In 2019, Hailey Giaratano chose Hammond, a town so close to her heart, to pursue her athletic and academic aspirations, not knowing what the future held for her. 

In the next five years, she became the captain of the women’s basketball team and made history in the 2022-2023 season. The Lady Lions became the Southland Conference (SLC) regular season and tournament champions, and Giaratano was named the SLC tournament’s “Most Valuable Player.” 

Now, as the assistant coach and director of player development, Giaratano shares her experiences and insights with the players, guiding them toward another successful season. 

As the daughter of Bridget Giaratano, the administrative assistant to Athletic Director Jay Artigues, Giaratano has always had a special connection to Hammond. With her aunt Dana Noto playing for the Lady Lions in the 2001-2002 season, she was destined to find her way to the University Center hardwood. 

Giaratano’s journey to SLU stardom began when she was ten years old, playing volleyball and basketball for fun. It was only in high school that she decided basketball was her passion. 

“I always told myself I just have to choose which one I love,” Giaratano said. “Volleyball was fun for me, but basketball was something that I was passionate about and loved to play. I loved learning the game and I still do.”

Head Coach Ayla Guzzardo saw Giaratano during a high school game and immediately wanted her on the Lady Lions’ team because of her exceptional skills. 

“What she does with the basketball on the offensive end is unreal because she sees things before they develop. She knows who the open person will be and how she will get the ball there. On the scoring side, she’s the most selfless person I’ve ever met in my life. She’ll pass it over to a better teammate to shoot because she trusts her teammate is going to make it,” Guzzardo said.

From the moment Giaratano stepped on the Southeastern court, she felt at home. According to her, the team atmosphere has always been family-oriented and competitive, spiced up with some fun.

“There are some teams where it can get competitive during practice and then it affects the team, but here, it’s wanted and needed. We are competitive at practice then we come to the locker room and joke around,” she said. 

Giaratano received countless awards for her performance, both on and off the court. She was a multiple–time SLC All-Conference and All-Academic selection, a two-time player of the week, an All-Louisiana nominee and the 2023 SLC Women’s Basketball Championship MVP.  

According to Giaratano, the awards are symbols of recognition for her hard work; however, her main goal was always to win the conference championship and secure their ticket to the NCAA tournament.

“Getting personal awards is great. It makes you feel good, but for me, the ultimate goal was achieved by winning the championship,” she said. 

After her successful student-athlete career, Giaratano stayed in athletics and joined her team’s coaching staff. She said the transition was smooth since she already had respect from her teammates due to serving as captain for four years. 

“There are boundaries I have to set, but I was a captain from my sophomore to my super senior year so I feel like the respect was already there. I was already the voice for the team, making sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to do, which definitely helped the transition,” Giaratano said.  

Turning from a player to a coach is challenging because of personal relationships, but Giaratano said she considers herself lucky because she has a special connection to the players. 

“I think it’s a different dynamic. I’m in the middle between the coaches and the players, so I feel like I can say something to them that other coaches can’t. I have a different relationship with them and I was in the same situation as them when I was a player, so I understand how they feel,” she explained.

Guzzardo said she saw Giaratano as more than a talented player; she had always been a “coach on the floor” who naturally does and says the right thing. Now, as a member of the coaching staff, Giaratano is in the role she was made for, according to Guzzardo.

“Being one year removed, you are able to connect with the players in a different way than sometimes other coaches can. She has battled injuries, she’s hit game-winning shots and she’s missed them so she knows what it’s like to be in the players’ position. She was just with them last year so I think they respect her. They listen to her and they value her opinion,” Guzzardo said. 

Besides being the assistant coach, Giaratano is also the director of player development. Her goal is to help players prepare for success after their college athletic careers, including networking with employers, finding work opportunities and cultivating basic life skills. 

As a student-athlete, Giaratano always set the bar high for herself. However, during her journey, she realized perfection cannot be maintained, so she switched her mindset from seeking perfection to seeking progress.

“I always expected perfection from myself, but when I realized it was not going to happen, I just focused on making a little progress every day. I am not expecting perfection from myself anymore and I’m not expecting it from my players,” Giaratano said. “As long as they are trying and making progress every day, we are good.”

Giaratano’s goal in the future is to continue improving and growing at Southeastern with a supportive community and team behind her.  

“I try to add value wherever I can. I love this coaching staff, so my goal is just to stay with them, learn from them and grow professionally. I am content where I am right now,” she said.

Giaratano will make her assistant coaching debut this Monday, Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m. against Millsaps in the University Center. Lady Lions fans can also listen live on 90.9 The Lion.