiffany Sardin:But my favorite memory probably was winning the city championship and going downstate.
Tiffany Sardin:It was special because I played for a legendary coach.
Tiffany Sardin:She's the all time winningest coach, Dorothy Gators in the state of Illinois.
Tiffany Sardin:She's in the hall of Fame up in Tennessee and all that.
Tiffany Sardin:So it was really special playing for her because she truthfully was preparing all of us for what was next.
Tiffany Sardin:And I mean, it was on a different level.
Tiffany Sardin:So I would say that when the city championship and just being around folks who absolutely, you know, felt like truthfully invested in you and wanted, you know, you to go out and be your best, they weren't going to let you slack.
Tiffany Sardin:By no means.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm talking about.
Tiffany Sardin:It was, it was war.
Tiffany Sardin:You felt like it was war every day for sure.
Sponsor/Co-host:Tell me a little bit about your eventual college recruitment.
Sponsor/Co-host:Did you know from the time you were little that you wanted to play college basketball?
Sponsor/Co-host:Or was that something that, as you moved along and got got closer to that becoming a reality, you started to look around, say, I'm going to have this opportunity.
Sponsor/Co-host:Just tell me a little bit of how, how that recruitment went for you.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, so I, I did, I always thought like, okay, I can play basketball, I can go on to the next level.
Tiffany Sardin:Because I was around a lot of really good high school basketball players.
Tiffany Sardin:Kathy Poindex was one of my teammates.
Tiffany Sardin:Tootie Reed, Brittany Jones, like a lot of those players went on to play at the highest level and at some, you know, P5 high level schools and just watching them and playing alongside them, I knew I had what it takes because I was training with them daily and everything.
Tiffany Sardin:And you know, I think the circle of folks that was around me were certainly pushing me that way.
Tiffany Sardin:And also it was opportunity, right for me.
Tiffany Sardin:I knew my mom wasn't going to be able to afford for me to go to school.
Tiffany Sardin:I'll be staying local if that was the case.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, I knew it would be an opportunity that presented itself for me if I worked hard enough for it and which it certainly did.
Tiffany Sardin:But yeah, I always thought like I knew I can play at the next level.
Tiffany Sardin:I really did.
Tiffany Sardin:And I had aspiration and that's how I worked, Mike.
Tiffany Sardin:I worked like that every day and it was just like, I mean, eat, sleep, school basketball and then just repeat.
Tiffany Sardin:It was all on repeat.
Tiffany Sardin:Truthfully.
Tiffany Sardin:It was, it was like, you know, we, my mom could always find us out playing basketball somewhere and same thing with our coaches.
Tiffany Sardin:Like we stayed in the gym.
Tiffany Sardin:But yeah, I absolutely knew that, you know, I wanted to play at the highest level in college basketball and some of the schools that, you know that I was like, for me, it wasn't so much about, okay, you Know you're going to go to Tennessee and all that.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, my teammates, I did have teammates that was being recruited by those folks as well.
Tiffany Sardin:And them coming to watch my teammates, they were watching me as well.
Tiffany Sardin:And I received some, you know, some interest.
Tiffany Sardin:I remember getting.
Tiffany Sardin:This is so crazy.
Tiffany Sardin:I remember getting a written letter from UConn.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, okay, But I never knew, you know, like, oh, my God, this is the UConn, right?
Tiffany Sardin:That we see it as today.
Tiffany Sardin:I was always like, you know, I love Virginia for whatever reason.
Tiffany Sardin:I had a teammate who went to Virginia, but I did really love Virginia.
Tiffany Sardin:It was players like Skylar Rood there that I was like my game kind of similar to hers a little bit.
Tiffany Sardin:So just watching the game and, you know, U of I.
Tiffany Sardin:It was so many different schools on the table, but, you know, the.
Tiffany Sardin:The connection felt more genuine and pure.
Tiffany Sardin:It felt so right.
Tiffany Sardin:At choosing Virginia, going into college, did.
Sponsor/Co-host:You have any idea of what you eventually wanted to do as a, quote, unquote, real job?
Sponsor/Co-host:Were you thinking about coaching at all at that point?
Sponsor/Co-host:Or were you like most 18 year olds, where you're just like, I'm playing basketball and going to school and we'll see what happens?
Sponsor/Co-host:Like, like most college freshmen probably are.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah.
Tiffany Sardin:So I went into school, right, like, thinking, like, I'm going to be a physical therapist.
Tiffany Sardin:And so they put me in those science classes and classes.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, hold on, wait.
Tiffany Sardin:This is just.
Tiffany Sardin:Okay.
Tiffany Sardin:I know I wanted to coach.
Tiffany Sardin:I always knew that because I really admired my high school coach and just what she did and how she served us on a daily.
Tiffany Sardin:And it was like, that, that's inspiration.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I can do that.
Tiffany Sardin:I certainly had something inside of me that I always knew, like, I wanted to coach, but I also wanted to play, too.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, I wasn't so adamant on, oh, I gotta go to the wnba.
Tiffany Sardin:I just said, I just want to play professional.
Tiffany Sardin:And for me, it worked out for me having an opportunity to go and play over in Europe, which was great for me, but it was just always a new, like, okay, I want to coach.
Tiffany Sardin:And even when I was in Europe, I was like, you know, I was kind of setting myself up a little bit, talking to a few people, made a few connections, and coming out of college, I actually did that.
Tiffany Sardin:So youo Want to be a Coach program.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm not sure if you familiar with that, but Coach Ryan signed me up for it and I did it.
Tiffany Sardin:Although I knew I was going to still go and play overseas, but was able to make some connections through there.
Tiffany Sardin:And after I decided that, you know, hey, I might be ready to go into coaching, yeah, I got a little coaching stint, and then I'm like, no, I still got some more left in me.
Tiffany Sardin:I want to go back and play.
Tiffany Sardin:So I went and played again a couple.
Tiffany Sardin:Couple years.
Tiffany Sardin:I did maybe two years, two or three years back overseas, and then I'm like, you know, went through a few injuries, and I'm like, no, I think I'm ready to.
Tiffany Sardin:Ready to coach.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm ready to get in it and see what it's like and everything.
Tiffany Sardin:And goodness, it was everything I didn't think of for sure going into it, but it's been great.
Tiffany Sardin:It's been great for sure.
Sponsor/Co-host:All right, before we jump into coaching, give me your craziest overseas basketball story.
Sponsor/Co-host:What's the wildest thing that you experienced that.
Tiffany Sardin:That.
Sponsor/Co-host:That you're willing to share on a podcast?
Sponsor/Co-host:Let's put it that way.
Tiffany Sardin:Yes.
Tiffany Sardin:So I was with the club, and, you know, in Europe, Mike, they.
Tiffany Sardin:Everything is stick shift.
Tiffany Sardin:So, you know, like, they had us a car set up and everything, and I'm like, oh, yeah, I can figure this out.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, you know, I'm watching everybody else.
Tiffany Sardin:I didn't think it was going to be that hard.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, Mike, I went to pull off, like, they.
Tiffany Sardin:We got right up.
Tiffany Sardin:We pulled off.
Tiffany Sardin:Me and my teammate, we pulled off, and we going up a hill now.
Tiffany Sardin:Portugal got a lot of hills, and the car, like, I couldn't get it to, like, not stop drifting, so I had to hit the emergency brake.
Tiffany Sardin:And I'm like, I called my coach.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, somebody, please come.
Tiffany Sardin:Come and help us.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, we're not moving because we're going to tear this island up if I let the light let the emergency break go.
Tiffany Sardin:So I had to stay on emergency break, and thank God one of my teammates knew she was in the area, and somebody came and helped us, and they took the car, and I'm like, forget it.
Tiffany Sardin:Just give me a driver from here on out.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I can't.
Tiffany Sardin:I don't want to do it.
Tiffany Sardin:It was, like, traumatizing because I just.
Tiffany Sardin:You couldn't tell me I wasn't about to tear that island up.
Tiffany Sardin:That.
Tiffany Sardin:That would probably be my craziest story, honestly.
Tiffany Sardin:Was.
Tiffany Sardin:Was the car situation, because I was terrified.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I got it, but nah.
Tiffany Sardin:How that car was drifting back.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, we about to die.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, it's over.
Sponsor/Co-host:It's so funny because kids today have.
Sponsor/Co-host:So I learned how to drive a car on a stick shift, and I remember when I was learning that I would get so mad at my dad, I'm like, why can't we have a normal car like other people?
Sponsor/Co-host:Like, why do we have to have this stupid stick shift that I'm trying?
Sponsor/Co-host:So not only am I trying to learn how to drive, but I'm also trying to learn how to do the stick shift.
Sponsor/Co-host:And then it's funny, the first new car I ever bought, I bought a stick shift because once I had learned on it, I really liked it.
Sponsor/Co-host:And then when that car died, the second car I had was an automatic.
Sponsor/Co-host:I'm like, this is boring.
