[Editor’s Note: From time to time we will feature a short Q&A with an IWLCA member coach. The format will be one question about lacrosse, one question about life, and one fun question.]
Q&A with Amy Bokker, Head Coach, Stanford University, @StanfordWLax
1 – What’s the biggest difference between the “east coast” lacrosse scene and the “west coast” lacrosse scene?
The west coast lacrosse scene is growing at an exponential rate. There is so much excitement around the sport of lacrosse and specifically in the Pac-12. We’ve been fortunate as a conference to grow every year and have more and more games televised each season, which creates awesome exposure. Now of course, there is the SCENERY… nothing beats the west coast scenery. We have palm trees, sunshine and blue skies!!! El Nino has NOTHING on us, you can’t beat the start of the lacrosse season on the WEST COAST!
2 – Tell us what you do to help your players learn to handle adversity in a positive way:
We emphasize communication with our athletes and try to have them deal with each situation directly and honestly. There may be times that you may not like the answer you get, but if you approach it so you can grow and get better I think that makes for a positive outcome. I tell my athletes to try to deal with adversity head on, and I try to emulate that for them. One thing I do stress to them, is that they all may not be treated the same, but they all will be treated fairly.
3 – When they finally produce “The Amy Bokker Story” to air on the Oprah Winfrey Network, what famous actors will be cast to star?
Well my TV idol is Olivia Pope, so my gut is to say that I would love to be played by Kerry Washington. Smart, confident (bossy), you know she calls the shot – she’s a Gladiator. I’d cast Bobby Flay as my husband, although I think he’d say he would want to be played by Bear Grylls of Man vs Wild fame. He likes to compare him holding down the house and kids while I travel to surviving the wild with only a book of matches and some string. My kids would want the following: my son would be played by any professional athlete; and my daughter by any member of the a capella group in Pitch Perfect. We often say our neighborhood could be a reality TV show; living on campus and in a development with about 30 coaches makes for a lot of high viewing action. And trust me, if we all played ourselves in that reality show, the ratings would earn us an Emmy for sure!
A true reality answer from the mother of 2, living in utopia on campus with other coaches as neighbors. Amy has always had the “right sense” of how to deal with athletes and people – and she laughs with you!
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