Hopkins Coach Tara Starks helps Paige Bueckers and other players stay grounded under pressure

NINA MOINI: This week is the start of March Madness, the college basketball tournament where teams need to win every game or be eliminated. It's hard to believe it's only been a year since record numbers of fans tuned in to watch the women's games. This year, many, many eyes are on University of Connecticut guard and Hopkins native Paige Bueckers. Her former coach, Tara Starks, joins me now on the line. Coach, thank you so much for joining us.

TARA STARKS: Thank you for having me.

NINA MOINI: Well, congratulations, first of all, on coaching Hopkins High School's girls basketball team to another state championship and then winning. How are you feeling postseason?

TARA STARKS: I feel pretty good. You know? I'm still in a little kind of ah moment, but it feels really good to have won another state championship for the program and for the families and for the kids.

NINA MOINI: Yeah. I'm curious just to know a little bit about you and what drew you to coaching.

TARA STARKS: Well, I actually started playing when I was really young, but once I got to college, I actually started really liking coaching, kind of the X and O's and kind of the chess match and, you know, the fun with going back and forth with coaches. So I actually started coaching, like, 18, 19 years old.

NINA MOINI: Wow.

TARA STARKS: A woman by the name of Candy gave me an opportunity to coach some young girls, and I just fell in love with it and continued to do it, and I've been doing it ever since.

NINA MOINI: Yeah. So when did you start working with Paige? She was pretty young, too, huh?

TARA STARKS: I picked Paige up when she was entering the fifth grade.

NINA MOINI: Aw. That's so sweet. You know, I saw some photos of you all together. There was, like, a gallery online, and I really could sense, like, a really true, really beautiful connection between the both of you. And I'm sure there are a lot of students or student athletes and people that have come across, you know, in your life. I'm curious to know kind of what specifically you and Paige's connection is like.

TARA STARKS: Well, we've always been, you know, really cool. You know, when I met Paige, she was always a real cool young lady. Loved the game, which I actually really loved the game. And we managed to connect on a level where, you know, almost like I was a big sister or an aunt, and we connected like that, you know, from the day I met her. You know?

We'd have good conversations. We'd go out and eat. We'd sit and talk about what she wanted in her future and kind of how I could help her navigate and decide things as far as her basketball career and even just school and life. And I try to make that connection with all the players that I coach and try to stay connected with them. So we still talk on a regular basis.

You know, I check in with her just to make sure she's OK and things are not too overwhelming, and just remind her to take a break and take some time to herself and, you know, remember to, you know, keep herself, you know, in mind and healthy and things like that. So we just stay connected and, you know, have a really good relationship.

NINA MOINI: Yeah. And I like your advice about just keeping, you know, your head on your shoulders. She is getting a lot of attention. Likely headed to the WNBA, expected to be the number one pick in the next draft. And then a recent GQ headline said that this is-- their headline was "Paige Bueckers, Era of March Madness." So I'm wondering what it's like to see her just kind of reach this level.

TARA STARKS: I mean, this is something that she's always dreamed of, you know? I don't think she realized it would get this big. But as far as what she wanted as far as basketball, she wanted to go to, you know, UConn. She wanted to win a national title. And that's why she came back another year. She wants to go play professionally, which I feel like she's already, you know, ready for the professional levels, but just, you know, one thing, she just stays grounded.

She's really faithful. So when I talk to her about, you know, are you OK? Is everything cool? Is it too much? And she's just like, no. You know? I just pray, and I just-- I enjoy it because these are the people that have made me successful so I want to make sure I'm giving back. I want to make sure I'm connecting with folks. I want to make sure what I'm asked to do, that I can try to be available to do it.

So, you know, I think she-- there's a lot of pressure on her. And as long as the people that are close to her, you know, like myself, her parents, her siblings, her grandparents, her aunts, as long as we don't put that pressure on her, I think she's fine. I think she knows no matter what happens, we're not going to go away. So just go out there and play your heart out and do what you love. And whatever the end result is, is what they are.

