Women enlisting men for practice

Greg Sencak remembers a shaky start to his experience that quickly flourished into something… Greg Sencak remembers a shaky start to his experience that quickly flourished into something that he truly relishes. He has been practicing with the women’s basketball team this semester. ‘ ‘The first week was awkward ’cause I didn’t know any of [the basketball player’s names],’ said Sencak. ‘I was tentative because I didn’t really know what was going on.’ Sencak got the gig after he replied to an ad in The Pitt News that Pitt coach Agnus Berenato and her staff placed, calling for male basketball players to ‘compete in everyday practice.’ Sencak is the first to participate in Pitt practices. After a couple of practices with the team, Sencak easily shed anything that was holding him back from enjoying the experience. ‘I’m a lot more comfortable now,’ said Sencak. ‘I think it’s a great opportunity. I mean, I’m a huge basketball fan and I think playing with [Division I] players, and just playing on the Peterson Events center court is awesome.’ ‘ So far, the team has only three men competing, but Berenato thinks they have a profound effect in the development of her female players. ‘ ‘They give us a physical presence that we wouldn’t have otherwise,’ said Berenato. ‘They give our players someone a little bigger and a little stronger to match-up against.’ The team isn’t taking just any guy that wants to practice, however. The process of becoming part of the practice squad includes filling out paperwork, a physical and an interview with the coaches. Some of the paperwork comprises of a complete medical history, contact information and clearance forms. The men who sign up have to go through almost the same process that a walk-on recruit would have to go through to become a part of the roster. Two freshmen, Camryn Lemberger and Omar Abdullah, are in the application process and can’t wait to get out on the hardwood. ‘ ‘I expect it to be a lot of fun and a lot of hard work,’ said Lemberger. Abdullah knows that there’s going to be a lot expected of him, but he’s more than ready to rise to the challenge. ‘It’s going to be an intense atmosphere ’cause the coaching staff expects us to deliver a physical presence on the basketball court, but there’s no question it’s going to be fun,’ said Abdullah. The men are mostly contributing on the defensive side of the ball, where they provide aggressive defense. Sophomore guard Taneisha Harrison agrees with Berenato and thinks the men competing in practice is helping her game develop tremendously. ‘Some of the time, [the men] are on the post, and they play more aggressive [than the female players] so they help our post play,’ said Harrison. ‘They also bring a lot of on-ball pressure, so it makes our guards much better ball-handlers.’ In a conference as competitive as the Big East, the coaches hope the male presence on the basketball court will help to develop a new brand of tenacity that Pitt will play with for the rest of the year. ‘The conference we’re in is very aggressive, so we need that aggressiveness in practice to make us work hard,’ said Harrison. Even though the players say that the men are making a huge impact on the team, the girls aren’t the only ones benefiting from this scenario. While all of the men share the same motive in trying to develop the female players, Lemberger has another reason to make it out to practice. ‘I’m very interested in pursuing a career in coaching, and I think this is a great opportunity to make contacts,’ said Lemberger. With Berenato widely respected as one of the best coaches in women’s basketball, there isn’t a better place to start. Lemberger can’t wait to learn from Berenato, as she tries to coach her team to another NCAA Tournament appearance. Although the coaches don’t require the men to show up to every practice, they’re encouraged to, and there is no question that their presence is appreciated. As this program grows during the season, Berenato hopes that more men sign up so there is consistent attendance at practices. In the end, Pitt’s goal is to develop a full all-male scout team that will be available for every practice. Berenato undoubtedly has the utmost respect for the guys that make it out to practice, and she knows why these men have decided to come out and dedicate their time to the team. More than anything, they love this game and they love this university,’ said Berenato.