From Storm player to Monarchs coach

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- What used to be a 25-minute bike ride to KeyArena was now just a short bus trip for Jenny Boucek.

When Bouceck was a Storm assistant coach from 2003 to 2005 she would bike from her home in Ballard to games. Last month, as the head coach of the Sacramento Monarchs, she was the enemy taking the bus from a downtown hotel to face a hostile crowd that used to cheer for her.

"I hate being an opposing coach coming back here with these great fans," Boucek said after losing to the Storm in that exhibition game. "They do such a good job of energizing their team and keeping them in the game."

Boucek faces the Storm (2-2) for the first time in the regular season, tonight at Arco Arena, where the Monarchs (4-2) recently had their sixth consecutive home-opening sellout.

The NBA, into its seventh decade, is flooded with former players who have become head coaches or earned jobs in upper management. In the WNBA, Boucek is just the third former player to become a head coach in the young league, but the trend entering the 11th season is more players joining the coaching ranks. Former Mystics forward Crystal Robinson became the latest addition when she became a Washington assistant after announcing her retirement in May.

"We're just now entering that part of the evolution," said Boucek, who also played for the defunct Cleveland Rockers. "Players are starting to retire and not get cut. When you get cut you're not at peace with your career and you're not ready to coach. We're just now getting into that wave and I think you're going to see a wave of ex-players coming in to coach who are going to be excellent. They'll have experience playing under great coaches and will have played professional basketball."

Five teams have former WNBA players on their staffs. Suzie McConnell-Serio (Minnesota) and Nancy Lieberman (Detroit) were the other former players to become head coaches, participating in the league's early years.

The WNBA is working to create a program to provide coaching internships through its teams to help more players who are interested in coaching make the transition. The hardest part, however, can be getting the athletes to understand their playing careers are over.

"When you're a professional athlete and retire, it can be like, 'So now what am I going to do?' " said San Antonio assistant coach Sandy Brondello, who retired as a Storm player in 2003. "Now, the WNBA is encouraging teams to bring former players in to coach to keep them close to the game and bring their experience in as player, which is unique in a way, and relate to the players and bring something different.

"The first year it was hard because I love to play. I played professionally for 19 years all around the world. But to me, this is the next-best thing -- coaching."

Nike worked with the WNBA at the league's predraft camp in April to host an introductory seminar to coaching. The athletic-apparel conglomerate invited 30 players, including University of Washington seniors Angie Jones, Cheri Craddock and Cameo Hicks, for sessions on different aspects of the job.

Hicks said she has aspirations to coach, but after being cut from the Storm roster, her drive is focused on playing. She agreed to play in Switzerland this fall and will try out with another WNBA team next season.

"The best aspects of coaching are the relationships you develop and that you stay in the game even though your body won't let you play," Hicks said. "The worst part is that when things aren't going well, you get all the negatives."

The strains of coaching professionally were highlighted last week when former Mystics coach Richie Adubato resigned after an 0-5 start. As Washington went on to lose its fifth game, speculation started of Adubato being fired, because the team was losing and his disagreement with general manager Linda Hargrove over the trade of his center Chasity Melvin.

Adubato had the most victories among active coaches in the league. Storm coach Anne Donovan now does (123-113), followed by San Antonio coach Dan Hughes.

"It's one more reminder how difficult it is how to be a coach at any level," Donovan said.

Pay and league instability can also keep former players from joining the pro ranks. College coaches can reach the high six figures, while WNBA coaches still hover around $150,000. And Charlotte's folding, with talk of Seattle relocating and other teams being on shaky ground, can make a player think twice about continuing to be a part of the league.

Still, the opportunity to help other players grow can be gratifying.

"I like being a part of building something to pass on to the younger generation," said Storm forward Wendy Palmer, an assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Jayda Evans: 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com