The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Lobo wants to help girls develop high-level skills
NORWALK — It might sound ironic considering her background, but Rebecca Lobo hopes to keep a low profile in her latest venture. That’s right, Lobo, the former UConn and WNBA star turned ESPN analyst, plans to stay out of the spotlight for a change.
As the new volunteer assistant girls basketball coach at Northwest Catholic in West Hartford, Lobo will do most of her work behind the scenes, away from the crowded gyms and television cameras.
“This is more about skill development. I won’t be sitting on the bench. I won’t be at practices,” said Lobo, who was at Stepping Stones Museum for Children on Thursday to speak about the importance of balancing academics, family and athletics. “In the offseason, I’m hoping to help as much as I can for any kids who want to get better.”
For the last seven years, Lobo has coached secondthrough eighth-graders in Simsbury. Part of the al-
lure of her new gig is the fact that her oldest daughter will be a freshman at Northwest Catholic in the fall.
“I went and I talked to the president of the school,” Lobo explained. “I said, ‘You know, if you are
interested, if your coach is interested, I would love to be able to work with your players in the offseason and help them improve. They were open to the idea.
“But it was mostly because I have three daughters. If they all go to Northwest Catholic, I’m going to have a daughter there for the next 10
years.”
Lobo, 44, is perfectly content calling WNBA and women’s college basketball games for ESPN. She has no intentions of becoming the next Becky Hammon, nor is she interested in following Doris Burke’s path as a female NBA analyst. And coaching fulltime in high school? Lobo says there’s not enough time in the day for that.
“It’s something I would love to do,” Lobo said. “But the demands of my job wouldn’t allow it. You can’t be a high school varsity coach and miss practice time and miss games — all the things that I would have to do.”