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Welcome to The Amy Eagan Podcast. Every Saturday Lindenwood University's Head Women's Basketball Coach Amy Eagan talks women's basketball and much, much more. We'll talk about past games, future games, players, the OVC, the NCAA, academics, careers, and many other interesting topics.
Gary (00:01.772)
Welcome to the Amy Egan podcast where each week, Lyndenwood University head women's basketball coach Amy Egan talks women's basketball and much, more. We'll talk about past games as the season starts, future games, players, the Ohio Valley Conference, the NCAA, academics, careers, and many other interesting topics. Hi, my name is Gary Stocker and we're starting the podcast off this week.
with sophomore player Gracie Kelsey. Gracie, thanks for taking time out from what I'm sure is a busy classroom schedule to join us.
Amy Eagan (00:33.933)
Hi Dr. Stocker. Thanks for having me, I appreciate it.
Gary (00:37.14)
pleasure. Let's talk a little bit about Lindonwood just to get started. And this is now your second year and so what's been the best part, Gracie, of being a Lindonwood student so far?
Amy Eagan (00:48.39)
Probably the best part is finally getting to know the area and the campus. Coming in as a sophomore, I didn't really know the area, didn't know the campus very well. And so finally getting to be comfortable in my space and kind of just have a better connection with the professors has just really been great.
Gary (01:07.504)
Excellent. And of course, it's only fair if I ask the best part, being a college student, you've got to have gripes of some sort. What's the worst part so far of being a Lindenwood student?
Amy Eagan (01:11.147)
haha
Amy Eagan (01:17.089)
I'm not very good at managing my time sometimes. So that's probably been the worst part. As I never know when really to know maybe I should go sleep. Maybe I should go eat. So just my time management is probably the worst part.
Gary (01:25.368)
What are you?
Gary (01:30.786)
Ha ha ha.
Gary (01:34.83)
Well, there you go. You got three years, two and a half years, three years to work on that. So plenty of time. The first thing is recognition, right? You recognize that you can make it better from there. So you're a talented basketball player. I watched some of your high school video before you came to Lindenwood. I watched you play last year, just as you were coming into your own in the season. You had other opportunities to play college basketball elsewhere. What were the factors that led you to join Coach Egan at Lindenwood University?
Amy Eagan (01:39.05)
Yeah.
Amy Eagan (02:04.669)
It's Coach Egan and her team. They are just amazing coaches and they really care about you personally. They're not just here to, you know, coach you through basketball. They help coach you through life. And so I think that was something that separated her from the other coaches is she cared more about you and your well-being than, you know, kind of the basketball factor of it.
Gary (02:27.854)
Cool, cool. And so let's talk about the season so far. Of course, the basketball season itself doesn't start for a week or so yet, but you went through the summer of 2023 practices and all of you are new from Coach Egan, staff and the nine freshmen and I just, Mary McGrath and maybe one other person where I'd been to Lindwood before. So, so far from this past summer of 2024 and then the pre-season practices, what are your takeaways for the team and even for Gracie Kelsey?
Amy Eagan (02:32.023)
Okay.
Amy Eagan (02:39.703)
Mm-hmm.
Amy Eagan (02:56.491)
Yeah, we have definitely a lot of growth. You can see just how much growth we've had from last year. We're able to take accountability now this year just because we know what's expected and we know what, you know, OVC play is like. So we just are getting better every day and we're trusting the process, which I think we really struggled with last year just because we didn't really know what we were trusting.
So we've seen that if we follow what the coaches say and what the coaches tell us to do, that we can win. And so I think this year, it's like we're all in for it. So I think that just really makes a big difference.
Gary (03:39.938)
That's a nice answer, Gracie. Very well put, very well put. So, you know, this is the second season, second year of your college career. You know, two more years, that's going to be over. And so really the main reason everybody goes to college is very few do get the chance to play D1 sports like you do. What is your major, Gracie? And then what are you looking to do after your college basketball career ends?
