Oral History Program Velaida Harris Interviewed by Kandice Harris 26 June 2019 Oral History Program Weber State University Stewart Library Ogden, Utah Velaida Harris Interviewed by Kandice Harris 26 June 2019 Copyright © 2022 by Weber State University, Stewart Library iii Mission Statement The Oral History Program of the Stewart Library was created to preserve the institutional history of Weber State University and the Davis, Ogden and Weber County communities. By conducting carefully researched, recorded, and transcribed interviews, the Oral History Program creates archival oral histories intended for the widest possible use. Interviews are conducted with the goal of eliciting from each participant a full and accurate account of events. The interviews are transcribed, edited for accuracy and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewees (as available), who are encouraged to augment or correct their spoken words. The reviewed and corrected transcripts are indexed, printed, and bound with photographs and illustrative materials as available. The working files, original recording, and archival copies are housed in the University Archives. Project Description The Beyond Suffrage Project was initiated to examine the impact women have had on northern Utah. Weber State University explored and documented women past and present who have influenced the history of the community, the development of education, and are bringing the area forward for the next generation. The project looked at how the 19th Amendment gave women a voice and representation, and was the catalyst for the way women became involved in the progress of the local area. The project examines the 50 years (1870-1920) before the amendment, the decades to follow and how women are making history today. ____________________________________ Oral history is a method of collecting historical information through recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account. It reflects personal opinion offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ____________________________________ Rights Management This work is the property of the Weber State University, Stewart Library Oral History Program. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Harris, Velaida, an oral history by Kandice Harris, 26 June 2019, WSU Stewart Library Oral History Program, University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. Velaida Harris Circa 2019 1 Abstract: The following is an oral history interview with Velaida Harris, conducted on June 26, 2019 by Kandice Harris. Velaida discusses her life, her memories at Weber State University, and the impact of the 19th Amendment. Sarah Tooker, the video technician, is also present during this interview. KH: Today is June 26, 2019, we are with Coach Velaida Harris. Kandice Harris is doing the interview and Sarah Tooker is filming. When and where were you born? VH: I was born in 1971. In Portland Oregon. KH: Would you talk a little bit about your early life and some historical background? VH: Historical as in? KH: Growing up, going to school... VH: Well, I come from a pretty big family on both sides. So I was born in Portland Oregon with three brothers, my mom and dad. My dad is one of nine. My mom is one of seven. So I have a ton of cousins, my generation on my dad's side, I am one of 32. So we have all had kids, I stopped counting. Then my mom's side, I’m one of 17 I believe. Just lived there until I was 37. I went to high school, I grew up in the inner city of Portland. So I went to Beach Elementary and then we moved to Vancouver Washington. Which was a culture shock because there was no one that looked like me in Edgar, Washington and then we came back to Portland and then moved out to Tigard, Oregon. Which again, was like Washington. I was in a school of 2,500 and there were three African American students and one African American teacher in the school that I went to. So that was a struggle, for the first year to say the least. But yeah, Tigard High 2 School and then I attended Portland State, and I went there on a basketball scholarship. I attended for three, three and a half years. Then I didn't complete my education at the time. I had a knee injury, so my scholarship and I just chose to work. But I was in Portland, probably for 37 years. And in that I went back to school 12 years later to complete my degree. KH: Were you encouraged to pursue an education? VH: Oh yeah. Yes, my mother. I believe that I was the first one who went to college full-time. And then my brother followed me right after a year after. He finished before I did. But yeah, we were encouraged. My mother is well read, very intelligent. She encouraged us to read, be it go to the library. Like we had books in the bathroom, we had a dictionary in the bathroom. So we had a love for words, quite honestly is what it was. We were like, "What are you doing with them?” You know, that's what we did. So yeah, we were very encouraged to get our education. And by everyone in our family even those who did not further their education, they were just like, "Get it done." Especially for me and my brother, they were after us quite a bit because they knew, with our athletic ability we'd be able to go to college. So that was an opportunity. KH: What started your interest in basketball? VH: My interest in basketball started in....I'm not quite sure honestly. When I was at Beach Elementary, so recess, which is a great time. Recess, with all of my friends we played little games, little hand games and things like that, and four square. We played a lot of four square and then to me, it wasn't competitive enough, quite honestly. And so I would see the boys, they were playing 3 basketball and I was like, "Hmm...maybe.” So first, I just started wandering around because they were kids from my neighborhood so they wouldn't give me a hard time. They were just not like, "Why are you here?” And I'd play a little bit, and then I'd watch a little bit. And then at one point, during field day, I picked up a football and I threw it and all of the boys were like, "Oh my gosh, she threw that football far.” So then I started playing football with the boys at lunch time but I was the quarter back. So I couldn't get tackled. Or really even touched. So then I was like, "Okay,” and it was fun because they were so competitive. Once I started doing that, then the boys were like, "You ever play basketball?" So then that's when I started playing, I started playing with the guys. I was really bad early, I was pretty bad. But then I just fell in love with that game in particular, just the speed of it, and the fact that you could score quickly. Whereas, football, it took forever. But, I just loved the speed and I thought it was pretty to watch, it was fun to watch, how people handled the ball. So that's when I fell in love with it, I think, fifth or sixth grade. And I really didn't play it officially until the end of my 7th grade year...in 8th grade and then I played on a team and we moved to Washington. KH: What degrees and certifications do you have? VH: My degree is in Liberal Studies. I went to school to be an English major, to teach actually. But I decided not to do that. And so when I went back to school I was like, "Well, quite honestly, let me get it done.” And so Liberal Studies was that, 4 and then I got a minor in writing because I loved to write, and in Black Studies. So those are my two minors. KH: What were some of the challenges you faced while obtaining your degrees? VH: Financial issues because, again, I went to school on my scholarship and then when I decided that I was done playing, because I wanted to walk when I was older because of my knees. The financial piece was really hard so actually, what I did was I joined a program called AmeriCorps, and its first year was when President Clinton. And it was literally the first year and there was a program in the community that I wanted to work for, which was called Friends of the Children. It's a phenomenal program. It's still going on in Portland. And so through that, I was able to get money for school. Which was going to help me pursue my teaching degree or so I thought. But, again, that AmeriCorps program, they didn't pay us. So I mean, we got a small stipend, but really it was about getting the money in the end to get school paid for. So financially, it