SMALL WOMEN'S HOOPS TEAM IS
FILLED WITH THE RIGHT STUFF
by Amy Donaldson
Deseret News

When Cindy Lindsay was out recruiting basketball players, she looked for a lot of attributes.

Some qualities are easier to gauge than others. Is a player a hard worker? Can she shoot a 3-pointer? How aggressively does she rebound?

Others, however, are more difficult to measure. How does a player handle adversity? What kind of leader is she? How will she interact with the players from other backgrounds?

Coaches rely on the opinions of others and their instincts when it comes to these intangibles. The problem is they're not just looking for talented individuals. They're trying to put together the best combination of players who will not only reach their own potential but help bring out the best in their teammates.

Not an easy proposition when you're working with the limited budget of a junior college women's basketball program.

But Snow College women's basketball coach Cindy Lindsay hit the jackpot this season. Not only did she find talent and skill, she managed to find the kind of combination that sometimes surprises even the coach who brought it all together.

The Badgers beat SWAC rival Salt Lake Community College this past weekend, thanks in part to those intangibles. The win was the team's 10th in 11 games, and it came with five players in double figures.

The win moves Snow closer to the Bruins, who lead the league with a 19-4 record. Snow's record of 18-6 isn't far behind, and maybe the most impressive aspect of the Badgers' run is that in each game a different player is the hero.

Lindsay said the players don't worry about who starts or how many minutes each plays. Instead, they're committed to doing whatever is necessary to win — even if that means filling water bottles and cheering someone else on from the bench.

"They made a commitment this summer," said Lindsay. "They stuck around; they all lived here, kids from Texas and Idaho stayed here in Ephraim. They played together all summer long," she said.

And then there are the two players who emerged as leaders.

"Honestly, Abbie Beutler (Idaho) and Tara Gehring (Heber City), they're just leaders," said Lindsay. "Beut is as effective on the bench as she is off. ... She really gets that bench going, cheering and involved. Sometimes that's my best substitution is to get her on the bench."

The team's depth is another strength. The week after Beutler was the SWAC player of the week, she was sidelined with an ankle injury. With her out, sophomore transfer Amanda Farish (Lone Peak) stepped in and took over point guard duties without missing a beat.

" Amanda is huge," said Lindsay of Farish, who thought briefly about giving up college basketball last year. "She is averaging right around 10 points. Her toughness, her tenacity, her post strength. But she's also versatile. When Beut went down and Alle (Finch, the back-up point guard) was hurt, she stepped in and took over. How many post players could take over the point position on the spur of the moment?"

All of the team's sophomores are being recruited, and Timpanogos grad Amy Weitzeil has an offer on the table.

"She is my most consistent player," said Lindsay. "She's a hard worker, and she just does everything I ask her to do."

And then there is Texas — also known as Linsey Hodgkiss.

"Texas is playing at the top of her game," said Lindsay. "Against CEU, she was the only one in double figures; she had 26 points."

Texas has battled back from injuries, including a knee injury last year and a broken hand and sprained ankle.

Toughness is something that's easy to cultivate when the team's veterans are oozing it.

It isn't just the team's sophomores, however, who have Snow College on track to contend for a conference title. Freshmen like Grantsville's Sammie Jensen, Heber's Karin Cottle, Riverton's Alle Finch, Bingham's Malori Dixon and Richfield's Jaquel Christensen have all made contributions at key times this season.

It is a luxury that coaches don't often have and something they can't always gauge out on the recruiting trail.

In addition to learning the value of selfless play, the Badgers have learned how to overcome obstacles.

"These kids know how to win," she said. "They've figured out how to win. You run plays, and they just make things happen. No matter who is out there, I have complete confidence. The unity is amazing."