Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Talk about team loyalty. University of Nebraska at Kearney women's basketball coach Carol Russell is "never" late for practice or a game. In fact, she is notoriously on time and expects that from her players and her own children.

But Russell was about three minutes late for the beginning of her team's championship game last night. The coach had give birth only hours before the game, so she had a most acceptable reason for being late (especially her first time).

Just about five hours before the start of the North Central Region basketball tournament in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the coach gave birth to a 6 pound baby boy. But she didn't let that stop her from being there for her team.

"I could have watched the Webcast, but I wanted to be there for the girls because they've been working so hard for this all year," Russell told the Associated Press.

By half-time Russell and her players were tiring out.

"I usually stand up the whole game, but I didn't have the energy," she said Russell.

Unfortunately, her team, with help from her assistant coach, could not match the might of the the University of North Dakota who beat the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers 108-75 to advance to the NCAA Division II tournament.

Russell will have plenty of time to put her maternal coaching to the test.

"My family is kidding me about naming him Dakota," Russell said. "We're still searching for a middle name and that's an option."

Watch video from the game. What a trooper!!

Labels: Amazing Births, Basketball, Strange Births, Weird News, Women's Basketball

posted by Googe | 4:07 PM | 0 comments links to this post