They speak a different language and use a logic all their own; their inner sanctum is kept under lock and key from the rest of the world; and their creed, “Big 12 Champs” lines the walls. For a select few, the locker room and practices of Bonnie Hendrickson, Danielle McCray and the women’s basketball team are revealed when they serve as a guest coach.

The Pregame

In last Sunday’s game against Oral Roberts University, Patti Ryder from Kansas City, Mo., and Cathy Bishop from Mission were honored as guest coaches for the women’s basketball team. Forty minutes before tipoff, Bishop and Ryder filed in behind the women’s basketball players to head into the locker room. The pregame talk is where Henrickson and the players break down each player on the opposing team, look at what type of plays they want to run and decide what each player’s role is.

As they were led past the sectioned-off fans hoping for autographs, they entered into the heart of Allen Field House: the locker room. The newly renovated facility is a circular room where each player’s name and locker face inward toward the center. Bishop and Ryder quietly slipped into the back of the room on the outer rim of the circle of chairs. As they sat in awe of the locker room and players, they waited for Henrickson to begin the pregame break-down.

“It’s so great to see the women’s team getting this kind of money and attention spent on them,” Ryder said.

Ryder and Bishop have been season ticket holders since Henrickson came to coach at Kansas. The guest coaches program was brought to Kansas when Henrickson came because the program had flourished at Virginia Tech. Ticket holders like Bishop and Ryder, donors, community members, faculty and mentors are chosen for the guest coaching position for women’s home games according to basketball operations director Trena Anderson. As Henrickson enters into the locker room she takes a brief moment to introduce the outsiders, Bishop and Ryder.

The secrets behind the women’s basketball team’s success are neatly and meticulously drawn out on a large white board. Henrickson gestures towards the board and calls on McCray to break down the first player. McCray can tell the position, what hand she dribbles with, how she shoots and what her weaknesses are. Each Kansas player can rattle off these stats about the opposing team and Henrickson expects nothing less for each and every game. Ryder and Bishop try to keep up as Henrickson and the players let loose a fury of basketball knowledge and insight.

“It’s so sophisticated how they’re approaching the game,” Bishop said. “Every detail is planned out and the players have so much knowledge.”

The First Half

The players and coaches head out to the atrium outside of the locker room to take the floor of Allen Fieldhouse. Bishop and Ryder stand within inches of Henrickson and take high fives from the players as they run past to the roar of fans. They walk onto the court like celebrities just behind Henrickson and her coaches. The guest coaches are given seats just behind the Kansas bench for the game. Ryder and Bishop decide to move one row higher to be able to see over the athletic giants like Krysten Boogaard and Aishah Sutherland.

The Jayhawks take an early lead over the Golden Eagles and Bishop and Ryder settle in for the game. As Angel Goodrich makes a smooth behind-the-back pass for McCray to score, Bishop jumps to her feet and cheers. They’re so close they can listen in on Henrickson’s timeout pep talks. In the huddle Henrickson is almost yelling to be heard over the fans and announcer but Ryder and Bishop can hear the adjustments that she is making with the players — “move to the baseline, man-up, and don’t let her box you out.”

“Bonnie’s adjustments sure are paying off,” Ryder said. “It’s hard to hear it in the huddle but you can see it on the court.”

Halftime

After a rousing first half with the Jayhawks up 64-42, the team and coaches head back to the locker room retreat. Ryder and Bishop are let into the locker room with just the players as the coaches discuss the first half. The players talk among themselves, pointing out mistakes, offering tips and self-assessing what needs to be done. Ryder is amazed by the leadership of the seniors who are stepping up to coach newcomers like Goodrich and Monica Engelman. The room goes silent as Henrickson and the coaches come in.

Henrickson and the other coaches pick apart the team’s first-half performance. Ryder feels like everyone has a part and there’s a lot of two-way communication between players and coaches. The learning environment and the structure of the team impress upon Ryder the level that the team is playing at. All around the locker room pictures of the returning players and the phrase “together we’re better” reflect the camaraderie that Ryder feels as she listens to the players and coaches work as a team. Bishop said she hopes to be able to see the complex plan from the white board on the court in the second half.

“It’s like they’re speaking a foreign language,” Bishop said.

The Second Half

The team files out to the court for the second half, armed with the knowledge to take down the Golden Eagles. The Jayhawks have a slow start but Ryder and Bishop still maintain their cheers. All of the coaching raises an appetite and with Twizzlers in hand Ryder and Bishop ride out the second-half victory, 106-80. Even with the victory, Ryder and Bishop head into the locker room behind the team, which looks less than pleased.

Ryder and Bishop are flies on the wall as Kelly Kohn laments letting the Golden Eagles get 80 points on the Jayhawks. Henrickson tears into players like Sutherland and Nicollette Smith who let players outscore, out-defend, and outplay them on the court. It’s a humbling experience for the guest coaches to see the kind of pressure that the players are under for each game.

“Compared to me these are kids and they’re playing at such a high level,” Ryder said. “It’s fantastic.”

Before they leave the sanctity of the inner realm of women’s basketball, the guest coaches are thanked for their attendance at the game. McCray said that it’s interesting and gratifying for the players to see people who are this interested in being with the team. An opportunity like this is a rare event for proud Jayhawk fans, and McCray, Ryder and Bishop agreed they would all serve as guest coaches if given the chance.

— Edited by Samantha Foster