Samford WBB head coach Carley Kuhns settles in for second season
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Carley Kuhns, head coach of the Samford University women鈥檚 basketball team, says the number one thing she wants to leave with her players is the memory that she cared about them as people first, and as players second.
鈥淭he wins are fun,” Kuhns said. “But the relationships, accountability, love, lessons, and commitment are what they will remember.”
Now in her 13th year of coaching basketball and sixth year as a head coach, Kuhns has something to say about winning, too —聽聽consistency is key.
鈥淲e work every day on the basics and breaking down skills to build confidence,” Kuhns said.
She also makes sure her players get plenty of scrimmages as part of her coaching strategy, because 鈥渘othing prepares you to play like playing.鈥�
Kuhns has been head coach at Samford for two years and her first year there remains one of the most memorable in her career so far. It started with the team being ranked No. 7 out of eight teams and ended with the first ever regular season championship in Samford women鈥檚 basketball history. That year the team went on to take the Southern Conference Tournament Championship with a final game that delivered maximum thrills.
Samford won that game after hitting a three-point throw with about 25 seconds left in the game and snatching the lead right as the shot clock expired.
鈥淭he joy on the players鈥� faces was unlike anything I have ever seen,鈥� Kuhns said.
She takes the long view on losses as well. In most games, she finds something to learn from one or two places where a different choice might have won the game. As long as the players give maximum effort and keep a good attitude — the rest is coachable.
Athletics teams are often a kind of extended family and Coach Kuhns sees that as part of a successful program. One of the proudest moments she had as a coach happened off the court when a player asked her daughters to be flower girls in her wedding.
鈥淲e preach family in the program,” Kuhns said. “To see it come to fruition and be included in that big moment in a player’s life was really neat.”
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