Stephanie White is providing fans (media, too) with more insight than most head coaches. Taking after Nebraska men’s basketball coach Tim Miles, White is pushing out her pre-game and halftime thoughts on the team’s social media account.
Since the WNBA does not allow players or coaches to tweet until after games, longtime PR director Kevin Messenger types what she says and then relays the message to John Weiss, who manages the Fever’s social presence, to post on the Fever’s official Twitter feed, @IndianaFever.
A halftime post, for example:
Coach @SWhitej2‘s halftime evaluation: “Good energy, good effort so far. We can’t have lapses because [Lynx] will take advantage of them.”
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 7, 2015
Little efforts like this can go a long way. Those following the game hear directly from the team’s leader and know what to keep an eye on.
White takes the reigns as the Fever coach, and wants to play at a faster pace.
Coach White has a number of hats she wears throughout a calendar year, and they all help her do a better, more complete job.
+ She is in her first year as the head coach of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever after playing in the league (2000-03) and re-joining the franchise as an assistant in 2011.
+ She is an analyst of women’s college basketball for both ESPN and Big Ten Network. Two years ago for BTN, she served as a sideline reporter for a handful of men’s game (and excelled at that, too).
+ She is an analyst FOX Sports Indiana’s television coverage of the Indiana Pacers. She appears on their pre-game and halftime shows for about 20 games per year.
Having done all of that, White is well-versed on the game of basketball from the team, media, and fans’ perspectives.
“I love that,” White said of Miles’ halftime tweets. “In fact, when I was doing my sideline reporting, I always used his halftime tweet. I think it’s fun. I think it’s a fun way to engage the fans.
In addition to the halftime tweet, she’ll record a short video that’ll be posted on @IndianaFever prior to each game.
Coach @SWhitej2 delivers a special message to fans before tonight’s game. pic.twitter.com/AztNd7U6Wq
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 6, 2015
It doesn’t take much time to do, especially for the media-savvy White, but I know fans appreciate it. They feel even more part of the team and enjoy hearing straight from the coach.
It’s also brilliant marketing, by the way. Broadcasters will draw off what what shares and it gives the loyal fans at the game another fresh item to discuss. Fever fans and folks around the league can expect a pre-game video and halftime tweet each game night from coach White.
“I think being on the media side gives me a different perspective in what fans value because you get a lot of feedback when you’re on the media side,” White continued. “I want to engage our fans. I want them to know what we’re doing, what we’re talking about. While we’re not going to give away the game plan, at the same time it’s a little fun thing for them to get involved.”
[…] Coach Stephanie White is forward-thinking. […]