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Coaches' Corner: Greater Lawrence girls basketball's Tricia Fleming

Tuesday, February, 05 By Alan Siegel
Staff writer

Like the rest of us, Tricia Fleming still can't get over the events of Super Bowl XLII.

"I felt like I was playing or coaching," she said. "It's awful."

But as devastated as she was, the Greater Lawrence Tech girls basketball coach used the Patriots' loss as a teaching tool for her team.

"We talked about it," she said. "We just thought the Patriots didn't want it enough. A lot of heart goes into it."

No one can question where Fleming's heart is. Now in her 10th season at Greater Lawrence, she has turned around a once-slumping program. This year's club was 7-6 at last look and eyeing its sixth straight state tourney berth.

The Reggies, who were 1-17 and 6-13 in her first two years, have steadily climbed the ranks. In 2005-06, they advanced to the Division 4 North final, their best run since making the Division 3 North final in 1988. She began this season with a 99-84 record, picking up her 100th career win against Whittier Dec. 14.

This week, we caught up with Fleming, who along with her husband Dan, a Lawrence police officer, has three sons, Patrick (6), Daniel (4) and Ryan (3).

1. So you've been at Greater Lawrence for 10 years now. Has it gone by fast?
"When I first started, I thought I was dragging. Then each year we improved. Each year is special. The program every year has developed. People in our school want us to have a good program. The students, the faculty."

2. Is it tougher coaching at a technical school than anywhere else?
"There's many challenges. Getting the kids to show up and buy into the program is a little harder although we don't have to deal with AAU coaches. It equals out. You can't sit there and mourn having tech kids. Other coaches have disadvantages I don't have."

3. Where did you grow up?
"In Tewksbury. I played three sports (She graduated from Tewksbury High in 1989). Basketball, soccer and softball. Girls sports have developed so much. There was no 3-point line when I started playing. The credence that goes into (girls sports) now, I'm glad I can be a part of it."

4. What are you most proud of as a coach?
"It's got to be the players. Each year getting the girls to play every day and want it. I'm proud that I can make them love the game and be proud of themselves."

5. Has your team's success over the past few years been fun?
"As a player, and I played (at Endicott College), we never went as far as we've gone here over the past three years. It's hard for me as an adult to adjust to. It's a great experience as a coach to get that far in the tournament. Our first goal used to be to just score (points), our second goal was to make the tournament, then win a game in the tournament. Now, we have to go all the way."

6. Do you stay in contact with a lot of your former players?
"Yes. Alba Santos ('06) is a volunteer assistant coach. I consider her a friend now. Alba is grateful. She's always thanking me. We're the Reggie family. Everyone is welcomed here. We have parents whose kids played five years ago still coming to watch us play. It's more possible for me than in the suburbs. You can do the littlest thing and it's important to these kids. You do it somewhere else and they're like, 'Whatever.'"

7. Which players did you like to watch when you were growing up?
"Michael Jordan. Women's basketball was just coming in. Rebecca Lobo was the big star when I first started coaching."

8. Were you a big sneaker hound like a lot of players today? Did you have any Air Jordans?"
"Our high-tops were just Nikes. That's all they really offered us. The girls now have 10 pairs each."

9. You have three children, all born during basketball season. How did you manage that?
"I missed one game with Ryan, a second one I showed up at halftime. It shows the girls that's what I wanted. It balanced my life. (My husband) hates basketball season, but he loves it. He's awesome support. He baby-sits the kids."