European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 2, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 32 0 the stars and stripes sports tuesday March 2,1993lady Quot coach turns men around by sue Harper staff writer As the Days shortened last november it was time for the Augsburg men a basketball team to make a change. The crusaders had not beaten Vii corps bavarian league Region Iii rival Nimberg in three years not during the regular season not during a championship not Ever. The team appeared to be on the Way to another Evcic Man for himself season and a first Ever appearance in the menus army european championships was the most fanciful of pipe dreams. Quot fair perfectly described the season and the team. Three months later however the crusaders had beaten Nurnberg for the bavarian league championship and were an experienced dec team. The difference Kaizer who Cut her coaching Teeth on the playgrounds of Chicago is one of two women who coach Community level men s basketball in Europe. Kaiserslautern s Vikki Dixon is the other half of that exclusive sorority but Kaizer was the Only woman to get a team into either the Mcne a or women s dec tournaments this year. A a had she been in the air Force she d have been just As lonely. Quot in the United kingdom league there Arentt even any women coaching women a teams Quot said James Dich of Safe sports. The crusaders asked Kaizer to take Over when it became obvious her predecessor was unlikely to lift the team out of its customary mediocrity. After some hesitation she took Oyer last november. But making Augsburg into a team was t easy at first. Former All army All service armed forces All America selectee Charles Bates said he initially took her and his status for granted. He did t show up at the practices just the games. The 6-foot-6 Power Forward quickly found himself on the Bench. Quot that never happened to me before at Augsburg Quot Bates a three year starter said. After four or five games of not starting and playing 10 to 15 minutes a game he asked Kaizer what be had Toto to get off the Bench. Quot she said come to practice and give me 100 percent Quot Bates said. Quot she gave me a Wake up Call. She benched me and a decided hey she a for  that Wasny to the first Wake up Call Kaizer dialled. Quot when she came Ltd a Dexter Crouch said. Players in Augsburg and sticking care if you did no to like it that was her  Quot that shocked me Quot Bates said. Quot a lot of Guys were shocked. That had never happened  the players said that in the past coaches would have one or two Good players who would pretty much Call their own shots. Quot before playing a game was More like one on one rather than team Ball. T Amy photo for ass crusader men s coach Cecilia Kaizer. Replaced 1-on-l with team Ball the players say she has an even handed approach to playing. She plays everyone. In Yean past the Best five or six players would play the entire game. Crouch and Bates said. As a result she says she can go 11-deep. Her 4-7 Reg ular season record is partly because not everyone could show up due to duty or other vital commitments. Except for three games earlier on. Quot we had won three games in a Row Quot Bates said. Quot and then people starting pulling that last season crap not showing up for practice then we lost three games in a Row. She sent around a memorandum saying the whole team was on probation. If people did no to show up for practice without a legitimate reason they were of the  and they knew she meant it Quot she does no to have favourites and she does no to have a a Best player a a a Bates said. Quot she just has a  Kaizer made it Clear that she was driving the bus. She s the coach. She makes the rules those that Don t like the rules can go the players said. And some did. When she first became the coach a few players quit because they did t like the Way she was coaching. Quot they quit. She said Good Bye. And that was it Quot Couch said. On another occasion she told the team just prior to a game that she was Only playing seven players that Day Bates said. Quot she said a you feel like complaining you can get dressed and go Home because i done to want to hear it a Quot Bates said. Now however her players say that in a year or two winners she could easily coach the . Shape All Star team. But they done to know that much about her personally. Quot she a quiet. Even when she a coaching. She does no to raise her voice. She s even soft spoken. She presents herself better than any coach in be Ever known Quot Bates said. # her team does no to know that she developed her quiet toughness in Chicago s notorious Cabrini Green housing project. A one started when she was 12. She was recruited under Chicago a youth employment program for the Myca to be a basketball and volleyball coach. A the program rounded up athletically talented kids