Coaches Corner – Molly Rottman

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, March 21, 2017 | 3:22 PM

In this feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts.

This week features Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic’s girls basketball head coach Molly Rottmann. Coach Rottmann is in her 19^th year as the head coach of the Trojanettes, with over 380 wins, 5 WPIAL titles, and one PIAA crown. She is a graduate of CWNC, and played under WPIAL legend Don Barth. Let’s take a look inside Coach Rottmann’s corner:

Personal:

1.       What are some of your pet peeves? 

Some of pet peeves are players who arrogant or obnoxious on the floor or bad body language of a player on the floor or on the bench – the way you carry yourself is so important!  Also, complaining instead of being a problem solver.

2.       What was your dream job when you were young? 

My dream job was to be a veterinarian or working with animals. 

3.       What was it like playing under Don Barth, the winningest coach in WPIAL history?

Amazing and a little scary at that time…. you did not want to be on his bad side!! Looking back, I feel amazingly blessed to having had the opportunity to have played for him – he is an icon! He still continues to reach out & help me.

4.       Describe your dream vacation.

It entails beach, sun, more beach & some hiking.

5.       What are some of your hobbies in the offseason?

Is there an offseason? Hanging with my four boys, attending their games that I miss all winter, a great date night, hiking, laying on the beach, READING, and working out.

6.       If you were not a basketball coach, what do you think you would be? 

I would still be a Physical Education teacher – I loved doing that as well.

7.       What is the most important thing you try to preach to your players every year? 

Enjoy the ride…it is over before you know it. It is really hard to get to a district or state championship – you have to enjoy the ride & have fun. College basketball is awesome for those able to play it, but there is nothing like high school basketball!

8.       Compare the feeling of winning a state championship as a player with CWNC to the feeling of bringing a state championship to CWNC as their coach. 

When I stop to think of that I feel unbelievably blessed to have experienced both. It’s an amazing feeling both as a player and a coach, but it feels a lot harder to accomplish as a coach. As an adult I realize how HARD it is to even get there.

9.       What is your proudest moment as a high school basketball coach?

Ugh so many – when my kids (meaning my players – I think of them as the daughters I don’t have) are excited about a win, when they get to play in college, when kids work hard even when they are under the radar & don’t play much, when a player gets back on the court after a tough injury, when my boys are so proud of my team, when a game plan comes together and works, and when my players do well at the next level.

10.   You have taken multiple teams to the Finals, does it ever get old?

NO!!!!  NEVER!!!

11.   What was your most embarrassing moment as a high school basketball coach?

Ohhh so many, you should ask my players. In the 2012 state semifinal game vs Vincentian, I misread the time and ran out on the floor with like 10 seconds left trying to hug my players who were looking at me and running away….needless to say I got T’ed up.

12.   How important hass Sam Breen been to your team, regarding overall talent as a player but also as a mentor for some of the younger players? 

Sam Breen is amazing. Her tenure at NC is unbelievable and she has accomplished so much and has so much to be proud of.  She has earned a PIAA & WPIAL banner on the wall and her own accomplishments are amazing!!!  She has been an amazing leader for us, she has helped so many younger kids transition and has taken them under her wing. She has also shown them the hard work it takes to be successful as well as being their friends. I cannot say enough about Sam and her impact on North Catholic basketball.

13.   How did you decide you wanted to coach basketball?

It was never really a conscious decision. My college coach asked me to stay on for my 5^th year of school and it just snowballed. I was called the next year to be an assistant coach at Montour and then the head coach quit in September so they were stuck hiring me. I really could never imagine life without basketball and I am not surprised it is so intertwined with my life.

14.   Next year, you will most likely hit the 400-win mark. Talk about that accomplishment and what it means to you.

Well it means I have had a lot of amazing kids that have played for me and amazing coaches on my staff. Any accomplishments in basketball are never singular – I wish that everyone was recognized in everyone’s accomplishments. It sounds corny or self-depreciating, but it is very true. It is the consummate team sport and everyone contributes. It also means I’m getting old…

15.   How important has your family been throughout your coaching career?

My family is everything to me – my husband and 4 boys are the Trojanettes BIGGEST fans and I love it!! My boys love the players and when I talk about being done they are vehement that I have to stay coaching. If my husband wasn’t’ 100% on board, I would have been done a long time ago. My dad has been my assistant coach for 20 years, no one really knows how incredibly awesome that is. Yes, we can argue like cats and dogs at moments but the experiences we have had together I wouldn’t trade for a million dollars. My mom has been our rock and an amazing help. I couldn’t have coached without her help babysitting my boys for hours on end. My brothers and sisters have been at every important milestone. I have been blessed and thank God every day for my family – both biological and my Trojanette family – to have had so many amazing young ladies be a part of my life. Beyond words.

Tags: Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, North Catholic