Amy Eagan (03:55.614)
Thank
Amy Eagan (04:03.925)
So my major is exercise science and then I am deciding the minor in psychology. So I hope to go with like the physical therapy route just because of my experience that I've had. I've had really good physical therapists in the past and even present. And so I think a lot of it comes from them because they're there to help me and encourage me every day and just to be able to help somebody. And then also
having the mindset of I've been through this, I know what you're feeling, I know how down you can get about it. So I think that's really the path that I wanna take.
Gary (04:44.052)
Interesting, interesting thought process.
I was teasing you before we started recording that the next question was about giving guidance. So I think I was teasing you that 10 years ago, you were nine or 10 years old, had no idea you were going to play basketball in college, let alone in a D1 university. So think back over the years, those intervening 10 years, and envision a young woman, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 years old, who realizes that she might be able to play D1 basketball. What kind of guidance would you give that young woman with your experience?
Amy Eagan (05:17.601)
I would probably tell her to enjoy the process because I don't know, at first or when I went through it, I thought it was just so stressful and so like time consuming. But so I would tell her to just enjoy it because it only happens one time. and there's, I mean, there's things that everybody regrets not doing. And so I think like enjoying the process was one of them for me.
Gary (05:30.188)
Yeah.
Gary (05:44.158)
What about the time commitment? I'm guessing in those 10 years when you were growing up, you shot a few basketballs at basketball hoops, Was the time commitment more than you saw your peers doing for things they were good at?
Amy Eagan (05:55.013)
yes. And I think I struggled with that a lot too, just because I didn't get to hang out with friends as much like growing up. And so, my dad, played college football and so he kind of always told me that it's not always going to be fair on how much you work. it'll come faster to others and slower to others. And so he kind of just always remind me that I just had to keep working if I wanted to do something like that.
Gary (06:02.669)
Yeah.
Gary (06:24.898)
And you mentioned your father. And of course, I'm guessing, Gracie, that it's likely your family and friends will listen to this podcast. So this is your final question. As your family and friends listen to this podcast, what's the one message you want to share with them as they listen to you on this podcast?
Amy Eagan (06:41.273)
a message I would like to share, probably be, probably thank you for always supporting me. My parents are big supporters of my life and even like my aunts and uncles, they always check in on me. So probably just to thank you because I know I'm not the easiest.
Gary (06:58.214)
Well, Well, our guest has been Lynden University women's basketball player, Gracie Kelsey. Gracie, I wish you the best of luck this season. I will, of course, be there to provide guidance to the referees, as I always do. And I look forward to seeing you on the court. My pleasure.
Amy Eagan (07:10.25)
Thank you.
Gary (07:14.998)
Yeah, don't worry about that. Just, yeah, just that's fine. You're fine. You're fine. You're fine.
Amy Eagan (07:30.303)
He's crazy. Okay.
Gary (07:36.61)
You do this better than Gerdeman. Gerdeman, this athlete has to go find him. comes trudging back into the office.
Amy Eagan (07:40.173)
you
Amy Eagan (07:45.785)
Man a man in many words
Gary (07:49.639)
You don't get to see this because you're with these people all the time, as is Kyle. But to see such impressive young people communicate so well. And I know you see it in a big picture, that was, you know, she's... can't remember. Yeah.
Amy Eagan (07:57.931)
Yeah.
Amy Eagan (08:01.975)
She did well. She did really well. I just, tell them to like, just relax, just relax. Don't overthink it. You'll be fine.
Gary (08:09.909)
Yeah, yeah, so it well. All right, so I'm going to do a transition to get you on the podcast. I'm going take off with the questions.
Amy Eagan (08:14.797)
Okay.
Amy Eagan (08:19.853)
You want to ask me something about Gracie? To transition it? Yeah.
Gary (08:22.754)
Do you want me to? Do want me to? Okay. So as we continue, Coach Egan has jumped behind the podcast microphone. Coach, always glad to chat with you on this Monday afternoon. Gracie Kelsey was an impressive young woman.