Sponsor/Co-host:Like, I want.
Sponsor/Co-host:I want something to do with my.
Sponsor/Co-host:You know, I would have been like this.
Sponsor/Co-host:I don't.
Sponsor/Co-host:I don't get it.
Sponsor/Co-host:So, yeah, I can completely.
Sponsor/Co-host:I can completely relate.
Sponsor/Co-host:And then I hadn't driven a stick shift, Tiffany, probably in, like, I bet, 15 years.
Sponsor/Co-host:And I needed a new car.
Sponsor/Co-host:This is a couple years ago.
Sponsor/Co-host:And so I just went and was test driving some used cars, and one of them.
Sponsor/Co-host:One of them was a stick.
Sponsor/Co-host:And I was like, man, this is weird.
Sponsor/Co-host:It took me.
Sponsor/Co-host:It took me a while to get back to the point where I could do it, especially to your point, like, trying to do it on a hill and stuff.
Tiffany Sardin:Done that.
Sponsor/Co-host:It's.
Sponsor/Co-host:It's so much harder than anybody who's never done it.
Sponsor/Co-host:I can.
Sponsor/Co-host:I can totally.
Sponsor/Co-host:Let's put this way.
Sponsor/Co-host:I can totally picture you and your teammate out on the road trying to get that thing to stay and not roll down the hill.
Tiffany Sardin:If you can see us, I'm about both our feet.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, we all feet on the gas.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, please let on the break.
Tiffany Sardin:On the break.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, don't let it go.
Tiffany Sardin:Don't let it go.
Tiffany Sardin:Somebody come save us or whatever.
Tiffany Sardin:But it was.
Tiffany Sardin:It was crazy.
Tiffany Sardin:It's certainly.
Tiffany Sardin:It's the thrill driving a stick.
Tiffany Sardin:I wish I would have learned.
Tiffany Sardin:I was telling my mom when it happened, I'm like, why didn't y'all ever teach me how to drive a stick first?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, you know, like, seemed like that's more difficult one.
Tiffany Sardin:But they.
Tiffany Sardin:Everybody, like, no, it's actually easy.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, no, no, no.
Tiffany Sardin:This is crazy.
Tiffany Sardin:So never again.
Tiffany Sardin:I haven't driven, gotten in the stick shift since then.
Sponsor/Co-host:Like, you can't really fight.
Sponsor/Co-host:You can't really find them.
Sponsor/Co-host:It's really hard.
Sponsor/Co-host:If you want to drive a stick shift, it's hard to find a stick shift car anymore.
Sponsor/Co-host:They almost.
Sponsor/Co-host:They almost don't exist at any point.
Sponsor/Co-host:So I guess someday, who knows, maybe when I.
Sponsor/Co-host:When I get real old, I'll be able to go and maybe find a used car and do drive a stick shift again.
Sponsor/Co-host:But.
Sponsor/Co-host:All right, let's jump back to your.
Sponsor/Co-host:The start of your start of your coaching journey.
Sponsor/Co-host:So you start out, if I'm not mistaken, coaching at the high school level.
Sponsor/Co-host:Is that correct?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah.
Tiffany Sardin:Yep.
Tiffany Sardin:I was at Williamburg High School.
Tiffany Sardin:Crystal Worley was the athletic director who, you know, took a chance on me, right.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, she knew I was living up in the area.
Tiffany Sardin:It happened to be in between my time of.
Tiffany Sardin:I have.
Tiffany Sardin:I was in between a break of.
Tiffany Sardin:Of playing overseas because I had tore my acl, actually retort.
Tiffany Sardin:And I happened to be in the area, rehabbing with someone and just living in the area for a little bit.
Tiffany Sardin:And Fran.
Tiffany Sardin:Fran, who's now assistant coach at Kent State, was the coach before I got to William Byrd.
Tiffany Sardin:So it was so crazy because she was a Virginia Tech Hokie, and then here I am, a Virginia wahoo.
Tiffany Sardin:So it was really crazy how it all worked out.
Tiffany Sardin:And, yeah, I was able to get my first taste of coaching young women.
Tiffany Sardin:And I mean, it was such a humbling.
Tiffany Sardin:Humbling experience, for sure.
Sponsor/Co-host:What do you remember about it in terms of what hooked you that said, hey, this is something that I want to do for the rest of my life?
Sponsor/Co-host:Because obviously, just from hearing you give that answer, there was obviously a lot of challenges, but there was obviously something about it that hooked you.
Sponsor/Co-host:So what was it that that first experience gave you that you're like, yeah, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, I would say, you know, the relationships, but also the development.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, the whole team that I inherited or had at the school, you know, high school, they do everything.
Tiffany Sardin:They were playing all sports.
Tiffany Sardin:But I kid you not, I might have had one basketball player who actually really cared about basketball.
Tiffany Sardin:Everybody else was volleyball, cross country, soccer, lacrosse.
Tiffany Sardin:And I mean, they.
Tiffany Sardin:We had, like, great size and everything, but basketball was not there first up.
Tiffany Sardin:So that in itself, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Me, you think about it.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm finishing up, just finished up playing, and here I am, like, still so competitive, and this is my first opportunity trying to teach some young women.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, you should be able to make a layup.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, come on, you right there at the rim.
Tiffany Sardin:You like, six, four and everything.
Tiffany Sardin:And it was.
Tiffany Sardin:They like, no, we don't know how to do that.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, pass and all.
Tiffany Sardin:That's all the fundamentals, you know, I had to, like, you know, really.
Tiffany Sardin:It humbled me, truthfully, like I said, and.
Tiffany Sardin:And being patient I grew.
Tiffany Sardin:My patience grew on a whole nother level of like, wow, like, but also it was so rewarding, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Because the young women that I was coaching, truthfully, I like to think that they really prepared me for where I'm at right now because, you know, again, group of young women from all different backgrounds, different sports, and again, basketball was the least for them, but also they wanted to come together to get, you know, to grow relationships, to build friendships, but also to be developed not just as, you know, basketball players, but just well rounded young women.
Tiffany Sardin:And I really felt the connection with that because I do stand that as something I truthfully believe in, helping young women really develop, not just on the floor, but off the floor.
Tiffany Sardin:And these young women were just, you know, they were sponges, too.
Tiffany Sardin:They were, you know, I was learning too.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I didn't know a whole lot.
Tiffany Sardin:So they were just going with whatever I gave them, right?
Tiffany Sardin:And I think I kind of developed the phrase be.
Tiffany Sardin:Even when you feel like it ain't right, still be confident in it.
Tiffany Sardin:Right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, you know, it'll see you through.
Tiffany Sardin:But no, they.
Tiffany Sardin:They certainly, you know, took a liking to me as well, and they helped me grow as a.
Tiffany Sardin:As a young coach.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, I'm hopeful that I help them grow as young women as well.
Tiffany Sardin:And they all seem to enjoy basketball in the end of it and had a lot of funny stories.
Tiffany Sardin:And still to this day, some of them shoot little crazy messages on Facebook or whatever, like, reminiscing on some funny stories.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, I don't remember that.
Tiffany Sardin:I don't remember doing that.
Sponsor/Co-host:But, yeah, yeah, it is, it is.
Sponsor/Co-host:When you look back and think about the start of your coaching career and then how far you've come as a coach, I always say to people that.
Sponsor/Co-host:I remember my very first practice.
Sponsor/Co-host:I was a JV boys basketball coach, and I walked into my first practice and did my first drill, and within the first five minutes, I was like, oh, my God, I just saw 500 things that they did wrong that I want to try and fix.
Sponsor/Co-host:And how am I going to possibly fix this?
Sponsor/Co-host:I was a kid, Tiffany, who I never really once thought about coaching.
Sponsor/Co-host:When I was playing.
Sponsor/Co-host:I completely thought about the game as a player.
Sponsor/Co-host:I never really had thought about it as a coach.
Sponsor/Co-host:And so when I became a coach, I was, I think, probably pretty arrogant, thinking that being a good player was going to make me a good coach.
Sponsor/Co-host:And obviously we know that those two things aren't directly correlated, that you obviously have to put some time in as a coach.
Sponsor/Co-host:To be able to.
Sponsor/Co-host:To understand what it takes to.
Sponsor/Co-host:To do that job well.
Tiffany Sardin:And.
Sponsor/Co-host:And I just didn't understand that.
Sponsor/Co-host:I think it's a.
Sponsor/Co-host:It's something that all young coaches go through, I think, to some degree, right?
Sponsor/Co-host:Because until you do it, you don't really know what it's all about or what it takes.
Sponsor/Co-host:And to your point, I think when you look back on some of those early memories, you look back on them finally, and you also look at it and say, wow, I've come a long way from where I started.
Sponsor/Co-host:Were you thinking at that time that high school coaching was going to be where you were going to end up?
Sponsor/Co-host:Or did you always have designs on moving on to the college level?
Sponsor/Co-host:Or just what was your mindset at that point as you were getting started?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, I was definitely lying to be very.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I was like, absolutely not.
