Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As he worked his basketball team, only seven players in all, through a shooting drill on one end of the court Monday, new Florida women's coach Cameron Newbauer was momentarily distracted by something going on at the other end. 

Injured guard Delicia Washington, her right arm encased in a brace following shoulder surgery in March, was doing some form shooting with her off hand. Newbauer jogged to the far basket, grabbed the ball and suggested a move he wanted her to work on; a floater going to her left. He demonstrated the shot. 

It did not draw any rim. 

"So you want me to do it like that? Shoot an airball?" the saucy sophomore-to-be asked. 

"No," Newbauer shot back. "I want you to make it." 

As he jogged back, the coach wheeled around. 

"I know you want to make it about me," he said with a grin. "But this is about you!" 

Actually, these days are about the reconstruction of the UF women's basketball program and the direction it is headed under a new coach who moves and speaks a mile a minute. With apologies to Newbauer, the here and now on the women's side of the hoops facility is very much about the one they call "Coach Cam."  

Newbauer was formally introduced as the 10th women's coach — and first male — in UF history on March 28, some three weeks after Athletic Director Scott Stricklin decided to move on after a decade under the affable Amanda Butler. In 10 seasons, Butler's teams went 190-137, including just 71-85 in Southeastern Conference play, and finished with sub-.500 records two of the last three seasons. Meanwhile, Newbauer's mid-major star was rising in four seasons at Belmont, which he guided to a 51-15 record and pair of Ohio Valley Conference titles and accompanying NCAA Tournament berths the last two years while playing an exciting, up-tempo, long-ball brand of basketball. 

His Belmont teams reflected the upbeat and vibrant personality he brings to work every day. 

"Energy, lots of it," said director of basketball operations Serena Wilson, who fights a daily battle to beat her new boss to the office in the morning. "You can hear him coming."
 
The eight UF players he inherited had no idea who Newbauer was when they signed their national letters of intent. They're finding out now. They're learning his background, basic basketball philosophies and overall attention to detail, but also about his family, with wife Sarah and daughter's Chloe and Millie, who have made some cameos at the facility during the transition process. 

"Change is different and it affects everyone in different ways," rising senior forward Dyandria Anderson said. "Everyone is trying to get a sense of what Coach is about, what he is bringing, so this is an adjustment period for all of us. We're starting to find our groove with him." 

"We're all beginning a new journey together," said junior point guard Funda Nakkasoglu, who transfered to UF last summer following a first-team All-Mountain West Conference season at Utah State. "It's going to be different, but it's also very exciting." 

NCAA rules permit two hours of skill-related instruction per week in the offseason. For the Gators, it began last week, with various fundamental and shooting drills, all of which Newbauer — still officially without any assistant coaches, but they're on their way — staged at a very brisk speed. Washington is months away from being cleared for contact, plus the Gators were four players under the NCAA-allotted 15 scholarships for the 2016-17 season, so Newbauer only has seven players to work. That has not, however, deterred the expectation for effort. 

He'd asked the same if he only had four.  

"It's all about the setting the pace and the level of communication we're going to demand," he said. "We're going to emphasize a lot of the basic fundamentals — hands and feet — of basketball while setting the tone for what we expect. The energy and enthusiasm is huge. It'll take some time to figure out the drills and communicate them appropriately, but I love the fact they're sticking with it and not getting frustrated." 

The familiarity will come. From all sides. 

Take the start of each workout, which begins when the team huddles up and gets the day's message. On Monday, Newbauer thanked his players for tending to an issue he addressed from Day 1; one he considered paramount as far as establish a baseline for expectations. 

The locker room. 

"Yeah, it was a bit messy," Nakkasoglu said. 

Enough of a "bit" that Newbauer ordered it to be straightened up, organized and (this is important) kept that way. Same with the practice court. Balls scattered about were placed in their racks, the slung jerseys sent to the laundry, empty water and Gatorade bottles tossed in the trash. Simple stuff, but also easily taken for granted ... if allowed. 

Newbauer thanked his players for tending to their accommodations, something he considers paramount in establishing an across-the-board culture for success. 

"It's about respecting our home and being responsible for what we have," he explained. "This is a great place and we want to keep it great and when people come in here we want them to see how great it is. When you respect and are responsible for your own areas, then you are entitled to keep others accountable. There are plenty of people who would love to wear the University of Florida uniform and be part of this program. This a big deal and I want us to reflect and act that way." 

Back to the huddle. Newbauer put questions to the group. To everyone. Players, managers and support staff. He asked what sort of "fun" things they did over the weekend. He asked if anyone had seen a good movie.  

Sophomore forward Sydney Morang chimed in. 

" 'Shawshank Redemption,' " she said. 

[Editor's note: An excellent choice, by the way]

He asked someone to provide a tidbit about themselves no one could possibly know. The video coordinator spoke up about a grandparent who sends him a Starbucks gift card every week. That drew some raised eyebrows. 

[Editor's note II: Where do I sign up?] 

It's all part of the feeling-out process that may seem awkward, maybe a little uncomfortable, but also necessary. Newbauer, in fact, likes the uncomfortable element. 

"We talk about being better by learning how to be uncomfortable. That will help you be comfortable in tough situations," he said. "We're going to put these players in uncomfortable situations. That might might mean going up to strangers and talking to them and inviting them to our games. It also might mean practicing in 5-on-6 scramble situations, or 4-on-5, where it's basically set up for failure, but also forces them to fight through it until they succeed. All those things create some levels of adversity that will make them better in January, February and March." 

Change is rarely easy.

But it's always inevitable. 

"Like everyone else, I came here to play for Coach Butler, so this is all different, but it's also about getting out of ourselves and jumping over that hump that maybe some of us are struggling with right now," said Washington, the SEC All-Freshman selection and squad's third-leading scorer in 2017. "I do feel we can bounce over that hump and really rally together and come out as a team." 

In the Newbauer way, it's never about "me."

It's about "we." 

"In my brief time so far, I love it," Newbauer said. "I told them I would receive each of them with an open heart and open mind and just asked in return that they do that with myself, my family and our staff. I think we'll have a lot of fun, grow together and succeed together."