Former D1 women’s basketball players have chosen to call Union home on more than one occasion. Mark Campbell, the head coach of the women’s basketball team, and his staff actively look through the transfer portal for potential recruits. After evaluating character and highlights, Campbell provides these athletes with a new opportunity.
The process of transferring isn’t always easy because rarely does an athlete expect or prepare for such an intense transition. Coming to the conclusion that a change is necessary can be overwhelming. Finding the right place to call home is no small task.
Campbell’s conversations help to determine whether players are a true fit or not. When speaking to players about the program, Campbell does not sugarcoat anything.
“My job is not to sell it. It’s to tell the truth about it,” Campbell said.
He wants them to understand what the expectations are for the players in Union’s program.
“I’m not painting a picture that I’m trying to get them to want to jump into. I’m painting a picture to see if it’s a fit,” Campbell said.
Former Union basketball player Kyvin Goodin-Rogers is one of the players that Campbell approached about joining Union’s program. At the time, Goodin-Rogers had already played two years at the University of Kentucky and one year at Western Kentucky University. She was also battling a knee injury, so she wasn’t necessarily looking to continue playing. However, Campbell convinced her to come to Union, and she’s thankful for the opportunity.
“Union was an eye-opener,” Goodin-Rogers said. “It was so different. I had never had a coach like him before. He doesn’t care about the money. All he cares about is basketball and building relationships with his players. When you get a coach like that, what more could you ask for.”
Campbell believes that the thought process behind initially choosing a school can be a major reason that a player decides to transfer.
“I think most people don’t begin with the end in mind,” Campbell said. “I think once you transfer, you’ve already thought about the end in mind. Their experience has made them think about the end and what they would like it to be. Whereas on the front end, they’re just hopeful.”
Goodin-Rogers is someone who has been able to see how her journey through each of the different schools and levels has helped her to grow.
“I’ve learned something at every single level,” Goodin-Rogers said. “It’s helped mold me into a better person. At first, I was scared because I didn’t want to stop bouncing a ball. Going through Union, I realized that the ball doesn’t have to stop bouncing because I might not be on the court but I’ll be on the sideline coaching.”
Photo credit to Neil Cole
