This month Lawrence University hired Tara Carr as the new head coach of its women’s basketball program. Carr, who previously served as the campus director and adjunct instructor in business management and human resource management at the Beloit campus of Concordia University, comes from a strong athletic and coaching background at various colleges across the country.
She says she came to Lawrence because of its “great academics and outstanding reputation.” According to Carr, “Lawrence has a strong basketball history, and meeting the faculty and staff was an enjoyable experience… Lawrence is a very welcoming environment.”
In addition, Carr said that she felt Lawrence really captured the essence of a Division III school in that it creates a student-athlete model of balance between academics and sports, allowing the students to excel in both. When asked about what she felt she would bring to the women’s basketball program here at Lawrence, Carr replied “passion, energy, maturity, and experience.”
“I have had athletic as well as coaching experience at various academic institutions,” said Carr. “I will provide the best leadership I can, as well as be a positive role model for members of the team.”
Carr stated her plan for the program was to “build a positive environment for the girls to grow into great leaders and excel academically,” and eventually “build a program that is competitively viable in the Midwest Conference.” To do this, Carr plans for more intensive recruiting of good student athletes, as well as using time effectively in practice and developing the fundamental skills the team will need to compete well in the conference.
As far as what she hopes to achieve here at Lawrence, Carr said it was her goal to “bring back the strong basketball history that Lawrence has had in the past.” Carr also said that she wants to help the team build “lifelong memories, character and work ethic,” and that those skills will help the girls in their future lives and careers.