One morning, while working as an assistant on Andy Landers' women's basketball staff at the University of Georgia, Bernadette Mattox picked up a newspaper and read something that ultimately would impact her life. Rick Pitino wanted to hire a woman as one of his assistants at Kentucky. Interesting, she thought. Little did she know then that she would become the first female assistant coach in Division I men's basketball history.

That was nearly 20 years ago. There have only been two others who have done what Mattox had done, and no woman has been named head coach of a Division I men's team. Many agree that one person who could have broken that barrier was Pat Summitt.

"I think Pat would have been accepted, once the players were around her somewhat and saw her as a coach that could greatly impact the team," said Dan Hughes, coach and general manager of the WNBA's San Antonio Silver Stars.

Of course, this issue is far deeper than just the college or pro level.

"It is frustrating to me that more women are not coaching youth sports," said state Sen. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford. "I think we want young girls to see women as leaders, and there are far too few. Go to any softball field, Little League field, soccer field even when girls are playing. I love that fathers are involved, but we need both mothers and fathers and men and women coaches."

Mattox, now an assisant coach for the WNBA's Connecticut Sun, recalled how her piece of history came to be.

"[The story] was about how Ralph Willard left Coach Pitino's staff at Kentucky to go to Western Kentucky," said Mattox. "The article said Rick was going to think about replacing [Willard] with a female; I'm thinking to myself, 'Great, Coach Pitino is innovative, good for him,' and I left it at that.

"Then I got the call."

It was from Tubby Smith, then one of Pitino's assistants. He told Mattox that Pitino wanted to speak to her.

"One thing led to another. I went on the visit, and the staff was super to me," Mattox said. "Everyone gave me such a great feeling about the place. That set the tone. I did not know Tubby Smith, and you know what, I never asked any of them how they got my name. I simply have no idea."

Excerpt from:
Women Coaching Men Remains A Long Way Away