McManis Sees Big Picture at The Master’s

NEWHALL —  After seven coaches in nine seasons, The Master’s College women’s basketball program apparently has found someone who plans to stick around.

Cliff McManis, 27, a 1989 Master’s graduate, set many goals when he took over the head coaching position earlier this year. Topping the list was a desire to bring stability to a program that has not had a winning record since the 1984-85 season.

“I think this year’s team is going to be a lot more disciplined than the women’s teams have been here in the past,” McManis said. “Traditionally, they just haven’t been that serious here about the women’s program and I want to change that. . . . I plan to coach here a while.”

His first job is to transform a team full of several two-sport athletes into a cohesive unit.

“About half our team played either soccer or volleyball so we haven’t had a whole lot of practice time together,” he said. “We’ve definitely got some catching up to do.”

Guard Deborah Prociw is the lone returning starter for the Mustangs (9-15, 3-11 in NAIA District 3 play last season).

Prociw, a 5-foot-8 junior, averaged 13.5 points and 4.7 rebounds.

She will be joined in the backcourt by 5-8 senior Amanda DeRidder, who took last year off to focus on academics.

Freshman Kim DeVries (5-10) and senior Julie Kamminga (5-8) start at forwards, with freshman Sharlene TeVelde (6-0) at center.

McManis hopes for quality minutes from senior Jennifer Larson, sophomore Connie VanWingerden and freshmen Berta Downey and Erika Koss, his top reserves.

“I think we’ve got a great shooting team,” he said. “I think that will definitely be one of our strengths. Our weakness could be a lack of depth. If a couple of our starters get into foul trouble too often, we could be in trouble.”