Faculty Feature: CFA Pomona Member Nourishes Student Athletes with Work-Life Balance

Coach Danelle Bishop has a motto for her women’s basketball team: ALL IN.

Accountability
Leadership
Love

Integrity
Nourishment

Coach Bishop pairs up players each season as “buddies” so they can reinforce the All In philosophy.

“Our second ‘L’ is love. And I think a lot of times, in teams and I think at various levels, we forget that we’re here on Earth to love people — just love others, love yourself,” said the CFA Pomona member. “How are you loving on your buddy? So they have a buddy, and the goal was to try to really encourage and motivate them throughout. Also, how did you love on yourself through practice?”

Head Coach of Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s basketball team for 13 years, Bishop cherishes the balanced blend of work and personal the college game offers – for herself and for her players.

“I just love this level. And I love NCAA Division II because their focus is work-life balance. So it really gives just a nice balance and I can still be a mom, and still be the best coach that I can be,” she said. “I was just talking to a recruit, and I was just telling her, ‘hey (because we’re not a Division I program) I can’t work out with you in the summer, which means you get to spend time with your family.’ ”

Bishop’s All In motto also continues the conversation and reflection about anti-racism and social justice in sports and life.

“Being inclusive – that’s part of our love area that we focus on. Being understanding also of everybody’s backgrounds and where they come from. And that again goes into our love section,” Bishop said. “Also, how are we nourishing ourselves? A lot of times, our athletes think that’s just food. And we do talk about the nutrition part. But it’s also how are you nourishing yourself mentally? How are you nourishing yourself physically? Are you taking care of your body? Are you getting adequate sleep?”

Growing up, Bishop played “all the sports,” including basketball. Her dad was a high school basketball coach and inspired her love of the sport. Bishop herself played point guard, shooting guard, and even a post position. Her daughter, 15, and son, 12, also play basketball.

A typical week for Bishop can include inventorying gear, monitoring player transcripts, checking compliance, reviewing the program’s budget, making marketing plans, scheduling and booking travel, designing new offense, arranging athlete physicals, reviewing film, and serving as a parental figure/counselor/advisor to players.

In her 16 years, Bishop has guided the team to eight NCAA Division II tournaments, three Sweet 16 appearances (two of which Cal Poly Pomona hosted by virtue of being the No. 1 seed in their region), two Elite Eights, and one Final Four. Just as impressive is the team’s 3.4 grade point average over that time, Bishop said.

Bishop understands student-athletes’ juggling act of academics, sports, friends, and family. They have to navigate classes, travel, daily training, practice, weight room time, athletic training room visits to take care of their bodies, study hall, office hours, study groups, etc. Which is why Bishop’s coaching approach is families first, school second, basketball third.

Former Cal Poly Pomona power forward Jada (Blackwell) Scorza recalls a “very passionate and intense” coach who vociferously exhorted the importance of rebounding.

Originally recruited from Rancho Cucamonga to Division I Arizona State University, Scorza eventually needed a reset and to be closer to her family. During Scorza’s seasons at Pomona from 2013-15, players were more veteran and had lots of various basketball experiences, some coming from Division I powerhouses. Bishop was able to weave those strands together into a tightknit, successful team.

“I think that Coach Bishop has great intentions for her players. She’s really supportive,” remembered Scorza, a finalist for Division II National Player of the Year during the team’s Final Four run in 2013-14. “She did a good job of creating a family so we had that trust and camaraderie on that team. The players had a lot of respect and trust for each other and our coaches, but the coaches also trusted and respected us players. It came together on and off the court.”

The camaraderie and collaboration Bishop coaches on the court absolutely translate to union work, she said. With coaches spread out across campus and traveling for games, it can be hard to connect with coach colleagues and other faculty.

“And so it’s been neat because I’ve been able as I’ve connected more with different professors. I think as coaches, sometimes we’re really not sure who to go to,” Bishop said. “But we can collaborate by being CFA members and being able to use those collaborations that benefit your team and your program. I’ve become friends with some of my CFA colleagues and professors on campus.”

“I think a lot of times the coaches that are not CFA members often think they’re not really sure they fit in and understand how CFA membership truly benefits them. And so I just encourage my fellow coaches out there that aren’t CFA members, to do their due diligence and they’re welcome to contact me,” Bishop offered. “As a coach, if you’re not a CFA member, you’re not doing yourself justice. You’ve got to become a CFA member.”