Tim McConnell has changed. He knew it was a must, if he was going to be in charge of all these girls nights out.
“I knew I couldn’t get on the girls like I did with the boys,” McConnell said. “I still let the girls know about things. The intensity is still there, but the way things are described to them is different.”
McConnell is in his first season as the girls basketball coach at Chartiers Valley High School. As coaching changes go, this is one of the most significant in WPIAL sports — ever. It would be tantamount to Bob Huggins or John Calipari moving to the West Virginia or Kentucky women’s benches.
McConnell became a veritable legend in 25 years with the Chartiers Valley boys, reaching 500 victories faster than any coach in WPIAL history, becoming one of only six to win six WPIAL titles, coaching many future college players and one who’s in the NBA (his son, T.J.). McConnell coached with fire and passion, vim and vigor. Many liked him. Some didn’t. Some called his style lunacy.
But McConnell now leads a bunch of Chartiers Valley Colts who dream of maybe one day having a shot at the WNBA. And McConnell is beaming about this job change.
“I don’t know the last time I saw him so happy every day,” said Megan McConnell, the coach’s daughter and the starting point guard.
Tim McConnell, 54, hasn’t seen the Chartiers Valley boys play a game this season.
“I have no regrets. I loved my 25 years with the boys,” said McConnell. “But I’m lovin’ this, more than I thought I would. This team has been great. They’ve bought in. Everyone has bought in.”
Many things are the same with the Chartiers Valley girls as they were with the boys. Take last Thursday’s home game against Trinity. The three guys who worked the clock and kept the scorebook are the same three who worked the boys games for McConnell. The two assistant coaches on the bench (Shawn Sherry and Kate Gannon) were the same that McConnell had for many of his previous 25 years. Tom and Sue McConnell were sitting in the stands a few rows behind the Chartiers Valley bench, just like they did when their son coached the boys.
But there’s something else that McConnell brought with him from the boys that isn’t in the ancillary logistics. It’s winning. The Chartiers Valley girls have been all about the W’s. The Colts (12-0) are one of only three undefeated teams in the entire WPIAL. Chartiers Valley has outscored opponents by an average of 33 points a game.
Winning is Tim McConnell’s sidekick. It was as a player and for many years as a coach. He shouldn’t be Tim McConnell. He should be Win McConnell.
“Our goal is to win it all,” said Chartiers Valley senior guard-forward Mackenzie Wagner.
And what would “all” be?
“The WPIAL and states,” said Wagner. “I believe it’s realistic.”
McConnell left the Char Valley boys program as the 14th-winningest coach in WPIAL history with a record of 552-146 (22 wins a year). The natural question is why the heck did he leave the boys program? Many believe it was just so he could coach his daughter. Besides coaching T.J., Dad also coached his other son, Matty.
But the Chartiers Valley boys were only 8-14 last year and did not make the WPIAL playoffs for the first time in McConnell’s 25 seasons.
“I think I was falling on deaf ears with some of the boys,” said McConnell. “All of them weren’t hearing me, and they all weren’t responding. Then when [girls coach] Dan Slain was resigning, I went home and told my wife [Shelly] about it and I told her I think I’m going to give the girls a try.
“I did it somewhat to coach my daughter, but also to get a new experience and do something different. It turned out for the best. [Coach] Brandon Sensor is a good fit with the boys and done a great job. But I have to be honest with you. I’m really glad this opportunity came about. I’m really enjoying it.”
McConnell, though, has found coaching girls to be different — in a good way.
“I’m not as animated with the girls or as intense, but I think I’ve changed also because the girls listen a lot better,” he said. “They don’t act like they know everything. They want to be coached, want to be a good team and want to have a program like we had with the boys.”
In boys games, it was not uncommon for McConnell’s face to turn red when he would get on a player. He is still animated on the sidelines with the girls team, but there are no moments of rage. But he is still a disciplinarian and a motivator. He still pushes his players. In a timeout huddle against Trinity, he told his team, “Our defense stinks.”
Then he pointed at four players and raised his voice some. “You’re standing and watching, you’re standing and watching, you’re standing and watching and so are you. Get in there and rebound.”
Wagner is a senior who laughed when she admitted there was a little hesitation from some girls when they found out Tim McConnell would be their coach.
“At first we were nervous because he was so hard on the boys,” said Wagner, who has signed with Division I Loyola (Md.). “Walking into their practices, he seemed really intense. But it ended up not being that way. He’s tough on us, but in a good way. … He won’t yell unless he has to.”
What shouldn’t get lost in McConnell’s style — old or new — is his ability to develop players and install a winning system. The girls play pretty much the same style as the boys. You will even hear the same sets yelled out by McConnell that he used for the boys.
“Thumb up.” “Nets.” “Bulldog.” “Slice 3.” “Smash.” Close your eyes, and you’d swear you’re at one of the 11 WPIAL boys title games that Chartiers Valley played in under McConnell.
“It’s the game of basketball and if you can teach skill, then you can teach dribble drive, ball screens, rolls, kickouts for shots,” said McConnell, who is the transportation coordinator for Chartiers Valley School District. “We shoot a lot of 3’s, press, trap, run, play up-tempo. I just think if you have skilled people, boys or girls, they can perform in any style you put them in.”
Chartiers Valley has a number of skilled players, including a handful of talented freshmen. There could be as many as six or seven future Division I players on this team. One of Chartiers Valley’s best players is Megan McConnell, a junior who has a few Division I college scholarship offers.
“I was scared at first because I’ve made such close friends with the girls,” said Megan. “I was scared if he yelled at them, they wouldn’t talk to me. But everything has been good. They’ve handled everything. I think they love my dad.”
Tim McConnell admits to being extremely hard on his sons (T.J. is now with the Philadelphia 76ers and Matty plays at Robert Morris). He is different with Megan.
“I’m tough on her, but nowhere near as tough as T.J. and Matty. Megan and I have not had one battle yet,” McConnell said with a smile. “I neglected Megan for the longest time, missing her high school games, her games growing up. Just because I was coaching all the time, or at practice, or scouting a game. This has been a blessing where we have gotten the chance to spend a lot more time together. It’s brought us closer.”
Said Megan, “I think he loves coaching the girls. I feel like he’s having more fun than with the boys. Besides, we listen more.”
Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mwhiteburgh
First Published: January 10, 2019, 2:00 p.m.