Tiffany Sardin:This is.
Tiffany Sardin:I know this is not the level for me because, you know, like, I was too.
Tiffany Sardin:Too serious.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I was still so serious about it, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I really, you know, I was still competitive.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I.
Tiffany Sardin:I still was getting out there.
Tiffany Sardin:I was even practicing with them, and I'm like, you know, I wasn't talking trash to them.
Tiffany Sardin:That's just not the nature of my game.
Tiffany Sardin:But it was still, like, you know, like, the intensity for me.
Tiffany Sardin:It was like, I got to find a balance and, you know, tone it down, but also understanding that they're just doing this for fun, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, they are doing this to build their friendships, their relationship with their classmates.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, what if we get one or two of these young women out of the.
Tiffany Sardin:Out of the 30 women that's here.
Tiffany Sardin:We.
Tiffany Sardin:We.
Tiffany Sardin:We.
Tiffany Sardin:Okay.
Tiffany Sardin:We are okay, because guess what?
Tiffany Sardin:We came in and it was maybe one possible.
Tiffany Sardin:That was a basketball player.
Tiffany Sardin:So, no, I knew very quickly that, you know what?
Tiffany Sardin:This is going to help me grow my patience.
Tiffany Sardin:And if I do okay with this and I come out of here and I'm like, you know, feeling like, yes, I want to coach.
Tiffany Sardin:I know it has to be at the college level.
Tiffany Sardin:That's what I was telling myself.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, obviously talking to my college coaches, too.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, no, I think I'm ready to.
Tiffany Sardin:I think I'm ready for the next.
Tiffany Sardin:Next thing, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I'm definitely ready for older groups, more serious group of young women.
Tiffany Sardin:Not saying that the.
Tiffany Sardin:The high schoolers wasn't, but just my intensity and my passion for it and how I'm like, you know, these women, like, this is what they want to do, you know?
Sponsor/Co-host:Well, how did you go about breaking into the college ranks, and you start out at Mount Olive.
Sponsor/Co-host:But who.
Sponsor/Co-host:Who do you.
Sponsor/Co-host:Who did.
Sponsor/Co-host:You know, who did you talk to?
Sponsor/Co-host:How do you get that opportunity?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, I'm still trying to think how I connected with Coach Lee, because Wendy Lee, who's still over there to this day, like, oh, my goodness.
Tiffany Sardin:She literally gave me a huge chance.
Tiffany Sardin:And, I mean, she knew, like, no experience, but I'm talking about somebody who just, like, throwing your point guard in the fire when they have no clue of what's going on and everything.
Tiffany Sardin:And she literally did that.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm talking about Mike, you know, at that level, you.
Tiffany Sardin:You, like.
Tiffany Sardin:I call them 10 and ones, because you might drive a van.
Tiffany Sardin:You got to do the laundry, you gonna do the credit card receipts.
Tiffany Sardin:You gonna.
Tiffany Sardin:At that time, we had the little recording where you gotta, you know, stop it, press it, you know, pause.
Tiffany Sardin:So I was doing a lot of different things, but I was, like, so excited about it.
Sponsor/Co-host:Right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I wasn't above any of that.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, this is great, you know, because, yeah, truthfully, this was gonna help me if I want to continue to go further from here, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, the next thing was, what, going to Division 1.
Tiffany Sardin:But I wasn't thinking that at the time.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, I really want to be where my feet are planted, and I want to do a heck of a job for Wendy Lee, because, you know, she took a chance on me, and, you know, I'm forever grateful for that.
Tiffany Sardin:But it was.
Tiffany Sardin:It was fun.
Tiffany Sardin:It was a lot of fun.
Tiffany Sardin:And it's so crazy you bring that up, because I actually saw a few of my players that was at Mount Olive.
Tiffany Sardin:They came to the Davidson game, and we were laughing, reminiscing about, you know, they like, remember when it was your first time coaching and, you know, you got out there, you were busting out, you know, all this funny stuff, and I'm stopping.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
Tiffany Sardin:So, yeah, no, I definitely knew right when I got to Mount Olive, I'm like, yeah, this is the level, or this is the group of, you know, young women who I want to be around for sure.
Tiffany Sardin:A coach.
Sponsor/Co-host:How valuable was that experience at Mount Olive?
Sponsor/Co-host:When you talk about, as you said, all of the different things that you got to have your hands on, because that's one of the interesting things that.
Sponsor/Co-host:When we've talked to different coaches on the podcast, obviously people start their career at different points and at different levels, and there's a lot of coaches that we've talked to that start out at a lower level.
Sponsor/Co-host:And then obviously, the staff's not as big, right?
Sponsor/Co-host:So you have more responsibilities.
Sponsor/Co-host:You have to do all those things that you just described.
Sponsor/Co-host:You got to drive the van, you got to do the laundry, you got to do the credit card receipts, you got to mop the floors.
Sponsor/Co-host:There's all these different things that you have to do.
Sponsor/Co-host:And then conversely, there's other coaches who start maybe as a GA at the Division 1 level, where your responsibilities are more narrow, and there's pluses and minuses, obviously, to both.
Sponsor/Co-host:And again, career paths take all different kinds of directions.
Sponsor/Co-host:But just talk a little bit about how valuable getting all those different experiences were that first year and how that's played into the rest of your career and helped you as you've progressed.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, it's been extremely valuable, truthfully.
Tiffany Sardin:It's been.
Tiffany Sardin:I mean, just going from Mount Olive to UIC and so on.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I had knowledge of all that stuff, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, when it was time, because the places I've been fortunate to be a part of, besides one of them, where I'm actually having to do my own receipts and, you know, maybe help the manager, you know, would put the clothes and, you know, kind of be able to give some guidance or help to, you know, people who are more in those specific areas.
Tiffany Sardin:Because I've done it.
Tiffany Sardin:I have some knowledge of it, like how to create a spreadsheet, right, To.
Tiffany Sardin:To take the meals for the players and things like that.
Tiffany Sardin:So just the knowledge that I was able to gain in that experience is.
Tiffany Sardin:It's.
Tiffany Sardin:It's.
Tiffany Sardin:It's, like, instrumental for right now, a place like here, because, you know, we.
Tiffany Sardin:We are.
Tiffany Sardin:We still.
Tiffany Sardin:We.
Tiffany Sardin:We are low Division 1 school, but we wearing a lot of hats over here.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, we wearing a lot of hats over here.
Tiffany Sardin:And again, I'm not above any of these tasks, these small tasks that, you know, that are in front of me with, you know, pulling out the chairs, helping set up for game day because we a small athletic department and things like that.
Tiffany Sardin:So to be able to share the knowledge that I gained in my early years at Mount Olive with my staff, my current staff that I have now, they look at me like, right now, like, what?
Tiffany Sardin:You did that?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I'm like, yeah, you know, I ain't gonna be talking about the salary of it.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, because trust me, if.
Tiffany Sardin:If it was the salary that some of them, you know, they would be like, no, heck, no, I ain't working for you.
Tiffany Sardin:But it's still like, I wasn't even thinking about the money then, you know, you weren't even thinking about, like, how.
Tiffany Sardin:Where am I going, how I'm gonna eat, you know, where I'm gonna lay and all that.
Tiffany Sardin:That wasn't even a thought for me.
Tiffany Sardin:It was just, I'm getting all this experience that I know that's going to help prepare me for whatever it is that's next in a different place where it might.
Tiffany Sardin:I might not be doing all these things.
Tiffany Sardin:I might just be doing one or two, but I'll know how to do them.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah.
Sponsor/Co-host:What's the most important lesson or two that you learned during your time as an assistant at your various stops that you feel like, helped you when you eventually got an opportunity to be a head coach?
Sponsor/Co-host:What's something that you learned as an assistant that your head coach needs or something that you feel like, man, doing?
Sponsor/Co-host:Being able to do that really prepared me for being a head coach.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, The.
Tiffany Sardin:The flexibility, right.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, just being flexible.
Tiffany Sardin:But also, just truthfully, I would say, Mike, it's.
Tiffany Sardin:It's like connections, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like the.
Tiffany Sardin:The.
Tiffany Sardin:Just the.
Tiffany Sardin:The genuine connections, I would say, with people.
Tiffany Sardin:Because I do think, like, how you treat people and how, you know, you are with people.
Tiffany Sardin:I do believe it'll come back to you.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, so, yes, you know, I've.
Tiffany Sardin:I've worked with a lot of different coaches, been around and, you know, have a lot of friends who work for a lot of different people.
Tiffany Sardin:But I also think we undervalue the relationship piece or, you know, the.
Tiffany Sardin:The gratitude of how to treat people like that.
Tiffany Sardin:That part right there gets me every time because it's like, you know, yeah, we all.
Tiffany Sardin:Everybody want to win.
Tiffany Sardin:We know.
Tiffany Sardin:We feel the pressure and, you know, yeah.
