[81alum]

Do any of you think that maybe Tara's age works against her in the recruiting world?  She's certainly not getting dumber from a on-court coaching standpoint,  but rival coaches who are younger might come across as more energetic and charismatic when dealing with teenage women.

I only think it would work against her if recruits thought she might retire before their time at Stanford was over.  This contract helps to ease any such worries.

I do think it important for the staff to have some younger coaches.  That may be one of the reasons they hired Tempie Brown.  Brown and Kate Paye are in their 30s, at least.

But age was certainly not an issue for Pat Summit, and Tara is only 1 year older than Geno.  While I think it would be hard to come into a new job and try to build a program at an advanced age, it does not seem to hurt a coach who is watching over a long established program. 

In WBB I think that parents are of vital importance in recruiting decisions, and they are more likely to trust their daughter to Tara's ethics and expertise  than to someone who is less well known.  A coach who seems like a Professor of basketball seems to fit the bill perfectly for our kind of recruits, who are all academic stars in their own right too.  Plus, Tara is quite youthful compared with others in her age cohort.

[81alum]

Do any of you think that maybe Tara's age works against her in the recruiting world?  She's certainly not getting dumber from a on-court coaching standpoint,  but rival coaches who are younger might come across as more energetic and charismatic when dealing with teenage women.

I only think it would work against her if recruits thought she might retire before their time at Stanford was over.  This contract helps to ease any such worries.

I do think it important for the staff to have some younger coaches.  That may be one of the reasons they hired Tempie Brown.  Brown and Kate Paye are in their 30s, at least.

But age was certainly not an issue for Pat Summit, and Tara is only 1 year older than Geno.  While I think it would be hard to come into a new job and try to build a program at an advanced age, it does not seem to hurt a coach who is watching over a long established program. 

In WBB I think that parents are of vital importance in recruiting decisions, and they are more likely to trust their daughter to Tara's ethics and expertise  than to someone who is less well known.  A coach who seems like a Professor of basketball seems to fit the bill perfectly for our kind of recruits, who are all academic stars in their own right too.  Plus, Tara is quite youthful compared with others in her age cohort.