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In adding Linnae Barber to the University of Hawaii women’s basketball team’s coaching staff, Laura Beeman can draw a line through one of the pressing items on her summer to-do list.
Linnae Barber: Has a background as a personal trainer
The first-year Rainbow Wahine head coach filled the final vacancy on the staff by hiring Barber, an assistant at College of the Canyons in California for the past five seasons. Barber joins Gavin Petersen and Mary Wooley as assistants on the staff assembled by Beeman.
"It’s really nice to have the last piece of the puzzle in place," Beeman said. "I wanted to do my due diligence in bringing in this last coach and make sure the correct piece fit and really believe Coach Barber fits perfectly with what she brings to the table."
Barber played at College of the Canyons for two years before transferring to Texas A&M-Kingsville. After completing her eligibility, she returned to College of the Canyons to begin her coaching career.
Along with her basketball background, Barber also worked as a personal trainer and as a high school strength and conditioning coach.
Beeman, previously the associate head coach at USC, also observed Barber’s approach to coaching in several venues in Southern California — at a camp hosted by the Trojans, as head coach of the West Coast Premier Basketball Academy and while at College of the Canyons.
UH WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACHING STAFF
» Laura Beeman, head coach » Gavin Petersen, assistant coach » Mary Wooley, assistant coach » Linnae Barber, assistant coach » Lindsey Baker, director of operations
"I had the opportunity to watch her demeanor with the girls and how she taught and how she motivated and I was really impressed with her drive, her knowledge of the game and how she treated her players," Beeman said.
"The biggest sell for me was she really believes it’s about developing the overall student-athlete. It’s not just all about basketball … it’s developing them for their life."
With the staff in place, Beeman said the coaches are continuing to work on filling out the playing roster for next season and has "about three or four more we’re looking at."
Wahine camp coming up
The Rainbow Wahine will host their second camp of the summer Aug. 11-12. Sessions for players ages 5-12 will run from 9 a.m. to noon. Players ages 12-18 take the floor from 1 to 5 p.m.
For more information, call Gavin Petersen at 956-5032.
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