was a struggle to try to get that done. Because I didn't want to take out loans and be in debt, just because I knew where I came from and my inability to pay for it was pervasive being a part of that program allowed me to pay for it. So I think financially that was the biggest piece all the way through. And then, but I was still able to get jobs. You know, I was still able to work in schools and in education through that AmeriCorps program. So, just in seeing teachers, seeing people teach and learn and then having them, they became actually... it wasn't even a struggle. They became actually like people who would be my references down the stretch. So that also allowed me to get a 5 couple of scholarships here and there too. But I think the biggest impediment or obstacle was just finances. KH: What is college basketball like as the student player? VH: As a player? It's work. It is work. It's funny because a lot of people think college athletes, that this is... this a generalization. But a lot of people believe that college athletics is easy. Which it is not because I would like people to imagine having to take a full load of classes. So you have to get in, per credit, three hours a day or a week or whatever that is. It's changed every year. But that and then also you have 20-25 hours a week that you have with basketball. Which is either practicing, which is either film, which is either weights and lifting. It could just be things that we are doing out in the community. So it takes up probably 30-35 hours of your week. And so with that you also have to think about, "Now I have to get my school work done and my education." Counting in that 30-35 hours a week, is study hall that we require you to take. It's hard. It's hard. It's hard, it's taxing, you have to love it because if you don't love it, you will stop. You will drop out. You will fall out because it takes just so much time of your day. Like our freshman came in Friday and then Monday, I had a list of things that they needed to get done. And they started at 8 but by... they were in here for a meeting with me about 11 o'clock and they were tired and they were yawning. And I was like, "First of all, don't yawn." But it's just taxing and it's not just that you have to be somewhere, but all of the brain power it's taking you know. The things that you have to remember, the things that you have to retain. So it's tough. It's a job is what it is. It's an absolute job. But, I think it's 6 pretty rewarding, you know, in the end. But you have to love it and be passionate about it in order to really do at a high level and successfully. KH: What were your career options once you had your degree? VH: Once I had my degree? To head coach, that changed that piece of it. Because I was able to...my intention wasn't to coach college. Let's just say that right now. I was happy coaching high school and I was working in counseling is what I ended up doing. But, when I started coaching college, because it is college and once you have your degree which makes sense to do so. I was able to, with my income that I got, I was able to pay and finish school. Literally I had nine classes left. It just took me a while to get it done because I had three children and I was married. But once I was able to obtain that degree then the opportunity to head coach was really, really, really big. It wasn't an obstacle otherwise, just because over time I had built relationships and I spoke at a lot of different places about a lot of different things, and education. And then also, it just opened doors in terms of my willingness to go and now accept opportunities and speak at different places. Because I'm speaking about education and all this other stuff but I'm like, "Yeah, I've got two class I've got to take." And so once I did that, then it... I guess it opened doors. Doors were already opened but I was now able to step through them and feel good about it. And being responsible in the things I was saying and stuff like that. KH: You mentioned that you were planning on being a teacher. How did you switch to becoming a coach? 7 VH: So through Friends of the Children and AmeriCorps, I worked in elementary schools. And so I worked closely and intensely with eight particular girls from when they were in kindergarten and I went all the way through eighth grade with them. The goal was to go through high school with them, but I had them for 7 1/2 years. And so I got to see teachers and some teachers enjoyed themselves. But I saw more that were just not happy people. And I would ask like, "You're working with kids.” Are you not enjoying yourself? But I said, "If you are supposed to be pouring into them, they need people with energy, people with excitement, people who are happy." You know? "People who are hopeful." So like I said, I went through, and then from AmeriCorps, and I coached high school. So I worked in the high school counseling office and I just saw too many teachers who weren't enjoying what they were doing. And that is just not me. I was like, "I can't do this." I could be a different type of teacher, but what I couldn't do was come to work every day with people who weren't enjoying what they were doing. And so that's why I say, "If it ever feels like a job, I'm no longer doing that career. I'm moving on to something else." So that's why I moved away from teaching. But I get that opportunity to do that in coaching because I actually see these kids more than their teachers do. Because I get them for a couple of hours a day, every day. So that's why I moved away from the classroom, I should say, because there's just too many mean teachers. That's pretty much what it was. People who just didn't enjoy themselves. And if they were supposed to be helping people, that just didn't make sense to me. 8 KH: What mentors or resources did you have available to you in your program and in your career? VH: In my education you mean? I had a ton of mentors. I think just in the different departments I was in. So at Portland State, which is where I went to school was Portland State University. I had a lot of mentors in the black cities department. Just because I wanted to know, culturally, ethnically, where I came from. What trials tribulations, things that we were able to celebrate. So I had a lot of people that I learned from that could tell me a lot of things And then growing up in Portland, everybody knows everybody. It's a big city, it really is, but I was related to a lot of people I found out later. So I had a lot of mentors that were in education. So they were just inspiration and encouragement and would challenge me in different ways: to better, to be different. So I had a lot of mentors in that sense. And then I think in athletics, I had a gentleman in particular, Ken Johnson. When I went to Tigard High School because I told you, I was one of three African American students. And I don't even think that there were three, there might have been two. Myself, Dave Kotter, and my cousin. So there were three of us. Ken Johnson was a big, a huge inspiration and mentor to me. And quite honestly, everyone in Tigard thought he was my father. And you could guess why because there were only a couple of us. So they assumed he was my father, and to this day, we still let people assume that. It's been 30 years, I've been out of high school for 30 years. "Yep, that's my dad." So, he was really good because he helped me navigate that, because it was a culture shock for 9 me. Like, it was culture shock in every single way and so what I took from him, just being in that community in Tigard, it wasn't all enjoyable. It wasn't all bad either, but being in that community, he helped me to understand how important it is to navigate, but I can move through so many circles because of that experience. Walking into Tigard High School, I was like, "Oh... heck no." But coming out of Tigard High School, I was like, "Oh yeah, I'm ready." Because I was immersed in the African American culture growing up and then in high school I was immersed in a whole different culture. I was you know, what is, is what I was immersed in. So to my ability to navigate and be able to talk to different people about different things about different subjects. That was huge for me in going in and especially in coaching. Because if you were to look at my team right now, everybody looks