Tiffany Sardin:When we in assistant coach role.
Tiffany Sardin:No, we don't feel it what the head coach feel.
Tiffany Sardin:We don't.
Tiffany Sardin:We think we do until we get over there.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, again, it's still, like, we're still human, right.
Tiffany Sardin:We're still, you know, people who are trying.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, I would say that just the gratitude of the connection, the genuine connection, and just really serving people, you know, really genuinely serving people.
Sponsor/Co-host:Seriously, as you went through your various stops as an assistant, in the back of your mind, were you preparing, thinking about eventually getting an opportunity as a head coach?
Sponsor/Co-host:And if that's the case, which I'm assuming it was, how did you prepare yourself for what eventually was going to be that first opportunity at Chicago State in terms of thinking about watching the head coaches that you worked with and saying, hey, I like this piece of what they're doing?
Sponsor/Co-host:Or maybe here's something that I would do differently or obviously you're learning all different styles of play and, and different philosophies, X's and O's.
Sponsor/Co-host:Why?
Sponsor/Co-host:So just how did you sort of put all that stuff together?
Sponsor/Co-host:Are you a Google Drive?
Sponsor/Co-host:Are you a three ring binder old school person?
Sponsor/Co-host:How'd you kind of put together the plan for what you.
Sponsor/Co-host:What you eventually might want to do if you were to.
Sponsor/Co-host:To.
Sponsor/Co-host:To get your own program at some point?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, look, you said I'm a little bit of all that.
Tiffany Sardin:Mike, seriously, I have like binders where, like when in my move to South Carolina, I'm like, is it time to throw that away?
Tiffany Sardin:No, it's not.
Tiffany Sardin:I need to get some.
Tiffany Sardin:But I also got the drive, the hard drive and everything.
Tiffany Sardin:But just also I've been fortunate to really like talking to people.
Tiffany Sardin:I feel like it's more power in just having them conversations with people not just in the circle, but also outside the circle.
Tiffany Sardin:And again, the coaches that I've been fortunate to work for and work with, they were, I would say in their own way, was kind of preparing me for this opportunity.
Tiffany Sardin:And I would say, Rebecca Tillett being one, you know, we didn't even know each other when we started working with each other at Longwood.
Tiffany Sardin:And she just put so much trust in me and gave me so much responsibility and taking care of some things where I'm like, you know, we learning each other and everything, but she was tasking me with things that I'm like, hold on.
Tiffany Sardin:And she would always use the phrase like we're leading alongside each other.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, you know, stuff like that.
Tiffany Sardin:And you know, she never was that person, a head coach that you felt like, oh, she's the head.
Tiffany Sardin:It was all, you know, it's a collective shared leadership is what she would call it.
Tiffany Sardin:And I'm like, wow.
Tiffany Sardin:Like she really, you know, and yeah, and she would, she would say to me like, you know, you're going to be doing this.
Tiffany Sardin:And I'm like, oh, no.
Tiffany Sardin:Oh no.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I'm okay.
Tiffany Sardin:I.
Tiffany Sardin:It's no rush for that.
Tiffany Sardin:No rush for all that.
Tiffany Sardin:Cause, you know, like just so many different changes.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Tiffany Sardin:And how I, you know, visualize myself doing things comparison to some of the people I've worked with but still took.
Tiffany Sardin:Have taken a lot of.
Tiffany Sardin:A lot of things from them, how I do things now.
Tiffany Sardin:But yeah, it was, you know, I like to say they were just kind of slowly preparing me and putting me in different spots in different areas that truthfully, at the moment, yeah.
Tiffany Sardin:In the Back of my head, I'm like, yeah, I eventually want to be a head coach, but when it comes, it comes right, Like, I wasn't out here, like, putting together a whole, you know, portfolio on, like, hey, I'm sending this to this person that I wasn't doing any of that.
Tiffany Sardin:Truthfully.
Sponsor/Co-host:Coaches, Game Changer is making your game film more valuable than ever.
Sponsor/Co-host:New this season to Game Changer, Film Room allows team staff to analyze full game videos, add comments, specific moments, and quickly share feedback with other coaches, team members, or families.
Sponsor/Co-host:The One USports app automatically skips downtime in the game film, condensing event video into active play so you can focus on the moments that matter.
Sponsor/Co-host:The best part, it's completely free for coaches.
Sponsor/Co-host:Download Game changer now on iOS or Android and take your coaching to the next level with Filmroom on gamechanger, Game Changer Stream, Score Connect.
Sponsor/Co-host:So the Chicago State opportunity, obviously in your hometown, is one that clearly was attractive to you.
Sponsor/Co-host:So how does that come to pass?
Sponsor/Co-host:Is that one that the job opens up and you start actively seeking it?
Sponsor/Co-host:Is that one where the job opens up and somebody gives you a call and says, hey, would you consider this position?
Sponsor/Co-host:Just how does that come across your desk?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, someone did call.
Tiffany Sardin:So that would.
Tiffany Sardin:That might have been the second time around that someone called, inquired about me.
Tiffany Sardin:And the first time it was kind of like, oh, no, absolutely not.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, it was one of those, like, not ready, first of all, but also like, hey, like, no, you know, I wasn't ready to go home, but also go into that environment either.
Tiffany Sardin:Certainly knew I wasn't prepared for that.
Tiffany Sardin:And then the second time around, it's crazy because me and Elliot.
Tiffany Sardin:Elliot actually used to be at Clemson.
Tiffany Sardin:Our path crossed at Clemson.
Tiffany Sardin:He was associate AD in compliance area, and I was obviously on the women's basketball side.
Tiffany Sardin:But our paths crossed in.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, he was, what, a year in at Chicago State.
Tiffany Sardin:And I'm sure he had a short list.
Tiffany Sardin:And we talked and, you know, we connected really well.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, he knew.
Tiffany Sardin:He had some good insight on me and just share some stuff.
Tiffany Sardin:And I, you know, I started doing research as well.
Tiffany Sardin:And you know, Mike, obviously I had quite a few people, like, well, you know, it is home, right?
Tiffany Sardin:You know, you get to go home and if somebody gonna do it, be able to do it.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, man, like, this is.
Tiffany Sardin:I know.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, like, I know, like, I knew every bit of, like, what I was potentially walking into, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I didn't think the pandemic was gonna Be the way it was right.
Tiffany Sardin:But it was right.
Tiffany Sardin:So it was one of those where it's opportunity for me to go home.
Tiffany Sardin:I did feel like, you know, yeah, I think I'm ready for this now.
Tiffany Sardin:I do think that because it was some other opportunities and some D2 schools, things have presented itself the year before that.
Tiffany Sardin:And not like, nah, I'm not, you know, I'm not interested.
Tiffany Sardin:But this one, I did, I did feel, I genuinely felt like, okay, this could be it.
Tiffany Sardin:I knew it was going to take some time.
Tiffany Sardin:I knew that, but I didn't know it was gonna be kind of feeling at the detriment of my health where it's like, woo.
Tiffany Sardin:So everything everybody was saying was really, really it.
Tiffany Sardin:But I still felt so in it.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, like when you in it, you just kind of lose like, okay, well they not seeing what I'm seeing.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, you see it completely different than everybody else, but you just want so bad for something just to, you know, find some hope or, or have some hope there.
Tiffany Sardin:And you know, it didn't work out unfortunately.
Tiffany Sardin:And you know, I am.
Tiffany Sardin:Things happen for a reason.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, super grateful for the opportunity that Elliot did give me there.
Tiffany Sardin:And it was my decision to, to step away because I, I didn't see any, any light in the tunnel.
Tiffany Sardin:And you know, I do think it was the right time for me to do that.
Tiffany Sardin:And with bomb that I did leave that.
Tiffany Sardin:Those group of women that I did bring into there, but they also understood I was very transparent and you know how things were going.
Tiffany Sardin:And I'm telling you, when I talk about all hands and everybody was in it, we were all in it.
Tiffany Sardin:Just for me it was just a little, little different.
Tiffany Sardin:Different field than, than some of them.
Tiffany Sardin:But they completely had my back.
Tiffany Sardin:They understood it and you know, then it.
Tiffany Sardin:I went on from there.
Tiffany Sardin:So.
Sponsor/Co-host:So after that, a year at St.
Sponsor/Co-host:Louis and then back to Presbyterian.
Sponsor/Co-host:So tell me about the year with St.
Sponsor/Co-host:Louis and how that whether it changed your mentality, whether it prepared you for this opportunity and, and then lead into how the Presbyterian job becomes available and the decision to, to go there and then we'll start talking about building that program.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, yeah.
Tiffany Sardin:So.
Tiffany Sardin:Goodness.
Tiffany Sardin:Well, you know, till it.
Tiffany Sardin:Me and Tilly had worked together at Longwood, but till it, you know, she was in it with me too at Chicago State.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Tiffany Sardin:She knew everything that I was going through at Chicago State and she knew the thoughts of, you know, this, this could possibly.