Amy Eagan (08:41.131)
Yeah, absolutely. She's a phenomenal kid and a great player. I was very fortunate that she chose Linda Wood University. I think she's a kid. If you got any kind of insight and watching her on the floor last year, you just know if she chooses to have a really bright future, she has it because of her skill set. And you throw the type of kid she is on top of that. And she's just a treat to be around. So we're really lucky and we're very blessed to have her in our program.
Gary (09:10.414)
Good to hear. And I'm impressed with all of the Linwood athletes I have on the podcast that I do for the university. Coach, we talked about the WNBA over some of our summer podcasts. And again, I...
Yes, the Caitlin Clark factor was a big deal, but I watched really every playoff game I could this last month or so. Coach, those are some not just talented athletes, but very skilled basketball players. And I think they're changing the paradigm of people who follow women's basketball probably at all levels.
Amy Eagan (09:40.557)
Yeah, I mean, I 100 % agree. I I watched I think almost every playoff game as well. And it was fun to watch him. I mean, I think the skill level is continuing to grow like we had talked about with with WNBA college, know, high school, that kind of stuff. And I think people are noticing it and watching it. it's
It's been really fun and it's gonna continue to develop. I know they're adding a couple of franchises this year to WNBA. So it's gonna continue to grow. I'm hoping maybe at some point St. Louis puts in for WNBA team, we can get one here. So that'd be pretty cool to have the ability to spend some time with them and to whether it's go down there and watch or and watch in person. That'd be pretty cool for sure.
Gary (10:28.014)
Yeah, my wife and I were in Indianapolis a couple weeks ago for a show. We walked by Gamebridge Field House and there's Caitlin Clark stuff all over the place. It just you didn't see that a year ago. You didn't see that kind of stuff a year ago. And it was just fascinating. So a couple of weeks ago, I think I think I saw you playing pickleball. I wasn't quite sure of the sport you were playing, but you did introduce me to a couple of past players. And I know just from our conversations around campus and other places.
Amy Eagan (10:35.531)
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, 100%.
Amy Eagan (10:45.555)
Ugh.
Gary (10:54.222)
that you do a pretty good job of keeping up with past players from Drury and Truman and other places. What's your approach to staying in touch with those players?
Amy Eagan (11:01.377)
Yeah, well, I think, you know, as busy as we are, I do think it's hard, especially during season, to do those things. I mean, I think the easiest way for me to keep up with all of them is honestly social media. And because I've had so many players and some of them are in coaching, which when they're in coaching, it's a little bit easier because you run into them or see them a little bit more often. But the people that are out of coaching, it kind of just depends on, you know, if I run into them or if
You know, we cross paths and some of them you talk to more than others. But I think that's an important part of it and building relationships. And, you know, we always say it goes beyond just being a player of ours, but, you know, if they need anything in life and that. And I just think that's special. And I really enjoy that part of it. You know, I love it when I have an opportunity to see a former player or talk to a former player or see their families as they grow. You know, I've always said one of the things that I've enjoyed about coaching was just watching our kids.
grow throughout the years with us, you know, as people and as players and that, and then that continues, you know, into adulthood. So I'm really, really hoping, I mean, you know what I'm hoping is that they just have some little female basketball players as kids and they grow up and they can play for me before I retire. I think that would be so cool. So I'm really, really keeping track of those kids, right?
Gary (12:18.6)
you
Gary (12:22.126)
There you go.
Gary (12:28.004)
Right, right.
Amy Eagan (12:29.613)
I do, I enjoy seeing them as they grow families and you know all that kind of stuff too. So it's pretty special.
Gary (12:37.347)
And I know the Ohio Valley Conference Media Day was a couple weeks ago, I think, and it went virtual this year. And tell me what it's like to be doing that virtually because you don't get a chance to see your peers in person. Is that a different approach? Is that a good approach even?