different. Everybody is from a different area, and just my ability to be able to touch a lot of different people in a lot of different aspects. I learned a lot from Ken Johnson in that way and then just being immersed in those different communities has helped me quite a bit. KH: What resistance or battles did you face as you progress in your career? VH: Well my career is basketball isn't it? So as far as that, in general and I’m going to be saying in general. As basketball coaches, it's thought of African American women as being really good at building relationships, because we like to talk and we are kind of gregarious at times. So that piece, because we could build relationships. On the other side, there's a perceived level of intimidation because I can talk to everybody about every single thing, to some that it shows itself as 10 being intimidating. If that makes any sense. And so just that, it was almost a balancing act in the beginning, trying to change the way I was so that people could feel better, or put them at ease if that made any sense. So that was a challenge because then I got a little angry with that. It bothered me because I wasn't able to be just who I was. Also the perception that it was just about building relationships. So recruiting coordinator, if you just go look through women's basketball there's 300 and I don't even know how many Division 1 schools there are now but if you look through so many black women are recruiting coordinators because it's about relationships. Building relationships and getting those kids in. But we also know basketball. We can also do the "X's" and "O's". We can also raise money and talk to donors and things like that. And so the perception that was all that I could do that we could do. That was a huge challenge and a huge obstacle until certain women started to, kind of push through that wall. Push through that ceiling, but that was a huge, huge obstacle. I found this last year, was in a game, it's get intense, right? And you can see me on the side line with my arms cross, probably got a look. My kids talk about my eyebrow. It goes up here, so I probably have that look on my face, but me standing there like that and then another... I'm just going to say it, another white male being on the other side losing his mind. And the minute that I say something, I’m the one who is, "Coach, watch out. You're going to get a "T" and as I'm still standing here with my arms crossed, looking like, "I'm going to get a 'T' but this dude down there is 11 throwing paper, is screaming and yelling at you on the floor. But I'm going to get the 'T'." And so that's hard to understand. That's hard to fathom. Whether it be a white male or it be a woman, it doesn't matter. This and my eyebrow and my look and whatever sentence I said, was deemed more volatile than the actions and the craziness that's going on down there. So you know, that's a challenge for me. My coaches would just come and tap me on my shoulder and be like, "It's okay. It's alright. It'll get better." And so I would find myself and I consider myself friendly. But I had to be intentional about it before a game started. I had to be very intentional with the referee to show them. Because I'm not going to smile the entire game. But I had to display all of that before so, that in the end that wouldn't affect my kids or the outcome of the game. Which to me is ridiculous. But, it's necessary, right now anyway. And then I'll have those conversations with the people that I need to; as far as the conference or as far as the referee, committee, or anything like that. I do have those conversations, I'll do it because I need to because it's about my kids, and it's not about me, and it's about this program. I'll do that, but you can guarantee that behind closed doors or somewhere else, I'm having conversations about that as to why that is and why that shouldn't be. And things that we can do to help clean it up and work on it and fix it. KH: What positions have you held in your career? VH: My coaching career, so as a basketball coach, I was a high school coach. This is what I started as a freshman coach for a year and then I was a J.V. coach for a 12 year, a varsity assistant, and then I became a high school head coach and I was there for, I did that for nine years. And then I became the director of operations at The University of Oregon. And then the next year I became an assistant coach. So within being an assistant coach I was recruiting coordinator all of the time. If you had a liaison for everything that we had. Like literally, at every job and I said this to one of my assistants. That at every job that I've had, I've been the liaison to every single department. So someone else is in charge of it, someone is in charge of community service. But I have the liaison to help because I've held all of those roles. So whether it be marketing, community service, whether it be academics, whether it be strength and conditioning, health and nutrition. I held all of those roles so then, as it went on, I was just a liaison for all of that. So you have the head coach, you have the person who actually helps everybody, who is supposed to be in charge of everything else. I did all of that and then I finally became the head coach. I was the associate head coach for the men's semi-pro team with my brother. He coaches semi-pro team, the IBL. Which they don't have that now because now they have the "G" league and things like that. So I was an associate coach there so, I think that I've held every single role quite honestly. It's been fun, I've had fun. KH: What was it like coaching in a semi-professional league? VH: It was really, really fun, but then I'm coaching men now. Okay? So it was me walking in the gym and them looking at me. However they were looking at me. Wondering why I was there and then my brother goes, "This is going to be 13 our..." He said, "Co-head coach." And I was like, "No, no." So it was interesting in the sense of the dynamics were crazy because these young men had just graduated college. Or they had been playing over in the overseas and they want to get back and get in this IBL so that they can have a shot at the NBA. And so my brother brought me in for skill development. So when I came in, I'm spending time teaching these men foot work. Things like that because, you have a lot of players who can play the game but then when you break it down they struggle. And then conversely you have those who are really good at skill development, you put them in the game and then they lose their minds. That was what I was there for, to help them understand that and teach that and help them learn. And so there was a lot of resistance in the beginning because it was like, "What is she going to teach me?" You know? "Okay, then leave." my brother would just say. "Okay, if you don't want to learn from her then just..." And it's my younger brother, he's a year younger than me. He's like, "Okay, so leave." So me just breaking it down and teaching and doing these drills. Until, until I played HORSE with two guys, one I had beat, one I did not beat. But we were close and so I changed the game from HORSE to PUNK. I called it PUNK because that's how I felt that they were acting. I said, "We're going to call this PUNK so when I beat you, that's what I'm going to call you. I'm not going to call you Terrance. I'm going to call you Punk. Punk one, two, and three." And like literally, that was the conversation we had. And so I beat one of them and the other one I played really, really close. And then you know, all of the guys come around and go, "Oh, okay she can shoot. Oh okay." They have to 14 see it in order to believe it. They can't just see something on paper, they have to actually see it. So once that happened, then they kind of started, "Okay, alright, maybe she does know what she's talking about. Maybe she does." I don't know anything that my shooting would have anything to do with the footwork. I'm trying to teach you on how to attack the bucket, but that's just how it worked out for them. However it worked out, it worked out. So there was reasons to them in the beginning and then until I played and shot a little bit, then they were like, "Oh okay, maybe she does know what she's talking about." But that helped me a great deal. A great deal because the speed was unbelievable. And then to have to be able to respond, whether it be to questions or situations, or game situations, the timing was different than it was in high school. So just game situations, the length of the game, the ability to advance the ball, all of that was very different. I grew a great deal from that but yeah, I enjoyed it. But it was hard in the beginning just because me feeling comfortable telling these grown men what to do. Because really they were legitimately 6'8", 6'9", the shortest ones were 6'2". talkety or getting intense with them, and hope that they didn't say anything back to me or want to shake me. So what I did learn and I do it to my kids now, I just put my hand on their shoulder because that would ease them before I said what I said. So even if I said it the wrong way, I'd put my hand on their shoulder so it stop them from wanting to respond in some way. Everybody wasn't like that, but I just learned so much from coaching them. KH: What drew you to Weber State? 