Faith leads NSU women’s basketball coach to Thibodaux

In May, DoBee Plaisance became the ninth women’s head basketball coach in Nicholls State history.

Prior to accepting the job with the Colonels, Plaisance spent 13 seasons as the women’s head basketball coach at Loyola University in New Orleans. She was the school’s first and only women’s basketball coach until she accepted the job in Thibodaux.

Since the arrival of scholarships at Loyola in 2004, Plaisance compiled an 81-33 record while guiding the Wolfpack to back-to-back Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular season championships, which included a trip to the NAIA Elite 8 in 2007-08.

She hopes to bring that same success to Nicholls, as the Lady Colonels began their first week of practices under her regime last week.

SportsNet caught up with the mother of two to talk about her upcoming inaugural season.

SportsNet: How are things going so far during your first semester at Nicholls?

DoBee Plaisance: So far, it’s really been great. What drew me here was the quality of people here. They are great to work for, great to work with, and in any situation if you’re happy not only with what you’re doing, but with the people around you, it’s a good situation.

SN: What was the biggest transition you had to make going from a smaller school like Loyola to here?

DP: Other than moving my family, having to make the most out of the eight-hour period a week we have in conditioning these athletes, which is not a situation at the NAIA level. I have to do in eight hours what I used to do in approximately 16. I had twice as much time preseason than I do now.

SN: Your daughter, Theresa, is a really good player as well. Does she get that from you?

DP: (laughing) The Lord Jesus Christ has blessed her. Her talent and gifts are from God. Now, I played in college; my husband played football. That would be a point of contention if I answered either way.

SN: How has she handled the transition from Ursuline Academy to Vandebilt Catholic?

DP: At first she missed Ursuline a lot, which is to be expected. A lot like Nicholls, Vandebilt has quality people there, and they have embraced her and she just loves it. She loves the teachers; she loves playing for Kathy Luke, and she’s made some new friends. She was able to keep her friends from Ursuline, so now she has more friends. She didn’t lose anything; she’d gaining a whole new experience.

SN: When you’re not around basketball, what are you doing?

DP: At this point, I’m still unloading boxes. If I have my free time, I am all about family and that is not a political statement. I am telling you I am around my family and friends whenever I have time. I love having them over and throw something on the grill or throw something in a boiling pot. We’re just good old southern Louisiana people.

SN: How has the area embraced you since you came back?

DP: I’ve never been approached by more people that I didn’t know in my life. Whether I’m at the bank or getting groceries or anywhere, people are ‘Hey Coach, how are you doing? Welcome.’ I didn’t know so many people would recognize me.

SN: If you and Theresa played a little one-on-one, who would win?

DP: I would win because I’m not going to let her win. She would argue with that too, but you’re asking me, so I’m telling you I would. Maybe one day we’ll have to play.

SN: What are some of your pre-game rituals?

DP: We pray before, during and after the game. My choosing to come here was all a walk in faith. It wasn’t anything other than when I prayed, I prayed to be in a place where I could make a difference. It wasn’t about wins and losses.

I gave up a great situation at Loyola. I really did. I’m here not only because I wanted to be here, but because this is where the Lord wanted me to be. In game preparations we do talk a little about the X’s and O’s, but as a coach, I’m more concerned about what we do instead of what the opponents do, because I can’t control that. That’s why everything I do is faith-based.

SN: What identity do you hope this team can have this year on the court?

DP: That’s the thing I’m trying to do: Expedite the maturation process, and see what will be our identity. I’m really hoping we can perfect the match-up zone and be known for that. Also, I’ve always had my teams be known as the team that just doesn’t go away. If I had to pick my top two choices, I want us to be a defensive-oriented team as well as I want to be one of those teams that our opponents know and people want to watch because no matter what the score is, Nicholls State is not out of the ball game.

SN: What’s your goal this year? Have you set a target number of wins this year?

DP: Absolutely not, I’m trying to win them all. I’m telling you, I’m out there to win them all.

SN: Do you tend to bring a more local touch to the basketball team as far as recruiting goes?

DP: Most definitely. A lot is predicated on whether they are qualifiers or not and we can get them in academically. From year-to-year, it’s going to depend on what we need.

They might have a great guard in the area, but we don’t need guards. My recruiting philosophy is just like my playing philosophy. We have to play the game from the inside out. Just like football, you have to establish that running game. In basketball you have to establish an inside presence. That’s how I recruit from the inside out.

SN: At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to get into coaching?

DP: I always wanted to be a physical therapist. Even when I entered college, I was going to be a physical therapist. I signed at UNO and the PT program was two years there and two years at Louisiana State University-Medical School. I didn’t want to do that because then I couldn’t play ball.

I went the physical education route. As it happens, I was an undergraduate, and I had three graduate assistant offers. I didn’t look at it as a chance to coach, but as a chance to get my master’s. That’s how I caught the coaching bug.

SN: Would you say you have one of the best jobs in the world?

DP: I cannot imagine being in any other venue than athletics. In some way, shape or form this is just the best venue to work in. I love it.

It’s not mundane. I’m not the type of person who can go 9 (a.m.) to 5 (p.m.), five days a week, 365 days a year. I would go nuts. I need variety in life.

Nicholls State Lady Colonels’ basketball coach DoBee Plaisance enters her first season at the helm. Plaisance comes to Nicholls following a 13-year career at the same position at Loyola (New Orleans). She is the ninth Lady Colonel basketball coach in school history. * Photo courtesy of LOYOLA