Jessica Kern on Being Irregular
Today we go beyond the surface with Coach Jessica Kern. Coach Kern is the head women's basketball coach at Tennessee State University. Coach Kern has a terrific way with words, is super engaging, and has an incredible and irregular story. She will discuss her path to coaching, what it was like to growing up around basketball, and how sport psychology helped her excel as a college track athlete and in the future as a pro basketball player.
Before taking the job at Tennessee State she was the head coach at Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU).
Prior to taking over the program at MVSU, Kern was an assistant coach at Furman University following a four-year stretch as head coach at NCAA Division II Lincoln (Pa.) University.
In 2014-15, she was named Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Coach of the Year after leading her squad to a 22-9 mark and a share of the CIAA Northern Division title.
Taking over a Lincoln program in 2011 that had won just three games the previous season, Kern coached the Lady Lions to seven wins in her first season, 10 victories the following year, and to a 12-16 mark in 2013-14 before posting a 22-9 record in her final season.
The 22 wins was a school record and carried Lincoln to a CIAA Tournament championship game appearance. She also guided Lincoln to the program's first win over a Division I opponent, a 94-86 triumph over Morgan State.
Before accepting the head coaching position at Lincoln, she served as an assistant coach and media specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, immediately following a two-year period (2008-10) as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Thanks to Coach Kern for coming on the podcast! You can give her a follow on twitter: @Coach_Jkern.
Lastly, if you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers.
Thanks for listening.
-Brian
Listen: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.