Amy Eagan (12:53.677)
Yeah, so last year, you know, was in person this year's virtual. So it's a little bit different. I think, you know, when you talk about time, time, you know, saving and, money saving, it's a lot easier to have it virtual with stuff. But it was similar format, you know, when it was in person, we went into a room and just sat in front of a camera here. We just sat in front of our computer camera. So it's similar, but
I did enjoy, know, last year it was my first one. So I thought it was really good for me because I had the opportunity to meet some of the coaches in the OVC and talk to some of them a little bit and start kind of some of that relationship with them. Now, a lot of them I already know. So maybe it wasn't as big a deal this year, but I think it's still a big deal for our kids. And, you know, Ellie was able to join me on that and just did a great job. I think it helps grow them as people.
when they have to speak in front of people or into a camera and that and ask questions. But me and Ellie found out we're not very spontaneous with the questions that they ask. We weren't very original, I can tell you that.
Gary (13:55.468)
Yeah.
Gary (14:03.096)
So let's go start moving toward the season. And we talked all during last year's set of podcasts about the nine freshmen that you had. This year, obviously, a much, much different mix. But if you would please take a couple minutes and talk about your seniors and your graduate students this year and the roles you think they might play as the season progresses.
Amy Eagan (14:16.493)
Mm-hmm.
Amy Eagan (14:21.793)
Yeah, you know, we have three seniors this year, Mary McGrath, Mariah Stewart and Justice Odom. You know, Mary's a really special kid to me because, you know, she was here prior to us getting here and obviously had an opportunity to leave if she chose to leave to go somewhere else, but really just loves Linda Wood and really wanted to be a part of Linda Wood. And so I think that, you know, her being here and her investment in our program
it's just something that you hold close to your heart as a coach because, you know, she didn't have to do that. And, know, I think, Mary had a really good year before we got here and then struggled a little bit last year. And, know, with some conversations and, the changing over of, into our program, she's really just been just a person that, you know, I think makes our program. If, that's how I want to say it, you know, I know she maybe doesn't get all the minutes, but, you know, they call her the mom of the team.
Gary (15:19.393)
you
Amy Eagan (15:19.881)
I just love her. She's so invested in what we're trying to do here. And we wouldn't be at the point of continuing to turn this around without her and her investment in us and her belief in what we're doing. And so I'm really proud of her and really thankful for her. Raya Stewart came on board this year, is a one-year kid from, she's originally played at Hancock here in St. Louis. So she kind of had the opportunity to come home with stuff and we didn't have her this summer, which I think hurt.
her a little bit. If we would have had her this summer, I think she would have been a lot further along, but she's getting there. And she's working hard to get to where we need her to be. Very high IQ kid, just a great, great kid, great person. Big hearted. And so she's been a treat to be around and we're still learning her and growing with her. And then of course, Justice is in her second year with us here. And we're really thankful that she decided to come back for her second year with us. I think the
The best is yet to come for her. As you saw last year at the end of the year, she really was growing in our program and she's continuing to do that. But I'll tell you, that kid, she can make you laugh any day of the week. Just a really funny kid, but also a really big hearted kid. And one of the things I think is pretty cool about her is that she's a lot older than all those sophomore who were freshmen last year and sophomores now, but she's really...
you know, really come into taking them kind of on and, and or like hanging out with them and, really grown to, be a part of their family and, and our family and that. So I think that's pretty cool to see because sometimes you don't see that with older kids. So very appreciative and thankful for her as well.
Gary (17:01.474)
And you brought in a new assistant coach this summer. Talk about Aaron Beadle.
Amy Eagan (17:06.337)
Yeah, so Aaron came on board and he was down in Texas at a D3 school as an assistant coach and he's married and has a son, a little over one. So he's been up in Iowa, so he's been to the Midwest a little bit. So he kind of had an idea of stuff and he has came on board and really this year, I think your first year is always hard because you're learning everything from the ground up, you know? And so.