15 VH: Well, Bovee, the A.D. (Jerry Bovee, Athletics Director,) at the time, he called me. I already knew Utah, because I was at the University of Utah and I loved this place. The people were like, "Why? You have to come you have to visit." And everyone who has visited to me, side note, has come back. I rarely go home to Portland because everyone comes here. But I only give them three days, you can't stay longer. But just because I liked Utah, we raised our kids here because we came into 2009 and we stayed here until 2016. And so leaving and I was on the east coast, which I loved because we were in Rhode Island, it was 80 miles of water and beaches and everything like that. But when this job opened, I had come up here a couple of times to visit the previous coach. Because we were friends and so I would visit her and I would watch her practice and I'd go around and look at the facilities and I got a chance to see campus. And then, I would just read about this community and what they were trying to do to get more kids in school. Like really going to a grassroots level and implementing programs and everything so that they could get kids once they graduated to stay here and go to school. And I liked that and I learned about it and as soon as it opened I called a friend of mine at Utah and he did what he did and I got Bovee, on the phone. And just talking to him and his energy, and his excitement, not just about athletics, but about the University. And I was like, "Okay, it's more than sports for him.” Everywhere I had been previously, on the west coast, it was really about academics because we had 100% graduation rate and I was like, "Okay." And he was really talking about having student athletes and so my first interaction with anyone besides 16 Bovee from this campus was a FaceTime interview that I did in my kitchen I had my daughter set it up, so I said, "I need a good background, I need good lighting ladies, good lighting." You know kids and their phones and that "golden hour". So they set it up in my kitchen, and I happen to have a really nice kitchen, so I was setting it up and the first thing is we got on the facetime and it was five or six different people. And I was like, "This is a big group," so I cracked a couple of jokes, they laughed, maybe because they felt they had to, whatever it was. It worked. And so then, from starting that conversation and Bovee goes, "Move to your left.” And so I moved to my left and he's like, "Oh my gosh, look at your kitchen." And so our conversation from there was just natural because they had a list of questions and stuff they were supposed to ask me but then it was warm and that's the word that I used. I use that word all of the time, it was just warm and comfortable. Very professional, still. But just comfortable and so from him going, "Okay, your kitchen..." and "What is that on your...?" And then everybody started talking and then it just felt natural, that conversation. And then from there, I had another impromptu phone call. They called me randomly and I don't know how my phone rang because it never got service in the place that the phone rang. I was on the beach and I didn't get one call that came through that day. The only call that came through was an Ogden number and I decided to answer it. And so just those conversations it was the people that drew me to it. I was interested just initially when the job opened. 17 But just by talking to the people, and they all talked about the kids. That was the difference, they all talked about the kids, and how it important it was for us to build relationships with these kids, and how important for us to exemplify what it is like to be a family, and important for us to impress upon them the importance of their education and everything like that. So it was the people and they all talked about the same things and it was not that they were always in a group when I spoke to them. It was different people saying very similar things and being very comfortable in who they were. It wasn't a show, it wasn't like when I came here they took me to the best. I found a lot of great spots here to eat and, really nice and it wasn't a thing to all of that. They just took me to places that they felt comfortable, "Hey this is good food. Period. These are good people that do this." And so the people drew me in and then having an opportunity to talk to Norm Tarbox who was our president at the time. And just share with me the things, some things I knew that they were trying to implementing at the elementary the grassroots level, middle schools, and he spoke on that and the word access. Because that's the word that he actually used for the people in this community. And me knowing that I believe the majority of the elementary schools in this community are Title 1. And so I'm very familiar with that from when I was in Portland. One, I grew up in it. Two, the program I worked for Friends of Children, those are the type of kids that I worked with and the type of families I worked with. And then just being able to come back and do what I love, in terms of coaching and building relationships and pouring into young people and also dealing with the community 18 that was similar to mine. That was a really big deal. That was a really, really big deal. KH: When did you start here? VH: July 16, 2018. Yeah, I admit, it hasn't even been a year yet. That's crazy, it feels like it's been... three or four, but no it's good. KH: So what was Weber State like when you started? VH: What was it like when I started? What was it like... I don't know. Because I was in and out. Because when I got this job I was in between... it was a recruiting period. And so it was the dead period that I got to come here for one day. And I had to do a lot of things and then leave and come back another day. Is the job what you're talking about in particular? Or just...? KH: Whatever you want to share. VH: What was it like? It was, I'm going to use the word, interesting. Because we spoke a little bit on my personality, and who I am and I can talk to anybody. And so in the beginning, because you meet people and everybody knows something about you because you know that someone hands out, "This who got the job and this is who she is." So in the beginning it was a bit interesting because I was up on a billboard on 30th, which I never drove by and saw. Someone in Human Resources told me about it, and I thought she was joking. Then, I walked out of her meeting and my son called and goes, "Hey Mom, I'm looking at you." And I was like, "Oh you came up to campus?" and he goes, "Nope, I'm on the freeway." And I said, "What?" And he said, "I'm looking at you." And I go, "You have to be kidding me." So I walked in to the A.D.'s office and I was like, 19 "Seriously?" He's like, "What?" "I'm on a billboard?" "Yep!" And I was like, "Oh gosh." And all I could think about was how big my head was on that billboard. But I kid you not, I did not see either of them. I thought it was not something that I wanted to do. So that was really, really interesting. I got a lot of phone calls, I got a lot of phone calls about, what is it like to be the first African American woman to hold the position like this in Utah. And you know I would answer it because to me, I understood what it was and I understood what it means to a lot of people but to me, it was just like, "Woo, I got my first head coaching