As the women's basketball team gears up to take on tough Pac-10 opponents, it’s getting help from a somewhat surprising source.
During practice, a handful of male undergraduates scrimmage against top women like Nicole Powell, ’04, and Sebnem Kimyacioglu, ’05. Most are former high school varsity players who love the game, but don’t have the stuff for a Division I men’s squad. Each plays about three times a week and, with the exception of manager Micah Lewis-Kraus, ’05, they don’t get paid. But, they say, they like the competitive play and good workout.
The Cardinal women’s basketball and soccer teams are among several nationwide that practice with men. The coaches and players like it because the men are more challenging opponents, especially for the starters, than other women who might be available on campus. “They provide a different aspect for us,” says sophomore guard Kelley Suminski. “They are stronger and quicker and faster, so that makes us really work on our defense and strategy.”
Coaches look for men who won’t be so rough that they injure Stanford’s athletes—but won’t go easy on the women, either. “We never have that problem,” says assistant basketball coach Karen Middleton, who recruits the practice players. The men “go out and play hard. Otherwise, they are going to be embarrassed by what some of our players can do.”
In the midst of a fast-paced practice game, it’s difficult to tell which players are male and which are female. Zadok Sacks, ’03, doesn’t hesitate to knock into a female opponent or grab the back of her jersey as he is guarding her. “I think that’s why we are here—to play aggressively,” he says.
The men know their strengths—and weaknesses. “I don’t want this to sound arrogant, but we can jump higher and run faster,” says Will McLennan, ’05, his gray T-shirt soaked with sweat after a preseason scrimmage. The women’s fundamentals “are much better,” he says, “but in a fast break, we can almost always beat them down the court.”
That’s not to say that the teams with men always win. In early November, a group of two men and three women experienced a 32-3 drubbing at the hands of five women. “That’s the worst we’ve ever done,” Sacks admitted. “They definitely killed us this time.”