NINA MOINI: Yeah. It's always good to have a stable, healthy foundation, so that no matter what happens. With some of the younger players now, and just, I feel like there is probably always been a lot of attention on your program and Hopkins High and the club teams that you're coaching. But generally there's been so much, it feels like more attention on women's sports, women basketball.

A lot of it is because of these kind of star players like a Paige Bueckers. How have you felt like that has impacted some of the younger players that are coming into your program? Does it change their psyche? Like, are they putting more pressure on themselves, or what do you tell them?

TARA STARKS: They most definitely are. They're putting a lot of pressure on themselves. They're putting a lot of pressure and a lot of wear and tear on their bodies to meet this expectation of being a high level player. And ultimately I just tell them, the ultimate goal is to have your education paid for and be in a position where you can make decisions on your own life, and you can kind of dictate and determine where you're going to go in life.

And that may be, you know, the route of a JUCO or a D2, D3, or Division 1. But when you see people like, you know, Paige and JuJu and Caitlin, those kids want that. They want that. So, you know, they're really pushing it. Social media. You know? They see the cameras, and all of a sudden they've got a new move in their bag. You know? They got a new crossover they've been working on. They want to show off for the cameras.

So yeah, the psyche definitely changes because, you know, everybody sees that, but I don't think they understand the work, the pressure, the time. You know? You're pulled from one direction to another all the time. I don't think they see all that within that. And so, you know, I just try to tell them to stay grounded, keep working, and whatever's meant for you is meant for you. So, you know.

NINA MOINI: Yeah. And I know that you and Paige, I'm told, you know, you still communicate a lot. She reached out right after your big win this season. But back in 2021, when she was accepting her ESPY award, she talked about how Black women often don't get the credit they deserve for their contributions to the sport. Paige is white, and she mentioned you as being one of the most influential Black women in her life. How did it feel to hear that on that national stage?

TARA STARKS: Oh, it brought tears to my eyes because ultimately, you know, my job is to impact lives, whether it's young Black girls, whether it's young white girls, whether Hispanic kids, mixed kids, African kids. It doesn't matter. And to know that I'm having that impact on these young ladies' lives and that I can continue to help, you know, shape them and help be there for them, help guide them, give them information when they need it, give them a shoulder when they need to cry.

I just want to make sure that I'm doing what I was put on this earth to do. And if that means that I'm impacting a young lady like Paige, then, you know, I feel good about it. But to know that she took that big stage to honor people like myself that doesn't necessarily get the credit, I just thought it was really cool for her to utilize her platform and that stage to do that.

And, you know, I tell her all the time-- I tell her thank you all the time. She'll send something in the mail. I make sure I call her and tell her I appreciate her and thank you for what you do and how you never forget to give back or to pay respects to those that have been there with you since the beginning.

NINA MOINI: That's beautiful. Well, before we do let you go, Coach, we got to talk about March Madness. Who are you rooting for?

TARA STARKS: Oh, you know I'm rooting for UConn.

NINA MOINI: Yeah. And Paige. Yeah.

TARA STARKS: I'm definitely rooting for UConn and Paige. You know? My daughter is a UConn graduate. She was a--

NINA MOINI: That's right!

TARA STARKS: --grad assistant there a couple years ago. So we're both, you know, big UConn fans and we want to see Paige get a national title.

NINA MOINI: Well, I am wishing you all the best. Thank you so much, Coach, for coming on and sharing this with us and continuing on to be an advocate for the people whose lives that you've impacted. I really appreciate your time.

TARA STARKS: Thank you for having me.

NINA MOINI: That's Tara Starks, head coach of the state champion Hopkins High School girls basketball team. Thank you so much to all of our guests today. Want to remind you that it is MPR's Member Celebration week starting on March 28, with a special live broadcast of Politics Friday with Politics Editor Brian Bakst. Always lots going on at the capitol, as you all know.

We want you to join the audience, so members, check your email for details. And if you are not a member yet, donate today to receive your invite to that live special broadcast March 28 of Politics Friday at noon. Join us at mprnews.org. Give what you can. We thank you as always. I'm Nina Moini. This is Minnesota Now. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow at noon.

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