Tiffany Sardin:I might be coming up on a break.
Tiffany Sardin:Just kind of, if I can rewind A little bit.
Tiffany Sardin:I did have some, you know, traumatic family experiences that happened when I lost my brother and my dad in back to back years.
Tiffany Sardin:And I never took a break.
Tiffany Sardin:This was in between my last year, Longwood and coming to Chicago State.
Tiffany Sardin:So a lot was happening.
Tiffany Sardin:But I just, you know, basketball kept me occupied and in that space.
Tiffany Sardin:And she knew and I was just sharing with her, like, till, you know, I think I'm, you know, probably going to just take a break, right?
Tiffany Sardin:I just feel so beat up and so just, you know, like, I love this game too much, you know, to not give it my all.
Tiffany Sardin:And she like, you know, let's, let's.
Tiffany Sardin:Let's see if we can keep the fire going.
Tiffany Sardin:I think you can come over here and help me do some special stuff.
Tiffany Sardin:And I'm like, girl, you just won a championship.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, you don't need my help, you know, like.
Tiffany Sardin:But we were so connected and, you know, we.
Tiffany Sardin:We loved our working relationship that we had together.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, we go over there to St.
Tiffany Sardin:Louis and going into there, we.
Tiffany Sardin:We didn't know, like, you know, we didn't.
Tiffany Sardin:We didn't know we were gonna.
Tiffany Sardin:It was gonna end the way it ended with the, you know, winning champion on a good.
Tiffany Sardin:In a good way for sure, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, we just work, you know, till it is someone who works extremely hard.
Tiffany Sardin:Her staff, the other coaches work extremely hard.
Tiffany Sardin:And we all, you know, we knew.
Tiffany Sardin:We kind of already knew.
Tiffany Sardin:We.
Tiffany Sardin:The foundation was kind of there.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, we knew how we wanted to do things and our connection was work.
Tiffany Sardin:Like I said, we got a great working connection and we got to work with those young women and they believed, they started believing because at first it was kind of like, all right, we going through it.
Tiffany Sardin:Everybody, you know, season start off a little rocky and everybody like, hold on now, what's going on here?
Tiffany Sardin:But we never lost hope.
Tiffany Sardin:We never lost the faith.
Tiffany Sardin:And we stayed true to till his process too.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, we really did.
Tiffany Sardin:And she stayed on it.
Tiffany Sardin:She stayed very consistent and everybody else did too.
Tiffany Sardin:And eventually everybody was slowly buying in and you know, like, okay, we got this and started believing, started really believing on a different level than, you know, despite the outside exterior noise that we were hearing.
Tiffany Sardin:And we went on a run and next thing you know, Mike, we look up, we.
Tiffany Sardin:We up in playing Tennessee and we like, okay, this is going to be fun.
Tiffany Sardin:But great experience, Great opportunity for our women to.
Tiffany Sardin:To experience that.
Tiffany Sardin:The women at St.
Tiffany Sardin:Louis for the first time.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, Tillett group, the.
Tiffany Sardin:The young women that came with Tillett from Longwood.
Tiffany Sardin:They had just experienced that.
Tiffany Sardin:Right?
Tiffany Sardin:So they knew.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, so it was a really good, good mix of just, you know, the experience.
Tiffany Sardin:The people who have one had, had a taste of it.
Tiffany Sardin:They want it again and to help the other group and help everybody else come along and experience that was so rewarding.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, I did take a little break after St.
Tiffany Sardin:Louis, you know, till it's certainly again, another break that she supported.
Tiffany Sardin:But again, if you kind of listen to me a little bit on the front end, it was coming, you know, because I certainly was going to take it before making a decision to go to St.
Tiffany Sardin:Louis, but just really want to stick it out and see if I still had it in me.
Tiffany Sardin:And I just, you know, it was just a mental break, like, really a mental break, but also to be there for my family, my mom and everything.
Tiffany Sardin:And it was, it was the best thing that possibly could happen.
Tiffany Sardin:Right, Mike?
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, not a lot of people, you know, would take a break, right, and take a break and then be fortunate enough to come back into this seat again or had an opportunity to come into this seat.
Tiffany Sardin:But I'm, you know, super grateful for the people that supported me, especially my family and even some of my mentors.
Tiffany Sardin:I'll talk to them and sharing, hey, this is what I'm thinking.
Tiffany Sardin:This is what I'm going to do.
Tiffany Sardin:And you know, everybody, of course, like you, so brave about this, but, you know, I wholeheartedly stand it and felt it and thought it was the best thing and the right thing for me and no regrets for sure.
Sponsor/Co-host:So during that time when you're taking that little break, are you reflecting on your experience as a first time head coach and then thinking about, obviously you were in some difficult circumstances with COVID which threw everybody for a loop in terms of that, what, whatever that experience was, it was not a normal experience.
Sponsor/Co-host:And so for somebody who's going through and being a head coach for the first time under those circumstances, I'm not sure how realistic that was in terms of what it's really like to be a head coach under normal circumstances.
Sponsor/Co-host:But just during that break, are you reflecting and thinking about, well, if I get another opportunity, maybe here's the way that I'm thinking, or here's what I might do differently, or here's what I thought went well.
Sponsor/Co-host:Just what was the process for you kind of thinking through that first experience and preparing yourself mentally for what.
Sponsor/Co-host:What would be your second opportunity as a head coach?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, going through all that.
Tiffany Sardin:So, you know, I, like, I shared with you keeping the binders and heavy journaling, right.
Tiffany Sardin:And just talking.
Tiffany Sardin:And so in, in that break, I was still going.
Tiffany Sardin:I went to watch Northwestern practice.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, I was talking to some of my friends who are in a business coach.
Tiffany Sardin:And I honestly felt like I was like a, a part time consultant, Mike, because, you know, all my friends were still in it and you know, we're talking over the phone and, you know, I'm just seeing things from a different lens, honestly.
Tiffany Sardin:And it was, it made.
Tiffany Sardin:I was able to see things a lot clearer too, in terms of, you know, how I would hire just so many different things, or how I would do this or how I would do that.
Tiffany Sardin:Just different little things.
Tiffany Sardin:But it's certainly like, I didn't like, completely shut basketball off.
Tiffany Sardin:DePaul.
Tiffany Sardin:I was going to their game, you know, got out to a practice or two and just really still talking to some people, some coaches who I enjoy learning from, just talking to them.
Tiffany Sardin:And they all like, you not done yet.
Tiffany Sardin:You're not.
Tiffany Sardin:You not done yet.
Tiffany Sardin:And I'm like, no, I never said it.
Tiffany Sardin:I just, you know, just needed to break or whatever.
Tiffany Sardin:And I didn't know, truthfully, I didn't know the Presbyterian was going to come so soon.
Tiffany Sardin:I really did.
Tiffany Sardin:I was thinking like, okay, if it works out, that's great.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, there were still some opportunities for me to go back into the assistant coach seat.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, to be really honest, I was kind of like, you know, I really like my time managing my own time and things like that.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, just the balance, the work life balance that I appreciate so much.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, obviously being in the seats, you're able to have a little bit more control over that.
Tiffany Sardin:But still grind, right?
Tiffany Sardin:We still grinding, but it was just still Michelle Meadows to, to.
Tiffany Sardin:To jump to Presbyterian.
Tiffany Sardin:But Michelle Meadows was the athletic director at Longwood.
Tiffany Sardin:And we touched base.
Tiffany Sardin:We.
Tiffany Sardin:We connected with each other and we connected over some other opportunities that was kind of presenting itself and just also picking her brain on.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, you know, what if I, you know, I don't get into coaching?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, there, there's gotta be some other opportunities or something that I can do.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I love the game.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, what other way can I serve, be in this game or be, you know, be connected to doing something around basketball.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, she was talking and just throwing out some different things and just, you know, she's such a helper and a giver and she's.
Tiffany Sardin:Anything you need me to do, just let me know and all that.
Tiffany Sardin:And somehow Presbyterian came up, and she's actually.
Tiffany Sardin:She knows the athletic director.
Tiffany Sardin:Her and Dean Nichols are really good friends.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, they had a conversation, and, you know, Dee, we talked, and there was interest from me and her, and I'm like, well, Presbyterian did just come off of, you know, like, wow, Presbyterian just won the Big south.
Tiffany Sardin:And being in the league, you know, know the league a little bit and feel like it is a league that you can have some success in doing, you know, doing things the right way and with the right pieces.
Tiffany Sardin:And, yeah, once I was.
Tiffany Sardin:Had the opportunity to speak with Dee, it was like, okay, it went from, hey, we.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, she got.
Tiffany Sardin:She got a list of folks, right?
Tiffany Sardin:So I wasn't thinking, like, okay, this not going anywhere.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, I even talked to quite a few of my mentors, like, what you think of this?
Tiffany Sardin:You know?
Tiffany Sardin:And they like, oh, you know, okay, all right.
