BOAZ, Ala – Following a tough season in which they finished 4-20 overall (4-15 in ACCC), the Snead State Women's Basketball program will look much different this season.
As Lady Parsons Head Coach Craig Roden enters his first season back at the helm, he's using year one to rebuild from the ground up. And turning around programs isn't new to him, as he's stepped into similar situations over his decades-long coaching career.
"There are things you have to do to be successful playing this game," Roden said. "You've got to be able to defend, take good shots, take care of the basketball – limit turnovers – and play hard, even when it's inconvenient. That's the foundation you've got to lay in the first year, even at the cost of a few wins. You want to try and win as many games as you can, because that builds confidence for your team and helps recruiting. But it's more important to lay a strong foundation so you can successfully build on top of it."
Roden was hired on June to return to Snead State and lead the women's basketball program for a second stint. The Marshall County native previously coached the Lady Parsons from 1980-84, compiling a 65-34 record. His 1983-84 squad finished 22-4 and was ranked 13th nationally. He also coached the Snead State Men's team from 1992-1995, turning the program around from 2-24 to an 11-18 in his first season.
Overall, Roden has amassed a total of 625 collegiate victories over his career, including 132 victories in the women's junior college ranks. He also holds the distinction of taking three different Gulf South Conference programs (West Alabama, West Georgia and Delta State) to the NCAA tournament – the only coach on the women's side to accomplish such a feat. Roden is also the second-winningest coach in GSC women's basketball history.
As for this year's Lady Parsons squad, Roden said he's been impressed by the players' work ethic and buy-in to the principles introduced just a few months ago. But, he's ready to see them take things to the next level.
"This group has been very surprising in how hard they've worked," Roden said. "They've really worked hard and exceeded expectations, but they still don't know how hard they have to work. Of course, we didn't try to come in and break people down. We came in to build them up. And so, when we started our conditioning, we came in with the thought process of 'Nobody's going to be in shape like we want them to be,' and we were correct. So, we're building them up, but our conditioning level seems to be good right now.
"But they've got to give more," he added. "We're at that point right now where we need some kids to come in, kick the door in and walk through that door… If that happens, we've got a chance to be decent."
Over the years, Roden's teams have hung their hat on a solid defense, and he plans for the Lady Parsons to do the same.
"We've still got a ways to go," Roden said. "My assistant coach at Delta State put together a clinic on defense going back 25 years, and during that time we gave up just 56.1 points per game. So, we're not going to reinvent the wheel. We know our system is solid. So right now, we're trying to put it together and find our rotation and see where players fit. And it's probably going to take us a few games to get that under our belt."
This year's Lady Parsons roster is loaded with young talent, including nine freshman and four sophomores – two of which transferred to Snead State in the offseason.
Roden said he sees the Lady Parsons having as good of a backcourt as almost anyone in the conference if they can play to their potential and continually improve as the season rolls on.
"Our guard play is solid right now – not great but solid," he said. "And we've got people getting better trying to get into that mix. Ajainay, La'Mya and Emma are playing pretty well at the 1, 2 and 3."
Ajainay Tinker is a freshman from Gadsden City. La'Mya McGrue is freshman from Oxford. Both "pleasant surprises," Roden said. Emma Garcia is a freshman from Fairview.
"I think we're going to probably be as good at those three spots with those three ladies as anybody in the league except Shelton, but Shelton is a nonfactor to us now that we're Division II," Roden said. "But we also need depth behind them, so we're looking for several others to step up to the challenge.
Some of those players working their way into the mix are sophomore Delea Vaughn (Birmingham), freshman Madison Franklin (Douglas), freshman Madison Roy (Locust Fork), freshman Desire' Odachowski (Cullman), and freshman Paris Morgan (Ripley, Miss.).
Leading the frontcourt to start the season will be a pair of freshmen, Jamiyah Hill and Jadaya Edmondson.
Hill was a part of three straight state championship teams while at Hoover High School. Edmondson, of Scottsboro, has been another "pleasant surprise" for Roden.
The Lady Parsons also have sophomore Chantzley Kirkland (Arab), and a pair of sophomore transfers in Cadence Buchanan and Katie Moore who are expected to bring great depth to the group.
"Our inside game is about where we thought it would be," Roden said. "But with Katie's addition, our post rotation gets better and deeper, which will be great to ride through the last part of our schedule."
Moore, of Cleveland, Tenn., transferred from the University of Montevallo. She will not be eligible to play until after the fall the semester.
Buchanan, of Ragland, transferred from Gadsden State.
The Lady Parsons open their season Thursday, Nov. 2 on the road at Calhoun. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
On Friday, Nov. 3, the Lady Parsons host Lawson State for their home opener at 5:30 p.m. inside Plunkett Wallace Gymnasium.
Learn more at sneadathletics.com.