Gail Goestenkors, Assistant Coach

[HuskyNan]

Interesting career move

Gail Goestenkors named Kentucky women’s basketball assistant coach

The 2015 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee has been a head coach at Duke and Texas.

www.wkyt.com

 

[ucbart]

Sounds to me like Elzy just hired her own replacement. Although, Gail's coaching style doesn't fit in the SEC.

 

[oldude]

When KY lost to Iowa in the 2nd round of the Big Dance, they lost to a Hawkeye team that was well coached and playing their best basketball of the season.

However, KY looked to be about the worst coached team in the tournament. The Wildcats rushed up bad shots on offense and they constantly broke down on defense. AA Howard was largely a non-factor until far too late in the game when she mostly padded her stats.

Goestenkors brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Lexington. How the dynamic plays out between her and Elzy will be interesting to watch.

 

[topogigio]

Training wheels!

 

[Waquoit]

Sounds to me like Elzy just hired her own replacement. Although, Gail's coaching style doesn't fit in the SEC.

You have to think Gail has said that she's not a HC candidate. This is a great move with right consigliere. We're seeing this more on the men's side. Even Jim Calhoun had a consigliere.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

You have to think Gail has said that she's not a HC candidate. This is a great move with right consigliere. We're seeing this more on the men's side. Even Jim Calhoun had a consigliere.

It would be easy to think that. But last year she put an overture out to Duke when the HC position opened up. Duke turned her down for consideration. Her career path is a study in damaging your career, but she did what she felt she must at the time (post Texas).

 

[Zinethar]

Sometimes people who have retired as head coach still want to teach and be involved but want no part of the meetings, press/parents, administrators and other BS surrounding a program. It is very freeing. I've done it and loved it. But maybe I was lucky to have a good HC who seemed to value what is offered.

 

[DefenseBB]

I am with @RockyMTblue2 on this. Gail does want to be HC again and at a P5 school so she's reclimbing the ladder and showing skills to warrant another shot. Why else leave CMU to KY where she has no relationship? I think the Kentucky AD (or WCBB assigned AD person) made a suggestion to Elzy to beef up her staff.

In fairness to Elzy, she did inherit this team in the fall season, a bit late to rejigger the staff so kudos to her for getting a talented person on board.

I do disagree with @ucbart about coaching style not working in the SEC as malarky. Did Mike Neighbors style work in the SEC? The game is evolving and now with Kim, defense will still be premium but so will ball movement and assists. Gail can help with that.

I have been a vocal critique of GG and the rush by so many to give her another P5 role under the assumption she will impact those teams to mirror her Duke success. That is not realistic but I am impressed she has been rebuilding her resume with good results and showing flexibility with CMU and Kentucky. In short, I am now rooting for her and think she will be a HC again (sorry @Zinethar and @Waquoit). I still think Elzy is in over her head and the AD was a knucklehead to give her a long term contract after 8 games.

 

[Vowelguy]

GGs former boss Lin Dunn was an assistant at Kentucky for a few years recently,

 

[Jmul760170]

GGs former boss Lin Dunn was an assistant at Kentucky for a few years recently,

Lin Dunn is still listed on the staff as Special Assistant to the Head Coach.