Tiffany Sardin:But I honestly think, like, some of them thinking, like, well, shit, Tim been off.
Tiffany Sardin:Can I.
Tiffany Sardin:She's been off a year.
Tiffany Sardin:There's no way.
Tiffany Sardin:But no, like, it really worked out.
Tiffany Sardin:And I.
Tiffany Sardin:I do think, you know, Dee obviously seen something in me, and our connection was good.
Tiffany Sardin:I got to meet with a group of folks and felt like Presbyterian honestly is headed in the right direction.
Tiffany Sardin:They like basketball here.
Tiffany Sardin:They want basketball to do well, especially after getting that taste of it, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Going to the tournament and seeing how special it can be not only for the college, but also the community.
Tiffany Sardin:Right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I'm talking about my first day there, and I'm in a coffee shop or going food lie in one of the stores, and I'm literally thinking.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, kind of, you know, nobody know me or whatever, but y'all, they like, oh, you the new coach or you.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, I'm like, so they are paying attention, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, so that made me feel good, too.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, okay, maybe I did make.
Tiffany Sardin:I do feel like I made the right decision.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm in the right place where I'm supposed to be.
Tiffany Sardin:And, yeah, we own this roller coaster right now.
Tiffany Sardin:We certainly on this track, trying to get it.
Tiffany Sardin:Get it going in the right direction for sure.
Sponsor/Co-host:Talk about putting together your staff.
Sponsor/Co-host:What's your process philosophy for putting together a great staff?
Tiffany Sardin:Yes, man.
Tiffany Sardin:Some of the people I thought, you know, that I was going to be a.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, the.
Tiffany Sardin:The.
Tiffany Sardin:The pot didn't say that.
Tiffany Sardin:So I had to, you know, kind of look at some things that, you know, I reached back to.
Tiffany Sardin:To a few of my former players who are coaching, too.
Tiffany Sardin:But also, you know, they had.
Tiffany Sardin:They reached out Inquiring about some people that they knew as well.
Tiffany Sardin:So it was like, you know, people throwing you names and all that.
Tiffany Sardin:And I really was like going through the process and it did take me a while, Mike, to really hire some people because, you know, I really believe in hiring good humans is what I say.
Tiffany Sardin:Really good people, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, and, you know, you still make some mistakes along the way and you really try to weed out the ones you really feel.
Tiffany Sardin:Not a fit.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, the staff that I have now has been great young.
Tiffany Sardin:It's a young, young group of coaches who, you know, have been to coaching for a short, short, some short years, but played at a really high level and they're hungry and they are workers, which I greatly appreciate.
Tiffany Sardin:And I did some heavy research on them.
Tiffany Sardin:And you know, I think one point our HR lady and Dee were thinking like, you really taking your time with this process because, you know, we coming up on recruiting stuff and I'm still a one woman show and I'm like, you know, in my head all I could hear is higher, slow, you know, the rest after that.
Tiffany Sardin:But I'm just thinking like, you know, let me take my time, let me try to do this right, you know, comparison to what Some things I learned about myself at Chicago, stating that first time around on the type of people.
Tiffany Sardin:And again, I had some awesome people with me at Chicago State, but I couldn't get those people again because they're in, you know, really good places and positions now and doing really great things in their life.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, this group of coaches that I have now, I did some work.
Tiffany Sardin:I mean, I really did do some work.
Tiffany Sardin:And yeah, we're learning daily for sure.
Sponsor/Co-host:How do you divide up responsibilities on the staff?
Tiffany Sardin:You said how.
Sponsor/Co-host:Yeah, how do you divide it up?
Sponsor/Co-host:You have, you go, hey, you got an offensive coordinator, defensive coordinators, or is it more?
Sponsor/Co-host:Everybody's got their hand in everything.
Sponsor/Co-host:Just how do you divvy up those responsibilities?
Tiffany Sardin:You know, I used to think like that.
Tiffany Sardin:Mike said.
Tiffany Sardin:I used to like, I.
Tiffany Sardin:That would be ideal for me.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm not kidding.
Tiffany Sardin:That would be so ideal.
Tiffany Sardin:I would love to do that.
Tiffany Sardin:But I think for right now we got, we got everybody kind of, you know, growing their knowledge in a lot of different areas.
Tiffany Sardin:But we do have some people.
Tiffany Sardin:I do, I had these conversations, right.
Tiffany Sardin:I hear their strength areas, their areas where they're really good.
Tiffany Sardin:And I, I've already assessed that and see that.
Tiffany Sardin:So I really put them, tasked them in those areas.
Tiffany Sardin:But I also challenged them in some areas where, you know, I hear what they say they want to do and how they want to continue to grow, and I delegate that to them as well.
Tiffany Sardin:And helping them.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Tiffany Sardin:And helping.
Tiffany Sardin:Hopefully being a good mentor to them.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, and not.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm not.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm not a hand holder, I can tell you that for sure.
Tiffany Sardin:But also my staff know that, you know, we got to do things the right way and not.
Tiffany Sardin:And hard.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, we got to work hard.
Tiffany Sardin:But yeah, I certainly feel like our staff is gifted in a lot of different areas.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, we got Ivy Slaughter, who's played at a really high level, played at Florida State, young coach who's just hungry to do a ton of different things.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, she was awesome.
Tiffany Sardin:She.
Tiffany Sardin:She's.
Tiffany Sardin:I mean, I'm hopeful I can keep her for as long as I can because she's just that good, Mike, honestly.
Tiffany Sardin:And then we got Elise Kiplock, who's a international coach.
Tiffany Sardin:She used to be over at Farum, but just a sponge and just know a lot of different things.
Tiffany Sardin:But she's also so computer savvy and just have a lot of different ideas that, you know, certainly going to help our program.
Tiffany Sardin:And we got the Earnest and.
Tiffany Sardin:And Nick Boboschka and some young coaches who, you know, just really hungry, like to be in a gym.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, we talk about just sharing your gift, right?
Tiffany Sardin:We.
Tiffany Sardin:We act it openly even with our players.
Tiffany Sardin:What is your gift?
Tiffany Sardin:And share it.
Tiffany Sardin:Right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, you can't be selfish and hold that gift in.
Tiffany Sardin:You got to share your gift.
Tiffany Sardin:So we talk heavy about that, but we also build upon it as well.
Sponsor/Co-host:In addition, obviously, to your staff being extremely important when you come into a new program, I'm assuming one of the first things you have to do is sit down with the returning players.
Sponsor/Co-host:So what were those conversations like when you talk?
Sponsor/Co-host:Obviously, players who are in the program were recruited by a different head coach that they thought they were going to play for over the course of their career.
Sponsor/Co-host:And now you're coming in and having to sell them on your philosophy, sell them on you as a head coach.
Sponsor/Co-host:So what were those conversations like when you first get the job, as you're talking to the returning players in the program?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, look, I think they first of all felt like they sized me up when I first came in the room.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, where did she come from?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, who is this?
Tiffany Sardin:Or whatever.
Tiffany Sardin:And it's crazy because they.
Tiffany Sardin:My players, some of my players, like, that they knew of or knew somebody that knew some of my players.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I was getting a bunch of messages like, why your players, some player from your school hit me up, asking me about this or, you know, all that and just different things.
Tiffany Sardin:So I think it was a lot of nerves for sure, in the beginning, and, you know, hopefully it's still some healthy nerves still going on right now.
Tiffany Sardin:But.
Tiffany Sardin:But no, they were just kind of like, they were very curious, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Because there they are thinking, you know, like, you know, we got some players who were injured when I came in here, biking.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, how that used to look when there's a change.
Tiffany Sardin:So I'm talking to them, you know, hearing them out as well, just as much as I want them to hear me out, too.
Tiffany Sardin:And I knew I needed to hit the ground running.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, we have honest conversations when we still have those conversations to this day of, you know, continuing to understand clear expectations.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Tiffany Sardin:Standards of the program.
Tiffany Sardin:But they were just very curious on, you know, what's she going to do?
Tiffany Sardin:Is she going to keep me?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, how this is gonna go, who she's bringing in here?
Tiffany Sardin:Because, I mean, right away in that first week, you know, I was having, you know, folks come on campus, and they were helping me out, too.
Tiffany Sardin:The returners were awesome and like, hey, I can show you around, because I'm still learning the campus, too.
Tiffany Sardin:So they.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm going on a tour with them, and remember, I don't have a staff at all at this moment, so.
Tiffany Sardin:So it was, like, all in, and it was on top of graduation, and they were getting ready to head out.
Tiffany Sardin:They were finishing up final exam.
Tiffany Sardin:So it was a lot going on in that short time.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, they were super helpful.
Tiffany Sardin:Very.
Tiffany Sardin:Like I said, just very curious as to who I am and how I want to do things.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, truthfully, why do I care?
Tiffany Sardin:I think that's been the biggest thing for the returners.
Tiffany Sardin:And, like, she.
Tiffany Sardin:She genuinely cared.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, I'm checking in on them, and some of them kind of like, why she did you mean to call me?
