Don Ketchum
Former Staff Writer, AZPreps365.com

Arizona schools benefit from home-grown coaches

January 6, 2011 by Don Ketchum, AZPreps365

"=""> The girls’ basketball program at Phoenix St. Mary’s has developed some quality players over the last decade or so. And now the school is helping some former Arizona high school stars launch coaching careers.
"=""> Last season, it was former Tucson Salpointe Catholic and Arizona State star Sybil Dosty in the group of assistant coaches for head coach Curtis Ekmark.
"=""> Now that Dosty has put her coaching on hold while she plays ball in Europe, another assistant familiar to Arizona prep fans is working for the Lady Knights.
"=""> Nicole Neals is a former Lady Knight herself, selected to a few All-Arizona teams by The Arizona Republic before going on to have a strong career at Nebraska.
"=""> Many of these coaches have other jobs and devote their time to coaching for their love of the game. It is great to see them give back and help young players, just as they were helped themselves.
"=""> And it isn’t just at St. Mary’s, but all over the state. In all sports. The new roster of coaches has to come from somewhere, and it might as well be home-grown.