Common Core State Standard
SL.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: An essay of a current news event is provided for discussion to encourage participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the article. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event within the news, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.

FOR THE WEEK OF AUG. 11, 2014

NBA turning point: San Antonio Spurs hire Becky Hammon as assistant coach

frontpageactionpoints.gif
1.gif
Read about another woman in the news. What school subjects does she probably use often at work or at home?
2.gif
Pick a sports story that's not just about a game and list things you learn or admire.
3.gif
Look for a story or photo about a job that seems appealing. Tell why.

Going from star basketball player to pro coach isn't unusual. The latest athlete making that leap is noteworthy, however. Becky Hammon of the San Antonio Stars, a 16-year WNBA veteran, next month starts a historic regular-season job as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs. The 5-foot-6 point guard is the first woman to break through a "glass ceiling" that kept women out of the National Basketball Association’s full-time paid coaching ranks.

Just one other woman came close since the league began in 1946. Lisa Boyer served for less than a year as an unpaid assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers. So Hammond's selection is a big deal. "The NBA is a risk-averse place. . . . Nobody was hiring a female coach because nobody had ever hired a female coach," writes ESPN columnist Kate Fagan, a former semi-pro player.

The 37-year-old Hammon says it's "silly" for anyone to think a woman can't coach NBA players. "When it comes to things of the mind -- things like coaching, game-planning, coming up with offensive and defensive schemes -- there's no reason why a woman couldn't be in the mix and shouldn't be in the mix."

Head coach says: "I'm confident her basketball IQ, work ethic and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs." – Gregg Popovich

NBA executive says: "I'm sure he [Coach Popovich] didn't hire her because she was a woman. I'm sure he hired her because she was the best person for the job." -- Nancy Lieberman, general manager of the Texas Legends minor league team and an ex-WNBA star

Teen player says: "I was surprised and happy at the same time, because she's a girl and she gets to help coach the boys. It's good." – Glorien Escalera of the Spurs Youth Basketball League in San Antonio

Front Page Talking Points is written by Alan Stamm for NIEonline.com, Copyright 2024

Front Page Talking Points Archive

Tricky balance: Supreme Court tries to keep law and politics separate this election year

Here's why SAT and ACT exams are back on more students' college paths

Congress moves toward TikTok forced sale or ban for national security reasons

Swift and sleek: Amtrak is closer to saying 'all aboard' for a new era of high-speed rail travel

New era in space: Flying to the moon is a business for private companies now

Presidential campaign remark about NATO fuels discussion of military alliance's role

Museums across U.S. scramble to make amends for collecting that sometimes was looting

Script handwriting isn't gone -- more states now require school penmanship lessons

Teen use of nicotine patches – also known as Zyns, lip cushions or gum pillows – spurs warnings

Airline safety draws new attention after midair cabin hole scare for passengers

Complete archive

©2015 Online Publications Inc. and NIEonline.com