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, yeah, you know, I'm supposed to do that.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, they just.
Tiffany Sardin:Some of the things that they're getting from me now, they wasn't accustomed to.
Tiffany Sardin:And that's not a bad thing.
Tiffany Sardin:It's just how I do things and how I grow and build relationships is different than what they've experienced.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, I'm hopeful that it'll continue to go in the right direction.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Sponsor/Co-host:What was your planning process like this past summer?
Sponsor/Co-host:Figuring out how you wanted to play in terms of, again, defensive offensive philosophy, Looking at your personnel?
Sponsor/Co-host:What did you Do.
Sponsor/Co-host:How did you go about putting together the plan for this season in terms of how you wanted to play?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, so I did have this whole vision and it's just right now, you know, it's just continue to evolve, right.
Tiffany Sardin:It's always working itself out.
Tiffany Sardin:But you know I still want to play like you know I want, I, I do want to be aggressive team, I want to get up and press, I want to play a little bit faster, I want to play more man to man but mix it up and things like that and it was just okay finding those pieces, right.
Tiffany Sardin:Because again the returners that I, that I did inherit, they were used to a different style of play, right.
Tiffany Sardin:A more slow down pace, you know, more zone type of style.
Tiffany Sardin:And it worked for them.
Tiffany Sardin:It really did work for them.
Tiffany Sardin:So the whole summer it was just all you could hear a lot is pace, pace, pace, intensity, you know, just different things and, and going out and recruiting those players right.
Tiffany Sardin:Like so I really did.
Tiffany Sardin:I was trying to hit the portal, talking to some high school coaches.
Tiffany Sardin:So I was able to get a pretty good mix of a healthy balance of high schoolers transfers and you know I was fortunate to get a D1 transfer but you know I certainly wanted more.
Tiffany Sardin:You know I wanted more and, but yeah it was, I wasn't opposed to you know, finding the best talent at that moment.
Tiffany Sardin:I really wasn't.
Tiffany Sardin:And obviously in the mix that we have but the style that I want to play, I'm still standing in it.
Tiffany Sardin:I do want to play that way and you know we'll continue to keep recruiting to that for sure.
Tiffany Sardin:And you know it's a process, right?
Tiffany Sardin:That's what I have to tell myself.
Tiffany Sardin:It is a process and you know it's not going to help happen overnight but just you know we trying to lay the foundation and building a culture daily, not overnight.
Sponsor/Co-host:So yeah, tell me about your practice planning process day to day.
Sponsor/Co-host:So when you have a practice today and then you're going to come back tomorrow and have another practice in between those two, how do you put together your practice plan?
Sponsor/Co-host:Do you sit down and do it yourself then share it with your assistants?
Sponsor/Co-host:Are you doing it in a meeting with your assistants?
Sponsor/Co-host:You're all talking about it.
Sponsor/Co-host:Just what's the process for putting together a practice plan?
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, so we, we have like a pre practice meeting and we've had some post practice meetings as well and you know we talking about it, we like get practice film, I'm watching film like I'm learning and looking at everything possible to, to help Continue to get us better in whatever way is necessary.
Tiffany Sardin:But, you know, I'm encouraging my staff, and heck, we've watched film together as a staff too, and I tell them, hey, what you all see in practice, what is something that, you know, you all feel like we need to keep working on or whatever.
Tiffany Sardin:And also, I believe what my eyes tell me every day.
Tiffany Sardin:So I use that as the judger too.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, you know how we be sometimes so adamant on this is what I know I want to do.
Tiffany Sardin:But what you're seeing, I gotta tweak this.
Tiffany Sardin:I gotta adjust it.
Tiffany Sardin:So, you know, one thing too that I'm learning, Mike, as well, is I can't put everything on a practice plan.
Tiffany Sardin:I can't.
Tiffany Sardin:Because, you know, we get stuck in a few things that I'm like, we really have to get good at something.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, one or two things, and that's what we gonna stick with.
Tiffany Sardin:But.
Tiffany Sardin:But yeah, like, it's.
Tiffany Sardin:It's a collaborative effort and plan and practice and share thoughts from them, you know, even talking with the players, too.
Tiffany Sardin:Right on, you know, areas that they want to keep developing and areas for sure that we, you know, visibly see.
Tiffany Sardin:We.
Tiffany Sardin:That's.
Tiffany Sardin:That's an emergency improvement right there.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, we got to get better.
Tiffany Sardin:We got to put the work in on that right away.
Tiffany Sardin:So.
Tiffany Sardin:But yeah, my staff is pretty heavy involved, and it's not just all me.
Tiffany Sardin:And yeah, I try not to.
Tiffany Sardin:I really try to.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, again, like, till it taught me is shared leadership, shared thoughts, collaborative thoughts.
Tiffany Sardin:And I want to hear everybody's right.
Tiffany Sardin:And again, they.
Tiffany Sardin:They.
Tiffany Sardin:We pretty open and understanding.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, yeah, you know, I want everybody to feel comfortable and speaking and, you know, they lead the drill.
Tiffany Sardin:Some of the drills, too.
Tiffany Sardin:I asked them for some of the ideas, say, okay, be prepared.
Tiffany Sardin:You're going to teach it.
Tiffany Sardin:You know, and I have some young coaches who kind of like, wait, I can show you or whatever.
Tiffany Sardin:And I'm like, no, like, you can show me.
Tiffany Sardin:I'll give you some feedback if I need to, but be prepared to show it to our women and, you know, helping them get that opportunity and that experience as well.
Tiffany Sardin:And they.
Tiffany Sardin:They seem to be doing well with it.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, I'll know the nerves, but they're getting better every day, for sure.
Sponsor/Co-host:That's such a good point.
Sponsor/Co-host:And it's one.
Sponsor/Co-host:I think that obviously in your years as an assistant that you appreciated, right.
Sponsor/Co-host:Your head coaches, when they gave you those opportunities to take those responsibilities.
Sponsor/Co-host:And yet, just when you're describing your assistants as being nervous when they have to take over something.
Sponsor/Co-host:I remember when I was coaching and I was in a high school varsity assistant, and there'd be times where.
Sponsor/Co-host:And I don't even know if my head coach did it on purpose even to this day, but there'd be times where all of a sudden he'd be like, I gotta make a phone call.
Sponsor/Co-host:I'll be right back.
Sponsor/Co-host:And he'd go and go to the coach's office like, you take this next drill.
Sponsor/Co-host:And at the time, I didn't necessarily think of it as he was putting that responsibility in my hands to help me become a better coach.
Sponsor/Co-host:I just thought, he's got it, you know, whatever.
Sponsor/Co-host:He's ducking out to make a phone call or he's.
Sponsor/Co-host:Who knows what he's doing.
Sponsor/Co-host:And now I look back on it and to your point, I'm sure that part of the reason why he was doing that was to give me that responsibility and have me kind of take that over and take some.
Sponsor/Co-host:Take some leadership and take some responsibility for it.
Sponsor/Co-host:It's certainly a huge way to be able to grow your staff.
Sponsor/Co-host:And then the second point that I really like that you made was talking about in the.
Sponsor/Co-host:In designing a practice.
Sponsor/Co-host:We all know that when you look at your team, you can come up with a myriad of things that you want to work on on a daily basis.
Sponsor/Co-host:And yet you know very well that you can't accomplish all those things in a 90 minute or 120 minute practice.
Sponsor/Co-host:It's just impossible.
Sponsor/Co-host:And so to be able to sort of drill down into, okay, well, this practice, we need to focus on these one or two things and get really good at those.
Sponsor/Co-host:I think that's a great point.
Sponsor/Co-host:And I think it's something that especially young coaches sometimes have difficulty narrowing down and figuring out, okay, what do I need to really hone in on?
Sponsor/Co-host:Because if I don't, I'm just going to be so scattershot that we're going to end up doing a whole lot of everything and not really accomplishing a whole lot of.
Sponsor/Co-host:Of anything at the same time.
Sponsor/Co-host:So I think being that focus to me is really important.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, no, it really is.
Tiffany Sardin:It's.
Tiffany Sardin:Again, I'm still learning to this day because I'm like, it might not be reflecting right now what we're doing, and I promise you, we ain't doing everything.
Tiffany Sardin:We really try to minimize some of the things and we just.
Tiffany Sardin:It's about to show up.
Tiffany Sardin:It's going to show up, and we know that.
Tiffany Sardin:But.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, no, it's important.
Tiffany Sardin:It really is.
Tiffany Sardin:And like you talked about with some of the coaches, I was fortunate to be under.
Tiffany Sardin:They did put me, you know, in those positions.
Tiffany Sardin:And only thing for them, it was like, you know, they.
Tiffany Sardin:It would be in the moment, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Hey, Tim, what was that play you talked about?
Tiffany Sardin:Show them right now.
Tiffany Sardin:And it's like, wait, what?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, hold on, Mike, if I can share a story.
