The Lion’s Roar / Jonathan Rhodes
Head Coach Errol Gauff with his wife Medria, and his daughter Hailey Elizabeth at the “Meet the Coach” event that happened in the Victory Club last Tuesday. Coach Gauff has been coaching in the city of Hammond for more than twenty years. For 18 years he coached the St. Thomas Aquinas High School men’s basketball team. He was the Lions assistant coach for the past two years.
Former assistant coach of the men’s basketball team Errol Gauff was named the new head coach of the Lady Lions basketball team by the Director of Athletics Jay Artigues on Apr. 2. Gauff was introduced at a “Meet the Coach” event last Tuesday in the Victory Club. Gauff is the sixth head coach in Lady Lions history.
“We were looking for someone who could provide long-term stability to our women’s basketball program and serve as a positive role-model for our student-athletes and Errol [Gauff] fits the mold,” said Artigues in a press release.
Gauff coached the men’s basketball team at St. Thomas Aquinas High School for 18 seasons before coming to Southeastern. He led STA to their first playoff appearance and victory, seven consecutive 30-win seasons and two state championships.
“It wasn’t easy leaving STA,” said Gauff. “A lot of great people who helped me in more ways than I could describe; people that I love and respect. However, it was a great opportunity to fulfill a dream of coaching in college and that opportunity was right here in Hammond where I would not have to relocate. It was a blessing from above.”
Gauff accepted the job as the new head women’s basketball coach and spoke to all friends, family and peers that were at the “Meet the Coach” event thanking them for their support.
“The emotions since coach Artigues called Friday night have been off the charts,” said Gauff. “This is home. Much to my surprise and honor to see this turnout today I know a lot of the people here through teaching their sons and daughters and working with them in a professional way however it may be. I am truly blessed. God has blessed me over and over and this is just another way that I know God has blessed me.”
Gauff was the assistant coach of the men’s basketball team for two seasons under current Head basketball Coach Jay Ladner. Ladner was proud to see Gauff become the new head coach.
“This is a great day,” said Ladner. “It’s a great day for Southeastern, certainly a great day for the women’s basketball program here and it’s a great day for us [men’s basketball team] too. I take it as a complement to our program that one of our assistants was thought highly enough to become the new head coach of our women’s program. I’m really proud for him and his family, and he is going to do a great job.”
The Lady Lions finished last season with a 4-25, 3-15 SLC record and missed the conference tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
“I told them we won’t talk about last season or last year or the year before,” said Gauff. “I asked them if they know who Satchel Paige was. One of them knew he was a famous African-American Negro League baseball player. And I said some people know that more people may know him for the quote he said ‘if you spent all your time looking back someone is gaining on you.’ I said ‘well girls, we are not trying to go backwards, so let’s keep our eyes on the prize, moving forward’. And that prize is every day we have to go to class and act like a champion, we have to get in the community and shake hands and talk to people like champions and we have to hit the floor practicing and hit the weight room like a champion. Let’s move forward.”
Junior guard Taylin Underwood was enthusiastic about her new coach and his plans for the team.
“I’m actually really excited to get something new from what we had,” said Underwood. “I’m ready to get started. He seems to be really focused on go ahead and getting to work and working hard and getting us better for the next season.”
Coach Gauff has been coaching men’s basketball for nearly twenty years and addressed how he would be making the switch to women’s basketball.
“People ask me about the switch going from boys to girls, ‘how are you going to deal with them’; you don’t deal with student-athletes, you treat student-athletes,” said Gauff. “So I am here to treat them in a way like I did the boys. I will treat them with respect, I will try to motivate them and I’m going to push them and demand of them that they get every bit of their God-given talent and put it together to use in a team effort.”
Gauff was glad to keep his family in Hammond, but says the new job does take up a lot of time.
“I admit I do not spend as much time with my wife and daughter as I want to,” said Gauff. “They are great. When we are together, it’s special even if it’s just going for a ride, watching TV at the house or going out to eat. I’ve got to learn to be available for them more frequently.”
Assistant coach Aja Gibson, who was assistant under coach Yolanda Moore last year and played for the Lady Lions (2010-14), will be returning as assistant coach under Gauff.
“She has more ownership to the program then I do,” said Gauff. “She has sweat for the university, she’s bled for the university. Coach Moore did a good job bringing her in last year as part of the staff and I will retain coach Gibson as part of the staff. She has been invaluable to me already. She could leave August 1 and I could never repay her enough for what she has already done. She has taught me some things not only about the young ladies, but helping me to get organized as this transition takes place.”
For more information on Gauff and the Lady Lions, visit lionsports.net.