Step Aside Boys, Women are making history for Benicia Basketball
Behind every team there is a great leader.
This leader is Amanda Rivera with the Benicia High School Women’s Varsity basketball.
“Coaching is about teaching the players the fundamentals of the game but to also show them leadership skills,” Rivera said. “Skills that are important on and off the court.”
Rivera began her coaching career once she graduated college at Chico State. Always having a love for the game, returning to her home town of Benicia, California, she thought spending her time would be beneficial by giving back to the community.
“ I wanted to give back to the community and school I graduated from, while also becoming part of the basketball program as a Coach instead of a player,” Rivera said.
Coach Rivera got her start in sports at a very young age as a player at a private elementary school. This is where she met her future assistant coach DeAnna Paulding.
“Being teammates together from such a young age, then becoming the coaches has been a good balance for us,” Paulding said. “We each bring something different to the table.”
Rivera and Paulding then went on to become players for the Lady Panthers from 1998–2001 basketball season. The young 5'2" guard held her own on the court. She would not let her small size defeat any type of confidence against opponents. A lesson that she has brought into her coaching style.
“There is a lot of things that I hope I can teach my players but more importantly I want them to be confident in their team and themselves when they are out on the court,” Rivera said.
Rivera started her coaching season at Benicia High coaching the JV team in 2011 and while also being the assistant coach for the Varsity team at the same time. She has been able to teach girls with a wide range of experience of basketball with skills and fundamentals in hopes of winning a championship.
In the recent season of Panthers Women’s basketball, the league was changed from Solano County (SCAC) to Diablo Valley Athletic League. Coach Rivera at first was worried about the change because the teams on the other side of the bridge have been known to be well accomplished. Something the Benicia program has struggled with.
According to the Benicia Herald, for the first time in 28 years under a female coaching staff the Varsity team won the title from the DVAL against Berean Christian 71–14. Something that shocked not only the players but Rivera as well.
When asked how that moment felt for Rivera she was amazed and proud of her team with a league ranking of 8–2. With this win she knew what goal she wanted to continue to reach and there is to be more work ahead.
“ I was very proud of them on that court.” Rivera said, “Honestly, I’m shocked. It’s something I wasn’t able to achieve as a player but more than proud of them this season.”
Rivera has modeled her coaching abilities from coaches like Pat Summit, and Geno Auriemma. She feels that Summit has paved the way for female coaches something that Rivera wants to see more of in sports. A stronger female presence.
But it is Auriemma interviews about the players as individuals, as well as athletes is what Rivera displays to her own players. Not only is Auriemma points on coaching strong but, he surrounds himself with a female coaching staff in order to demonstrate how to create a more equal opportunity for women in sports.
Although having won a championship title, with an 10–16 season on the books this is something Coach Rivera wants to improve on in the next season for women's basketball. She has the plan to improve the program with more coaching in game strategy as well as hopes of getting more support from the community. But above all to have gain more respect towards women sports programs in general.
As this season ended on a high note, the next season for Lady Panther basketball is going to be strong with Rivera as the leader. She knows that a successful coach is never off the clock once the buzzer goes out.