Tiffany Sardin:One of my coaching at uic.
Tiffany Sardin:Regina Miller, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I don't know if you know Regina Miller, but she used to be at UNLV and longtime coach there.
Tiffany Sardin:And she's.
Tiffany Sardin:She's at UIC.
Tiffany Sardin:This is my first Division 1 assistant coaching opportunity.
Tiffany Sardin:And she.
Tiffany Sardin:We in the game.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, like you talk about that the moment and she's like, tiff, draw that play for.
Tiffany Sardin:For them, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like it's the timeout.
Tiffany Sardin:My, like, first first year.
Tiffany Sardin:There's everything and they give me the board.
Tiffany Sardin:And Mike, I'm talking about, I'm drawing it.
Tiffany Sardin:But the top on the marker was never off.
Tiffany Sardin:The horn blow, like horn blow.
Tiffany Sardin:The assistant coaches and them look at me like, God damn.
Tiffany Sardin:I'm like, whoops, Whoops.
Tiffany Sardin:That's funny about just being prepared and all that stuff.
Tiffany Sardin:And like, I had no clue because Regina, if, you know Regina, she.
Tiffany Sardin:She controlled everything, everything.
Tiffany Sardin:So for her to just out of nowhere like that surprised everybody.
Tiffany Sardin:Well, tip.
Tiffany Sardin:Draw that play up and I'm like on the way.
Tiffany Sardin:But nothing was on the board.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, nothing was on there.
Tiffany Sardin:Like godly, just forget it.
Sponsor/Co-host:That is when you get, when you get put on the spot like that.
Sponsor/Co-host:It's funny.
Sponsor/Co-host:So even I'll give you, I'll give you a similar story.
Sponsor/Co-host:So I help coach my daughter's AU team and I'm just an assistant coach.
Sponsor/Co-host:And so I do a lot of stuff in practice and in games.
Sponsor/Co-host:Usually I'm just, you know, I'm sitting on the bench.
Sponsor/Co-host:I'm kind of a, you know, I'm the cheer, I'm the cheerleader guy.
Sponsor/Co-host:You know, I'm just, you know, doing my thing.
Sponsor/Co-host:But every once in a while, our head coach will be at the end of a game or, you know, there'll be some moment he'll be like, hey, can you drop an out of bounds play?
Sponsor/Co-host:I'm like, you mean one that we've never done before that you want me to draw?
Sponsor/Co-host:You know, draw up on the.
Sponsor/Co-host:Draw up on the clipboard?
Sponsor/Co-host:I'm like, well, sure, I could try to come up with.
Sponsor/Co-host:I could try to come up with something, you know, and see what I can do.
Sponsor/Co-host:So, yeah, it's.
Sponsor/Co-host:I Mean, again, part of being a coach, right, is you talked about earlier is being adaptable, being flexible, being able to, to jump in and do things kind of off the cuff.
Sponsor/Co-host:And yeah, it's again, there's, there's positives to it and one of the things again as a, as a head coach that you want to do is to be able to develop your staff and help them to get to where they want to go in their careers.
Sponsor/Co-host:And again, in addition to coaching your team and having success on the floor with your players, developing your staff I think is also an important part of, of being a head coach and, and having success.
Sponsor/Co-host:And I know that it sounds like that's exactly what you learned in your time as an assistant, exactly what you're going to continue to do as a head coach as you move along.
Sponsor/Co-host:Before we wrap up, I'm going to ask you a final two part question here and I think it's probably a good point to, to, to get to this because again, where you are in your first season right now and we're in as we're recording this, It's I guess it's 1:05am on December, on December 5th.
Sponsor/Co-host:So here's the two part question.
Sponsor/Co-host:Part one is when you look ahead over the next year, what do you see as being your biggest challenge?
Sponsor/Co-host:And then the second part of the question is when you think about what you get to do every day and obviously you've had a lot of different experiences and you had your break where you stepped away from the game, what brings you the most joy?
Sponsor/Co-host:So your biggest challenge and then your biggest joy.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, the biggest challenge.
Tiffany Sardin:Goodness.
Tiffany Sardin:I would say the biggest challenge, Mike, probably is we haven't quite been in the nil space yet.
Tiffany Sardin:Like we're building a collective.
Tiffany Sardin:Like they, it just kind of rolled out this year maybe a month or two ago and we're starting to grow that.
Tiffany Sardin:But I do know that we're in that space now, right?
Tiffany Sardin:We in that space.
Tiffany Sardin:And the type of players that I wish to recruit to PC and would love to, you know, have a opportunity to coach, you know, they, these are the type of players who might be looking for that, right.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, so I see that being somewhat of a challenge, right?
Tiffany Sardin:And being able to, you know, keep up with that, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like keep up with it because we are a small school, we're in a small town and you know, decently resourced institution.
Tiffany Sardin:But it's also, you know, we're, we're continue to grow.
Tiffany Sardin:We have to continue to grow and evolve to keep up.
Tiffany Sardin:You Know, from a competitive standpoint, not just with.
Tiffany Sardin:Within our league, but just, you know, other competitors.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Tiffany Sardin:Like, I find myself in some battles with recruiting some kids that are in the C, like, getting.
Tiffany Sardin:Recruit.
Tiffany Sardin:Heavily recruited by the caa, Right.
Tiffany Sardin:And it's like, I believe, you know, we can get those kids, but I know that they're able to offer, you know, some things that we.
Tiffany Sardin:We gotta maybe, you know, expedite a little bit more.
Tiffany Sardin:So that piece, I would say.
Tiffany Sardin:And the other part is, you know, like, I just really, like, again, the most rewarding part for me has been able to just kind of step back and come back in it and see things from a different lens of just everything is not a crisis.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Tiffany Sardin:It's really not.
Tiffany Sardin:And just be able to appreciate the small.
Tiffany Sardin:The small victories and almost celebrate them like it's the championship.
Tiffany Sardin:Right.
Tiffany Sardin:And just not taking those small opportunities for granted.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, my family too, right?
Tiffany Sardin:Like, my family is really happy for me.
Tiffany Sardin:And, you know, my brother has already been out there, been out here to support me, and they watch it and everything and they just, you know, they.
Tiffany Sardin:They see how excited I am to be back coaching and everything, and they just like, you know, whatever.
Tiffany Sardin:Whatever you need us to do, like, we, the cheerleaders, we got to suit up or what.
Tiffany Sardin:What else is it?
Tiffany Sardin:But again, just really not taking these opportunities for granted and just really maximizing the time that I have and the opportunity that's in front of me and just trying to do my absolute best in it.
Sponsor/Co-host:Makes sense.
Sponsor/Co-host:Totally well said.
Sponsor/Co-host:Before we finish up, I want to give you a chance to share how people can reach out to you, find out more about your program, whether you want to share, email, website, social media, whatever you feel comfortable with.
Sponsor/Co-host:And then after you do that, I'll jump back in and wrap things up.
Tiffany Sardin:Yeah, no, you can reach out to me via email.
Tiffany Sardin:T.
Tiffany Sardin:Sardon Presby Edu.
Tiffany Sardin:Also, you can find me on Instagram.
Tiffany Sardin:I finally gave in.
Tiffany Sardin:I know some of my players and just my friends will talk crazy about me.
Tiffany Sardin:But not on Twitter yet.
Tiffany Sardin:But I'll be back on there.
Tiffany Sardin:But I'm on Instagram at Coach Tiffs with the S at the end of it.
Tiffany Sardin:And yeah, follow Blue hose, women's basketball Blueholes, WBB on Instagram and Twitter.
Tiffany Sardin:But no, super grateful.
Tiffany Sardin:And thank you so much, Mike, for this opportunity.
Sponsor/Co-host:Absolutely.
Sponsor/Co-host:Tiffany, cannot thank you enough for being flexible, for staying up late and for sharing your time tonight.
Sponsor/Co-host:Really appreciate that.
Sponsor/Co-host:And to everyone out there, thanks for listening and we will catch you on our next episode.
Tiffany Sardin:Thanks.
Sponsor/Co-host:Your first impression is everything when applying for a new coaching job.
Sponsor/Co-host:A professional coaching portfolio is the tool that highlights your coaching achievements and philosophies and most of all, helps separate you and your abilities from the other applicants.
Sponsor/Co-host:The Coaching Portfolio Guide is an instructional membership based website that helps you develop a personalized portfolio.
Sponsor/Co-host:Each section of the Portfolio Guide provides detailed instructions on how to organize your portfolio in a professional manner.
Sponsor/Co-host:The guide also provides sample documents for each section of your portfolio that you can copy, modify and add to your personal portfolio.
Sponsor/Co-host:As a Hoopeds pod listener, you can get your Coaching Portfolio Guide for just $25.
Sponsor/Co-host:Visit coachingportfolioguide.com hoopeds to learn more.
Sponsor/Co-host:Thanks for listening to the Hoop Heads Podcast presented by Head Start Basketball.