from better off Chicago neighbourhoods to coach kids in Chicago s projects. Quot the Myca really pushed you to coach Quot she said. Quot they wanted the project kids to develop their  she also thought the Myca wanted the youth coaches to grow up with the program and continue to coach in that part of Chicago. Kaizer Ana her sister were both recruited for to fat program. Sometimes she coached younger kids sometimes older kids and sometimes kids her own age. She never told the kids she was coaching How old one was. When she was a freshman she did no to Tell the Junior and senior kids How old she was Quot no Way. These girls were from a Tough neighbourhood Quot Kaizer said. "1 think they just assumed i was older than 1  the 5-foot-s Kaizer played three years As Small Forward for North Central College in Illinois. A single Mother of a 5-year-old, Kaizer was discovered by the Augsburg Community team while she was coaching a men s company level team. Most of the players on the Augsburg team wanted her to coach them Crouch said. Quot the big question from people not on the team was Why is she coaching Quot Bates said. Quot the answer was because she s the most qualified. Anyone does t think she s a Good coach better do a background  Kaizer took the Augsburg women a volleyball team to the legs. Her company level basketball team came in third. And then there is the knowing when to fret and not to fret Factor. She did no to concern herself with the fact that Augsburg s regular season record was 4-7. Quot during the season some of the More experienced players were on leave Quot Kaizer said. Quot i did no to really need them until the  in fact Kaizer played her less experienced players a lot during the regular season. She also did no to bring out All of her plays until late in the regular season Bates said. Quot if we get a Chance to practice before our first tournament game it would t Shock me if she comes up with something Quot Bates said As his team prepared for its dec debut. The Maiden voyage proved rough however As the crusaders were bounced in consecutive losses a 98-82 10 shape and 10298 to Wiesbaden. But Kaizer did indeed come up with something. Her teams a Winner. Angels kicking pricey Hurst s tires by the associated press with two openings in their starting to Tat Ion the California Angels might consider a Deal for san Diego left hander Bruce Hurst. A a there s some interest a Angel manager Buck Rodgers said sunday Quot but we re talking Money. The person who takes him is going to have to take what $2.7 million on the payroll a a Quot if Bruce Hurst is healthy and can pitch like he did in the past he s a bargain at $2.7 million. But that a the thing you have to  Hurst battled shoulder problems last year but compiled a 149 record with a 3.85 Era. Quot he s 35 years old and he never was a Guy who could blow batters away Quot Rodgers said. Quot but 1 certainly would t say there a Zero interest in him As a  a a a. No no Fernando Boston pm Lou Gorman said the team had no interest in Fernando Valenzuela who signed a minor league contract with  training Quot our reports on him weren to that Good Quot Gorman said. He also said the red sox will have too Many Good Young pitching prospects at Pawtucket of the International league for Boston to sign Valenzuela to a minor league Deal a a a Spring status Darryl Strawberry who had Back surgery last season showed no ill effects from the operation in the los Angeles dodgers first intr squad game sunday. Strawberry played Anrce innings and went witless in two at bats As a team managed by coach Joe Amalfitano beat a squad managed by coach Joe Ferguson 6-4 in a six inning game. Quot the big thing is being out there feeling All right Quot Strawberry said. Quot it was a very Nice feeling to play in a game situation and feel no  a a trainers table Cincinnati right hander Jose kilo visited the red sox Spring training Complex sunday for a physical examination. Do. Arthur Pappas Boston s team physician said that he knew of no problems but that Rico wanted a second opinion. Rico was 15-10 in 221 innings last season and missed several starts with Elbow problems. A right fielder Bobby Bonilla missed sunday s workout with the new York mets because of the flu and has not had a full workout since Friday. Manager Jeff Torborg said second baseman Jeff Kent and Pitcher Anthony Young will have Fri tests monday. Kent will undergo the examination on his right shoulder Young will have his right knee examined. A Kansas City Royal Pitcher Mike Boddicker has a possible cartilage tear in his Eft knee that could require surgery this week. Boddicker will have an Fri examination monday. If a tear is confirmed he would undergo arthroscopic surgery. Trainer Nick Swartz said Boddicker could be pitching again in two weeks Quot if the tear is As Small As  Are looking to shift Bruce Hurst