No. 1 UCLA women find the gym as a refuge

A refuge from the chaos

To the casual observer, or at least one paying only partial attention, UCLA’s women’s basketball team is a juggernaut. The men might currently be driving Mick Cronin crazy with their play, but Cori Close’s women’s team has vanquished all comers, is ranked No.1 in the nation and seems to be upholding the late John Wooden’s standards in a way the men haven’t been.

Coaching through crises

Which hasn’t stopped Close from laying down the law occasionally when warranted. As she put it the other day, when the little things are done sloppily or ineffectively, “It’s my job to make that hurt (in practice and film sessions) when the score doesn’t make it hurt.”

Dealing with real-life crises

But coaching handbooks likely don’t provide much advice for dealing with real-life crises, such as the wildfires that have turned parts of L.A. city and county into disaster areas – especially when one of those areas is uncomfortably close to campus.

Praying for everyone’s safety

“It’s obviously devastating, just how close it is to us and seeing (how) a lot of people close to this program have lost homes and have lost a lot of stuff in this fire,” guard Kiki Rice said Friday, during a Zoom session that replaced the program’s usual Friday afternoon media availability. “So it’s, really, praying for everyone and everyone’s safety.”

A refuge in the gym

But, she added, she and her teammates “get to come out here, still play basketball, still do what we love. Our school’s OK. Facilities are OK. And so I think (we’re) just reminding ourselves of that and I think we’re focused on continuing forward with the season and doing what we can, while also just thinking of everyone else who’s going through tough times right now.”

A refuge from the chaos

There are times when the lessons from the practice floor are equally applicable to life away from the gym, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time they’re imparted. And there are times, such as this, when the gym itself is a refuge.

Rescheduling games

The Bruins will have more time to figure things out. Originally scheduled to play Sunday afternoon in Pauley Pavilion against Northwestern, they wound up with an open date when the Big Ten announced Friday afternoon that Northwestern would not make its West Coast trip to play the Bruins or USC on Wednesday. Those games will be rescheduled some time this season.

Pivoting to the situation

Conditions permitting, UCLA’s next scheduled game is Wednesday night at home against Penn State. But at this point, everything remains tentative.

Leading through scenarios

For Los Angeles teams, pro and college, the schedule fallout from the fire is reminiscent of the bad old days of the COVID-19 pandemic, with games postponed, rescheduled and in some cases added on the fly, as well as college campuses closed and classes either canceled or held remotely.

Confidence in leadership

“We’ve already known how to pivot,” Close said. “That’s what Pam (Walker, director of operations) and I said to each other (Thursday) night. We said, ‘This is what we do. We find a way. We can’t control this, but this is – we know how to do this. We know how to lead through this.'”

A refuge from the chaos

Friday’s was UCLA’s first practice since coming back from a road trip Tuesday night, following a sweep of Indiana and Purdue. By then, of course, flames were already cutting a swath through Pacific Palisades.

Players’ sentiments

Players attended in-person classes Wednesday and Thursday, but UCLA canceled in-person undergraduate classes Thursday night and Friday.

Finding joy in the game

“We’ve only been talking with each other over the phone or FaceTime,” Close said. “But we gave them space right away. We took two days off and just tried to (regroup), even our staff. We had nightly check-ins to make sure everybody was OK.

Out-of-state players

“But that was one of the things we said after practice (Friday): ‘You know what? We still get to play the sport we love.’ And just because there’s so much hurt going on right now, and difficulty, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still find joy in playing this game that we love and (being) committed to that.”

Conclusion

In the face of chaos and devastation, the UCLA women’s basketball team has found solace in the gym. As they navigate the challenges of the season, they are reminded that even in the darkest of times, there is always something to be grateful for – and that is the opportunity to play the game they love.

FAQs

Q: How is the UCLA women’s basketball team coping with the wildfires in Los Angeles?
A: The team is taking things one day at a time and finding solace in the gym. They are also praying for everyone affected by the fires and are committed to continuing their season.

Q: Has the team’s schedule been affected by the wildfires?
A: Yes, the team’s game against Northwestern was postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.

Q: How is the team’s leadership handling the situation?
A: Coach Cori Close and her staff are providing guidance and support to the team, and are focused on leading through the challenges they are facing.

Q: What is the team’s message to those affected by the wildfires?
A: The team is sending their thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the fires, and are committed to doing what they can to support those in need.