Coach of the Week: Lane Lord

UTRGV Women’s Basketball head coach Lane Lord is in his fourth season with the program. A native of Waco, Lord spent 11 years as the head coach at Pittsburg State University in Kansas, according to goutrgv.com. He is a five-time conference and three-time NCAA Regional Coach of the Year. Lord earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education and special education from Tabor College in 1993. The head coach also earned a master’s degree in school leadership from Friends University in 2003.

Q:What inspired you to become a basketball coach?

A: “My high school basketball coach, Ken Holly, inspired me the most. He was from Waco Christian High School in Waco. … I wanted to be just like him and wanted to influence people just like he did.”

Q:What is a song that hypes up the basketball team before a game and why?

A: “‘First Day Out’ by Tee Grizzley. The song starts off with his life story and then, when the beat drops, that hypes up the team the most. The song goes with the flow of the game.”

Q:Do you have any plans for this upcoming Valentine’s Day? If so, what are they?

A:“For the basketball team, we plan to do a secret valentine exchange. As for my wife, it’s going to be our 29th anniversary and I plan to take her out to dinner at Olive Garden.”

Q:What is your favorite way to spend Valentine’s Day?

A: “It’s during the basketball season, so it usually gets busy. It’s really just relaxing with family.”

Q: What is your favorite aspect about coaching the basketball team?

A:“My favorite aspect is the relationships you can build throughout your career. I’ve been a head coach for about 27 years, and looking back over the last 27 years, it’s all about building relationships and keeping contact with everybody you coach and, hopefully, making an impact in their lives.”

Q:Who was the most memorable student you have coached?

A: “That’s really tough to say. I would have to say Madison Northcutt, since she was with me in my previous school at Pittsburg State [University], and then, she came here in my first year and we made it to the championship game in the WAC [Western Athletic Conference] tournament, and she was our best player. She’s one of the kids I’ll never forget ’cause she came with me for this experience.”

Q:Besides basketball, what are your favorite sports and favorite teams?

A:“My favorite sport to play besides basketball is golf. I love to play and watch golf. I love NFL football. I love the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys. I like all sports.”

Q:Who is your favorite famous athlete?

A:“Tom Brady. He played quarterback longer than anybody in the history of football and his approach is amazing.”

Q:What is a random fact about yourself?

A: “One thing that people don’t know about me is that I have one of the 52 diseases of muscular dystrophy, called myasthenia gravis. I deal with that on a daily basis. I’ve had it for 27 years. I’m in remission right now. I’m a big supporter of muscular dystrophy [awareness].”

–Compiled by Ailed Montague