job. Let me focus on that." I've always been black, so to me, "What does it feel like?" "I feel like a first time head coach. I don't feel like a first time black head coach." And so again, it's people needing to have an answer to that and I didn't feel like I needed to explain to them that; Because I would get, "What is it like being the first African American?" And I know that's one of your questions, but just in general to me, I'm a first time head coach and going through everything the same things that a first time head coach would be. Now, do I understand what that means for people that look like me? Little boys and girls? It's a big deal to them, right? And I noticed that just in having camp and things like that. So yes, I have a responsibility, to do it the right way but my way. Right? I have to be able to do that Valaida's way. And so when I said it was interesting because, I'll walk over to Administration and I'd walk in and I'd just say hi to people. "Hi" and introduce myself, it wasn't like I was waiting for said person to come and introduce me to everybody else, it was like, "Okay, hi, Valaida. Who are you? What do you do? Why do I need you? How can you help 20 me?" That's literally what I would do and I would say that. And they would just laugh, and look at me, and then we would just go from there. And I made sure that I went and met every single person in there so every time I was here, I would go take an hour and I would walk and I would meet every single head coach and then I would meet every single assistant coach. Not necessarily going to remember all of their names, but I would have to save my name four or five times so that they could pronounce it correctly. I'm Coach V now, but I would literally switch to say Valaida because I just want everybody to say Valaida. “Valaida.” Just try please, just try to say my name before you cut it off to V. I met every single person. So that piece was interesting because people weren't used to that. They just weren't used to that, for whatever reason. Now there's a lot of people like that that are similar to who I am. But I think that I just approached it a different way. I understand that I'm head coach but I don't think about it like I'm the head coach. That doesn't go through my head, "I'm the head coach. These are my decision and you must know that I am." No, that's just not me. That's just now how I move or how I live. There was a couple of times this year, and even in the beginning, I would have to make a decision about something and I knew what I wanted to do, but then I felt like I needed to go to you, and you, and you, and you to make sure... and I was like, "No, just make the decision." So that was different for me. It's always good to get opinions and everything like that but if this is something that I wanted to do for this program, do it. Make that decision and do it. Those things were, all of that. That adjustment, was a piece of it. And then a 21 big thing was just my ability to delegate… My inability to delegate. So, I'm learning to hand things off to different people because that's what they are here for. But like I told you at every job, I've done everything. I wasn't the be all, end all, but I just touched on everything. So now, I need to be able to hand that off to people. So that was a big adjustment for me because you do things your way for so long, people just hand it to you and you do it. And I have to get somebody else with some guidance and try to let them do it in their way, without micromanaging. Yeah. That was an adjustment. KH: Well you already answered my next question about being the first African American woman. VH: It's awesome. There's letters down here that I have from just different... like I have the AD from Auburn, I have it from different people who have done similar things in their area--for whatever it be. If it was somebody who was the first LGBTQ head coach or openly gay head coach. I got letters and different things from a lot of different people which was awesome. I was like, "Why is she sending me this?” And then I'd read it and go, "Oh, I get it now” Yeah, it's awesome when I think about it. An interesting thing is I found out four years later, that when I got my first head coach job at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon. I think it was 1997 and I found out three years later that I was the first African American woman on the west coast to be a high school head coach. But I didn't know that, I had no idea. Until I asked my A.D. I said, "Why didn't you tell me?" He's like, "Well, I didn't want to make a big deal of it. You know, I just wanted you to be able to do your job." Which is vastly different than what 22 happened here. You see what I'm saying? So times have just changed but like at the time I was like, "Why didn't you tell me that? I would have loved to know that!" And now right here, I'm like, "Oh no, I'm just coaching. Let me just do my first year head coach stuff." It's just so funny. Yeah, it was very, very interesting. KH: How has women's basketball changed over time? Since you started playing in college to now? VH: I was just thinking about it because my two assistants came in. They came in and they were talking about something and I said, "You know that I graduated high school before you were born?" And he's like, "No you didn't." "Yes, I did." And he wanted to argue with me for a couple of minutes and I said, "When were you born?" And he said, "1989." And I said, "I graduated high school in 1989." And he was like... "Yeah, get out of my face." And then there was another one, he wasn't even thought about when I graduated high school. It's changed in the sense that the brand has changed because it's so recognizable now. There's a WNBA, nobody would have thought of that. I just wanted to be a Lady Vol, but they time that I started playing that's all I wanted to do is be a Lady Vol because I love Pat Summitt. And so there were certain schools where it was really, really big and really, really huge and there were certain schools that didn't even have it. So it's changed a great deal in terms of, one how people view it. Two, like there's my amor, Brad Jordan. It's just the brand has changed and it's grown. The speed of it, is the strength of it, the ability, it's a global game now, which it wasn't before. We had a 23 lot of the opportunity by the time I was in high school. The opportunity to play it in college and everything. But even monetarily it was different in terms of what we got. What we were able to do with them with the funds that we had. How we traveled. All of that has changed for the better. No, it's not equal it's just not. But, I think we are making moves towards that. But in terms of the game itself, you have girls who are dunking now and being okay with dunking. I could touch the rim in high school, but you don't tell anybody that because then they'll say I play like a guy. And all of those things and they'll think X, Y, and Z. It's just changed and I think more male athletes, more men's basketball players are loving it that girls can play the game with them other ways, that guys can. Yeah, it's just global now. Which it was not before. And it was hard to think that it would get to that way but when we had the dream team, the men's team, I had the opportunity to see them live and play and meet all of them. And then the fact that when we had the first, Olympic Team that just blew everybody out of the water... what year was it? Was it 2000? Might have been before that. I think that changed the game quite a bit. It changed the game quite a bit and you saw just the talent. It's a global brand now. There's still a ton of resistance, still a ton of resistance if you look at the comments. Like when something happens, for a said female to be an NBA player or if she does something. So there is still a long way to go in terms of the fan base and people just trusting and believing that it is a game. You see it now on twitter where a guy goes, "Oh, I could beat her." And then they go and they challenge a WNBA player and they kick their tail. Why do we have to do that? 24 Goes back to this [folding arms] and my eyebrow and you know what I mean, "Why do we have to do that?" But that's just, the way it is at times. We still continue to work on it. KH: What goals do you have for the women's basketball team and the program? VH: One, to graduate every single freaking player that comes through, that's number one. Number two, is that we help them grow and we just help them be better people because I think that student athletes—female student athletes—when they graduate, they have so much more opportunity because they're at that level of confidence, in themselves and that belief and trust that they can do greater. Because they've got that... they've gone through this, which is really, really hard to do. They can come out with a different level of confidence and belief and trust in themselves. So I'm hoping that we are helping to insert wonderful people into society. Better than helping in some way. Our goal is to win. To win, we want to win a Big Sky Championship. We have steps that we are doing, moving towards. Last year it was just about, a wonderful group of kids that I didn't recruit, I didn't know, so it was really about learning. So, I'm learning 12 new personalities. 