Rachelle Coward is one of three freshmen newcomers on the 49ers roster this season. |
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Catching Up With Rachelle Coward
Sept. 22, 2008
Charlotte, NC - Rachelle Coward, a 6-foot guard/forward from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, was named as one of the Top 100 Players in the United States by Slam Magazine. This past June, she was one of just 23 players that were invited to the tryout for the Canadian Junior National team. However, she was not able to tryout since she got sick on the weekend of the tryouts.
Coward, who played her senior season at Oak Hill, scored 441 points (14.5 ppg) en route to earning the team Offensive MVP honor this past season at Oak Hill. She shot 49% from the field and 54% from beyond the arc. She earned All-Tournament honors after helping her team finish as the National Runner-Up at the NACA Tournament. This past year, she played an integral role in helping the U-17 Nova Scotia team finish third in the Canadian National Tournament. She was named one of the top five players on the Canada All-Star team. Before playing at Oak Hill Academy, she starred at the Kent School in Kent Connecticut. In 2007, at the Kent School, she was named to the Founder's League all-conference team.
Coward recently sat down with the Charlotte 49ers athletic media relations office to talk about her how her freshman year is going so far.
I know you got sick and weren't able to try out for the Canadian Junior National team over the summer, but what did it feel like to get an invite to tryout? I was disappointed that I was not able to try out but it was really exciting because I haven't really been recognized much before by Canadian national team program since I have been playing in the United States. I thought they had sort of forgotten about me, but then I was recognized again so it was an honor. However, being sick was sort of a hit, a hard hit, but you know there is only so much you can do and hopefully I will get an opportunity again.
If you do well this season and are asked to tryout again would you?
Yes, it's an honor to represent Canada.
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You've been here a couple of weeks how do you like it so far? It's nice. The campus has beautiful scenery and the people are really nice so I'm starting to get used to college.
You are from Canada are there a lot of differences between Charlotte and Nova Scotia where you are from? Nova Scotia is a much smaller city than Charlotte. Basketball-wise there are some good players, but we just don't get seen in Canada so that's why I came to the United States for high school.
What do you think your roles is going to be this season on our team? Definitely a shooter. Other than that just work on my defense and just try and add something to the team.
Why did you choose to come play for the 49ers? I like the program and the success that they have had. When I visited the campus I liked the campus a lot.
Can you give me your thought on our coaching staff? They are really nice and comforting. On the court they are pretty tough on you but it's to make you a better basketball player. That is what you need a coach to be a friend off the court, but on the court you need a coach.
What do you think are the expectations for the team this season? I think we are going to have a good team we practice very hard . We definitely don't rest or sit around, we are always going and trying to use the time as much as we can.
Is there anything that has happened so far that you have been surprised about? Everything is new to me so everything is a surprise, college is a surprise, my first practice, individual weight lifting, everything is a surprise. But I am just starting to get used to it now.
It can be a tough transition from high school to college do you notice any differences? It is a huge difference basketball-wise with the training, but with the academics they sort of ease you into it so it's not that bad.