What I think has been really great about him is he's really just thrown himself into our system, into our players, into our program, and really just whatever we need him to do to be successful, he's been willing to do that. And so he's taken on a lot of different roles this year, but I expect as he continues to learn our system, as he continues to learn our kids, continues to learn what I want on the floor, off the floor with the kids.
he'll have a lot more of a voice in the future with stuff. right now it's a lot of learning for him, but that's really just part of it.
Gary (18:07.714)
And you know I've talked about the new practice gym many times. I don't talk about that today, but I was at the Linwood volleyball game on Friday night and the brand new scoreboard hanging over the Linwood museum there in the Highland Center was just a stunning upgrade. Coach Linwood clearly is investing in athletics.
Amy Eagan (18:27.627)
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, the four sided video board is just beautiful. And, you we were down there the other day practicing and it was on and it's amazing how much it makes, how much brighter it makes the gym. We were like, why is the gym brighter? And it's because that was on. So, it's just really high quality and, it's going to be a great addition to, to our arena and, to the growth that we continue to see at Linda when the vestment that we can continue to see. mean, you talk about our practice gym that's done now has shot clocks, now has game clocks.
a game clock. So that's pretty much completely done, just beautiful and been so helpful with stuff. And our kids have access to it from, you know, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. So they had the ability to get in there and get better, which before this year, they didn't really have that, you know, because our gym is, our main gym is used all day. So it's been so great so far and we'll continue to take advantage of that. And then, you you talk about the four sided video board and the video board along the wall, that was an upgrade in our arena.
You talk about our locker room, which we fundraised for those things, but the upgrade in our locker room, and that has really just helped us a ton and looks phenomenal. So we got a lot of really, really good things going on here. We just got to continue to do that. And I think the biggest thing is we're continuing to build this program. I tell kids this all the time. And the facilities and that, they're important. We want you to have nice things, but that's not what you're going to remember when you leave.
You're going to remember the relationships, you're going to remember the moments, and those are the things we're really trying to create for them.
Gary (20:01.132)
And you know, coach, I do have one complaint about the new video system. The camera guy kept focusing on my wife and I at the volleyball game and high resolution. Who wants to see two old people? So I mean, I need to talk to the camera guy, say, find somebody else. All right, coach, just getting close to game time. Less than two weeks out in the next few days. What's the focus? Where do you want the girls? Excuse me. Where do want the young women to be?
Amy Eagan (20:10.579)
No, we know why. Because you run the show here. We know that. We know that. Couldn't have picked two better people.
Yep.
Gary (20:30.006)
when they go to Kansas here in a couple of weeks.
Amy Eagan (20:30.037)
Yeah. Yeah, I've had a lot of thoughts going on lately just with some things that we need to continue to do with our group and our program. And, you know, we have a scrimmage tonight, so that'll be good for us. And we still have five new kids, so we still have a lot of newness, you know, a lot of things to figure out. But I think, you know, for us, it's, you know, finding ways to continue to get these kids to not hope that we win, but to believe in what we're doing and believe that we're going to win.
So changing that, some of that hope that last year, I know we had hoping going into game, I hope we win, hope we can do this to some belief that we're gonna do it. And so I think that's the biggest thing in the next couple of weeks. We're gonna work on some goal setting stuff. we don't have a lot of time before we open up. So we've got to work on one more thing with like some ball screen D, but we're pretty much set with kind of the base of who we're gonna be and what we wanna do.
Now it's really just fine-tuning a lot of stuff and then adding some things as we see some competition.
Gary (21:31.502)
Well, hey, we've come to the end of this podcast episode with Lindenwood University Head Women's Basketball Coach Amy Egan. We had sophomore player Gracie Kelsey joining us. I encourage each of you that listens to the podcast to share it with friends and family and neighbors and of course other high school students. If have questions or comments for Coach Egan for future podcasts, email them to me at gstalker, G-S-T-O-C-K-E-R at lindenwood.edu. Coach, let's do this again next week.
Amy Eagan (21:58.423)
Sounds great.