15, because I had to hire my staff and just trying to grow and clearing the ground. Whatever was there that needed to be cleaned and cleared out, that's what last year was about--building a foundation. And just helping the kids that are here understand what it is I'm trying to build. And what it is I'm trying to build is not just about the wins, but it's about the people and the character, the integrity, the cooperation, all of that, build all of that trust and get better in the process. Which I think we did. I tell people 25 that it was probably the best season that we could have had without the wins because we grew in so many different ways. We were in every single game, but we grew in so many different ways. We had a lot of challenges and so we got that foundation laid and the expectations. So the kids that have returned, that I still have here with me, they are still growing. They are still learning and I've brought in seven new players. So it's just like last year, but I'm bringing seven new on top of them. But those eight that are returning are going to help these seven and so it's really just about building a program that I think the university can be proud of; one, academically. Can be proud of, in terms of the representation, how we are when we are out here. When we are out here in these streets, how we are handling ourselves and how we are effecting people and impacting this community. And then, get down to winning. But at least in girls’ basketball, in women's basketball. These young women will run through a wall for you if they believe that you care about them. More than just with the basketball in their hands. If they believe that you care about them and that you love them, there’re going to work so very hard and that's the part that we are trying to build and grow and help them understand that. So that now when we get on the floor and I flash my eyebrow, it's not personal, this is about the game. This is in this box and this rectangle right here, this is about the game. And they'll do it for us and so yeah, our goal yes, is to win a Big Sky Championship and get to the NCAA tournament. That's what we want to do because this program hasn't been to the 26 NCAA tournament since then. So it's around that time, we want to get back to that. KH: What does a typical semester look like for you? VH: A typical semester is just crazy busy. August is all about, organization and teaching. A typical semester in August we are recruiting. So we have kids coming on campus so as we are trying to form our team and get our team ready and teach them a lot of things, we're also bringing in kids for the future. So August and September are really, really hectic in terms of practice and in terms of recruiting, in terms or organization, in terms of the steps we are taking to get our season ready. And so, shoot... those are 12, 14 hour days. Those are crazy. I take 12 hour days here [At Weber] because when you go home, after I do what I got to do there, luckily, my kids are, we are about to have an empty nest. We will see how that goes. I mean, I'm not having anymore kids, it's going to remain empty. But we will see how all of that goes. If anybody is hiring, my husband needs a job because he's retired, “semi” and he needs something to do. He's going to be calling me all of the time. That's all it takes though right? It's the truth though. So I was like, "Dang it, I just said that out loud." So August and September are crazy busy and where the kids are doing so much in terms of seminars and things that they have to go to because Weber Athletics does a good job of helping these kids beyond their sport. Whether it be money management, whether it be mental health, whether it be the Safe at Weber Program they have going on here. So our kids have a lot of going on there. And 27 we are literally practicing teaching, step by step, trying to prepare for the season and then October comes and its official practice. In October, our kids are going to school, we are in here working. Always recruiting, always. There's always an asset of always recruiting going on. But now we are trying to get organized of who we are playing. So now, we are working on the teams that we are playing. We are already scouting them, we are already preparing for them. I'm putting my calendar together about what we need to work on but, official practice has started so now that means that we not only have practice but that we have film. And then it also means that we are meeting because we are trying to continue to clear the ground, make it better so that these kids are bonding and getting to know each other. So we have a lot of stuff going on outside. So there are still long days. I mean there are long days always through the season. They don't get any shorter until the month of April. But really, really busy in that aspect, organizing all of our travel and things like that. And then November is when the season starts. So we have at least two games a week. So the day that we take off, is Sunday. We take Sunday off because I need to go to church and so do some of our kids. But I need to go and get, poured into it as well. So Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, is all about preparation for who we are playing on Thursday. For my staff, but Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday I'm also preparing for who we are playing on Saturday. So it's just a typical semester is just again, doing work here during the day, watching film, trying to figure out what our strategies are going to be against this team. 28 The team that we are about to play, meetings, because we have to talk about all of this and I have someone in charge of each game. So it's meeting with that person. I'm getting organized but then I'm also have to speak at X, Y, and Z. That's just continual throughout because then we travel. So if we play, if we are on the road, we practice Monday and Tuesday. While the kids are going to class, we practice in the morning on Wednesday, we fly out to wherever we are going and then we get to shoot around that night and then we play Thursday. And then Thursday night, after the game, we are now moving on to the next thing. So we are up till 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock, doing whatever we have to do. And either we fly somewhere or we get on a bus somewhere. Or we are working to do that and then we practice and then play the next day and then we fly home. So hopefully we can always fly home on a Saturday so that we have a full Sunday off, a full day off. So the girls can study, so we can rest, so there's no basketball on the mind for them. It's still on the mind for us. So it's pretty hectic and I use Thursday and Saturday because that's what it's like when we are in conference. But in non-conference, we get out in a game three days a week. This year coming up, we're on the road most of the time. So I don't know how that's going to go. Pray for us. But it's just busy, like it's really busy, they are 24 hour days. But November, December, January, February, and the beginning of March are just that. Just like I said, that travel and that preparation and all of that. It’s funny our kids ask us, "What do you guys do all day?” “If you don’t get out of my face, so I can do what I do.” It’s really, really busy throughout the season. We try to find times during each semester that we 29 can get some time off, so everybody can go and just kind of refuel and power up. And sometimes just rest. So, it’s a busy, busy time every semester. I haven’t taken my vacation yet, I’m going to take it. I’m determined to do it. KH: What committees or organizations either on campus or otherwise are you a part of? VH: In the community there’s Women in Business. So I popped into a couple of those and I’m going to get more involved in that. So if I’m not involved like I’m not a committee member on some of these programs, but like Equity and Diversity. I have a great relationship with them, so I just try to get in there and spend time. They have the Black Student Union on campus that I go to their events and I try to be present and be seen, because again, we are just trying to be examples to what these kids can do and what they can become. But just not only in the African American community, but there is a couple of organizations, they are not official yet, but that we are going to be involved in the community pretty soon here. But also, our team will be because our team is going to go to elementary schools, and read, and play, and do things like that with these kids. There’s a couple of schools that are going to allow us to run assemblies I guess I wouldn’t say I’m a part of a committee, because I’ve spent so much this year, working on us and now, what I’ve been doing this summer and this spring is really getting out and seeing where I can kind of insert myself and become a part of the school community. I think that’s just a big, big deal. As much as I can be involved in because President Mortenson, he’s asked me to come and speak at a lot of different things. And so I make sure I do that and I try to really spend time 30 with the alumni here and just to see what Weber was, and how far it’s come, and the more we can kind of take it. Because I think we all play a part in that. I would like all of the kids that I recruit to be able to see kids that look like them or from the age like them on this team. If you look at our team, we have White, Black, Latino, Puerto Rican, we have a Spaniard coming, a Polynesian, we just have a little bit of everybody on our team. Part of that—it’s intentional. Like, I’m not going out and saying, “I want you because of this.” But I like the mix because I want our kids to feel like a community. And I want them to be able to move like I was able to do in so many different circles. Be able to talk to so many different types of people about so many different types of things. Try to have knowledge in as many areas as possible, so that when you go out into the real world, you’re not shocked. You have some idea of what other people experience. You have some idea of how to relate to other people. KH: You’ve mentioned that you’ve spoken at several different events, what type of events do you speak at? VH: Let’s see, what does he have me go to? So I’ve done a lot of alumni events. With the student union, I go and speak to them just about my career and the path that I’ve done. The Access and Diversity, I can’t even remember what that was. It was with President Mortenson. Because again, providing access to people in this community. So it was just a lot of different kids from a lot of different cultures and the cities that came and talked about their path and what the struggle is. While they are currently at school. And so, just to speak to them and pour into them that it is possible because I came from these same things. If you drove to 31 my neighborhood right now, you’d be like, “No you didn’t, Velaida.” “Yes, I did, Kandice.” You know what I mean? Because it’s so different. And that’s really what I love to do is really just talk to kids about the possibilities and the “I can.” One of my favorite words is “better”. And so I really just go and speak at different events about that. I’m hoping to speak at the Women’s and Business, at some point this year. I’m not sure what I want it to be about because, you have all of these successful women out there doing so many different things. Which is awesome to see. And I’m like, “Well what can I say? I coach basketball.” So just trying to figure out what I can impart to them. So a couple of graduation events I’ve spoken at as well. Just trying to be out there. KH: What recognition have you received for your accomplishments? VH: They gave me a head coaching job. Well, I don’t know. I mean, some awards. I don’t know, they gave me head job. That’s my recognition, I got a head job. I got to lead a program. When I go back to the AmeriCorps program, and Friends of the Children, I got chosen across the country actually, to be the representative at the Pacific Rim Conference, which was a panel with President Clinton, and Collin Powell, and all of them. So I got to speak on that panel, so I was on CNN. I was on all of those channels. And my nose bled, which was not nice; it was just too hot, there were too many cameras, ladies, too many cameras. But I got recognized for that just in terms of mentorship and things like that. It was more recognition for the program AmeriCorps, because I really do think that it’s a wonderful program. And we were allowed to continue our education by working in programs that are going benefit young people. Helping the community and 32 things like that. So I think it’s more, I think it’s less recognition and more opportunity just to do more things, speak to impart. I hope, that’s the biggest thing, I think. Just an opportunity to speak to open other people’s lives, I think that’s more so what it is for me than getting an award per say. But basketball in high school, I got coach of the year awards and things like that. They are in a box somewhere. I’m going to take them out soon. I’m going to take them out and look at them. To me, it’s less recognition and more opportunity to share. KH: How have you become a mentor to others in your field? VH: Well, I coached a lot of kids and so because I had the opportunity to coach them and they wanted to get into this field. So ever summer, I probably have shoot… this year it was maybe four or five former players who were looking to get into the program and so to me, it’s just about if it’s not about resume writing, or if it’s about networking, you are coaching philosophy. So I’ve been able to keep those relationships and have conversations. Like this summer there is probably about four that came to visit me and meet with me. And we just sit and we talk about, “Okay, this is what you want to do. These are steps you have to take.” So that’s an opportunity to mentorship and to mentor all of the time. And then, just being part of WBCA, that’s an organization I’m a part of—The Basketball College Association. But, to be a part of that, and then be able to meet and network and meet people I’ve been able to build relationships, and so a lot of people reach out just to talk about how you got into the business and what do you do to maintain. Or it could be as simple as, “How do you balance being a mom and a wife and doing this thing full-time?” So there’s a lot of mentorship or mentoring 33 opportunities. But most of my mentoring is to form athletes who have gotten into coaching. And just one, you see the challenges and the benefits and everything with it. So there’s a ton. But probably, I probably get four new ones a summer in the last five or six years. It’s been crazy but, it just reminds me I’m old so that’s all. I don’t feel old, but they remind me. KH: You’re not old, you are experienced. VH: See listen, I’m seasoned. That’s what I like to say to my kids, “I’m just seasoned.” KH: What advice would you give to students and women starting in your field? VH: Starting in my field—to be open, be open to every opportunity because sometimes we come in and we say, “This is where I want to coach, this will be the best opportunity. This would be, this is my dream. We think… it’s great to have a vision, and to work on it and take your steps out you are going to get there. But to be open to opportunities so if a job opens up in, I don’t know, Pinesbluff, Arkansas. Maybe that’s just not something that you want to do, but it’s an opportunity to get in the field that you want to get into. So take some risks. And networking is a huge piece, there’s a lot of shy introverted people who could really, really good coaches. Just to step out of your box and take some risks. Be open, you know, to the opportunities that come and then number two is just to listen. We all like to talk a lot, we like to talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, we really just need to listen. Listen, seek advice, seek counsel, find a mentor. Those would probably be my most important pieces. But find someone, not me, I’m busy. Find someone who can kind of help you and you can stay in contact with and you 34 can reach out to when you need to. And then I also say, “No matter what opportunity you get, take notes.” Because what I did my first two years of coaching college, is I kept a notebook of everything. I kept a notebook of everything that was given to me but also, just a day to day journal about the things that I loved that this coach did, the things that I wasn’t sure about. The things that I couldn’t stand about it. Because I can always go back to that, and you can always pull little nuggets from that. But, to really write down every single thing that you learned, every new thing, everything you liked, you disliked, all of that. Just keep really, really good notes because they are going to help you along the way. Like I literally have three ring binders from my first three or four years that I go back to, to look at and to remind myself of some things too. KH: What are some of your favorite memories at Weber State? VH: My favorite memories of Weber State. We had a game, we were struggling and we had a game and we had a last second shot that we made. We had, I think, 3.5 seconds on the clock or something like that, and it was kids day actually. So it was just loud and crazy and we had only a few seconds on the clock and I… Either no time-outs or I didn’t take a time-out. I just looked at my point-guard and she was a senior and I was like, “Okay, this is you, this is what I need you to do.” And I was talking to people as it was going on but I think the best memory was that play, because we got a layup to win it. But the fact that it went from Giamonti Colemen, who was a senior point-guard to Emily Drake who was my senior guard, the only two seniors I had on this team that it was a pass from one 35 to the other and they scored that winning bucket, and it was so important because I came in and I changed everything. Like their lives, they had been here for three years. They had been doing things a certain way and whatever, and I come in and I’m just like, “This is what we are going to do.” Being mindful of everything that they’ve gone through, but like, “This is what we are going to do and I need you and I put so much responsibility on them, and just for them, and just in that one moment to feel like, “Oh my gosh.” It was crazy, this was worth it. I think that was probably the best moment so far was just to see them enjoy that and the celebration and the comradery among our group. And especially after the game, I was like, “This was you two. It was like your mind melt. You had been together and you have been through so much together and you had the opportunity to get what we needed at the time. We needed to win. We just needed it so badly.” And for those two to facilitate that, was pretty awesome. I think that was the best one so far. KH: How do you think women receiving the right to vote, shaped or influenced history, your community, and you personally? VH: I was like shoot... suffrage... what a question. One, it was necessary. Two, equality. The importance and the meaning behind it, that women had a voice. I mean, to me that was the biggest piece of it all that we had a voice. We weren’t just in the kitchen, or raising kids or things like that. That we were important. Well, later, enough of us to give us the opportunity to do this. I’m such a proponent for people going out and voting, there’s a lot of people just don’t think that they’re voice or vote matters and that just drives me batty. One, because it 36 took so long for women to get the right to vote. It took so long for African American’s to have the opportunity to vote. And that the people who worked for it, the women, the people who just worked so that we could have the right to have a voice and a say in all of this. And that there are so many people that don’t acknowledge that. I’m getting heated right now just thinking about it. And to me, that’s important because if this is supposed to be a society of all of us then don’t just take advantage. Immerse yourself in it, be a part of it. Don’t just complain. Be a part of it. My great-grandmother, who passed away in 2013, she was 98. So she was very young when this all came through fruition. She would speak about it. She was probably the one that put it in me. “You better, when you have the opportunity you better take advantage and do.” Have a say. So, one, I think it was necessary. I think it’s important because there is still disparity between what men and women can do. What people believe that they can do and so as we need our voices heard, and our ability to impart, things to share things. We are orators, and a lot of women are and there are many that are able to channel that emotion and still be able to get my point across to you without I don’t know making you feel some kind of way about it. I talk to my players about it. I’ll just say that. I asked them, “Are you registered to vote? Are you registered to vote?” “No, no.” We took kids down, when I was in Rhode Island last year, we are going to go and get registered to vote. There’s an even that goes on here at the Ogden Amphitheater. It’s a walk that takes place and the lady was walking around. This is when I got here last year. I had five kids and they were like, “No, I’m not 37 registered to vote.” And I said, “You know you could.” “I’m not old enough.” “Did you know that they let you pre-register now when you are 17.” “Oh, I didn’t know that coach.” And the lady was there and I had them all fill it out. I don’t care what you are, if you are a Republican or if you are an Independent, if you are a Democrat, I don’t care if you don’t know because you probably don’t have any idea about this. But just being able to have a voice because I am big on if you are going to complain, you better have some ideas or some thoughts about a solution. When you have a thought and you have an opportunity to earn an opinion, now you can voice that, in said vote. And it does make a difference. It does make a difference, and if nothing else, you feel like you have contributed to something. KH: Is there anything else that you’d like to share? VH: No. I’m 5’8”, with brown eyes, no I don’t have anything. I do have three children. I’ve been married for 23 years. My anniversary is on July 1st, so 24 years. KH: Oh nice, take July 1st off. VH: Listen, I’m going to and I’m not going to tell them. I’m just not going to show up and see what they do. That’s how I’m going to handle that one. So Monday, I’ll have a three-day weekend. And then I have three children. I have a son Christian, who is 22. He is working here in Salt Lake City. I have a daughter, Gabrielle who is 20 and she will be a junior at San Diego State. And I have a daughter, Sierra. We call her Ci-Ci, she just graduated from Woods-Cross High School. So she is going to the U. So yeah, we are empty nesters. We will see how that goes. We will see how that goes. 38 KH: Any of them basketball players? VH: Yeah, they all played basketball. They all played multiple sports. They play volleyball, lacrosse, they played lacrosse for nine years or something like that. Some play a little football. They are all into sports and athletics and I never gave them a ball. I let people do that because when you are a coach—because a lot of people who are coaches who just want their kids to be the best at everything. So they give them every single thing, I was like, “I’m not going to do it.” I wish had now at some, because they could have been really, really good. They’re good, but they could have been really, really good. But I let people always give them balls and things like that. My husband is in the music industry. He has won a few Grammys and things like that. So he’s a quiet guy, you’d never know that kind of stuff. And when I tell people, he gets mad. But now it’s on record that he’s got a couple of Grammy’s under his belt. He’s a really, really talented musician and producer. But now, outside of that no, nothing else. KH: Thank you for your time.