<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3K2KNC_0tHaFCIc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3K2KNC_0tHaFCIc00" width="1210" height="806" ><figcaption>Brittany Chambers helped lead Cal Baptist to the WAC title this season and its first trip to the NCAA Tournament at the Division-I level.</figcaption></figure>Touring the Cal Baptist campus as a prospective student, Brittany Chambers discovered she found a place that could harness her future. She walked onto the basketball team, which was Division II at the time.The Lancers finished as the national runners-up in 2015. She graduated a year later with a degree in graphic design/new media.The California native joined the staff in 2017, which was the program’s final year in DII. She has helped guide the program through its transition to Division I. The Lancers have won 20-plus games in four straight seasons and participated in the NCAA Tournament for the first time this past season.Chambers recently spoke to Mid-Major Madness’ Ian Sacks. Below is their conversation:Ian Sacks: You played at Cal Baptist and are now there as an assistant coach. What is it about the program that’s so special to you?Brittany Chambers: I think the University in itself has just been home for me, obviously playing there. It’s provided a lot of growth for me as a player and a person. It’s given me a lot of opportunities and grace to figure out my journey. I would hope from 2013, being a freshman in college to now that I’ve grown and continue to grow. I think there’s a lot of people there who have and are continuing to invest in me. It’s just a place that I want to invest in because they invested in me.IS: You’ve seen the growth of the program from when you were playing there, part of Division II and the transition up to Division I and now succeeding at the Division-I level. What has that transition been like for you to be right on the footstep of the whole thing?BC: It’s been really exciting to be on the front end of that. When I was a player, one of our goals in the program was to make CBU big time. We couldn’t really define what that meant, but we would know when it happened. We did that my sophomore year, making it to the national championship and then continuing to build on that.Obviously transitioning to Division I, we’ve had a lot of great success and resources. Just seeing the administration, our president and the community pour into us, I think we’re able to build on that, and we’re still wanting to make CBU big time, put our names on the map.I think we did that last year, got a lot of coverage, and we’re hoping to build on that.That’s what my biggest goal is: continuing to put CBU out there for people to recognize who we are. It’s a great privilege that I’ve got to be on both sides of that.IS: How has your perspective changed from being a player to now being on the coaching side?BC: It’s a lot different. It’s a lot more work. The biggest thing that I try to focus on is pouring into the players. Even in Division II years ago, I think it was a lot more about mentorship and basketball. In today’s world, it’s a lot more transactional, a lot more about NIL and money.But I was poured into as a player. I had good mentors, coaches. To me, that’s ultimately what matters. At the end of the day, we get to send these players off as women and hopefully as a better athlete but even a better person.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0jA2g2_0tHaFCIc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0jA2g2_0tHaFCIc00" width="768" height="512" >IS: You finished playing at CBU in 2016 and then joined the staff in 2017. What was that year in between for you?BC: It was actually a great year. I didn’t know it till now looking back on it. It was a huge, huge year of growth. I would say spiritually, actually. I came to know the Lord in college and was discipled. And so, in that year, just trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life and what my purpose was.I was able to build a community of friends, and I thought I had that, but that year was very pivotal in my life.I have a crazy story. I met my best friend, who is now my sister. I’m adopted, and that was the year I met her. So definitely God was working.All those people that I met my senior year are still in my life today and are still like integral parts of my life and mentors and people that I go to. I didn’t think I was going to have that. So, I’m very lucky that I had that year to figure that out.IS: Sounds like an amazing story of finding your sister that way. What drew you into the coaching ranks?BC: Another funny story, coaching found me. I was actually home visiting my parents and my sister in Georgia, and [CBU head coach Jarrod Olson] called me. It was kind of funny. I thought ‘should I answer this or not? This is weird. Why is he calling me? But OK.’So, I ended up answering, and he offered me a job.He asked: ‘What are you doing? What are you doing with your life?’Like every graduating senior, [I had] no idea what the plan is next. [I’m] just trying to figure it out. I was unemployed. I was striking out left and right. I think I had, not even exaggerating, maybe $300 left in my bank account. And I felt like ‘man, I’m hitting rock bottom.’He said, ‘well, I have a job opening, and I want you to have it.’And I thought, ‘this guy’s kidding, right?’I told him I’ll think about it. I’ll pray about it. There was some hesitancy, but at the same time, in the back of my mind, I thought beggars can’t be choosers. I need a job.So, I end up saying yes, but I would say for sure, after about six months into the job, this is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. This is what I’m good at. This is my calling.I graduated with a degree in graphic design, and that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a graphic designer, but it didn’t play out that way. I still get to use it in my job, but coaching found me.IS: Was there ever a point before that phone call where you even considered coaching, even back when you were younger and playing?BC: Honestly, no. Especially taking a year off, not playing my senior year, I thought I was going to be done with basketball forever. I think my basketball IQ got me really far in my basketball career.I tore both of my ACLs in high school, so I didn’t play a ton before college. I didn’t play a lot of organized basketball and couldn’t afford it. I walked on at CBU.I didn’t think [coaching] was ever going to be a thing until Jarrod put that on the table. But I think it’s got me far now.IS: It certainly has. You mentioned that graphic designing degree, and I know you help out and pretty much run the CBU social media pages for the team. How have you been able to blend that degree into basketball coaching, which one might not think are related at all?BC: It’s huge now. It’s definitely grown. When I was a player, we barely had social media, and now you’re trying to pump out content every other day.I’ve gotten to put my own stamp on CBU. I run our social media, I do all of our gear. I designed our uniforms. I’ve had the privilege of designing our entire locker room and office spaces. I designed our court. I designed our volleyball court. So, I’ve got to actually do a lot of things at CBU and in our program.If I ever look back, I think, ‘oh, I did that, and not a lot of people know, and that’s totally fine with me.’ I’m not signing things left and right and putting my name, but like I said, CBU is my home.So the fact that I get to design for them and do our social media and put that out for everyone to see, I never thought those two things were going to blend, but in this day and age it does.IS: That’s awesome how much you’ve done with them. Your uniforms and court look pretty sick. You mentioned the word ‘home’ in your last answer, called CBU your home. What drew you to CBU initially to go there?BC: Gosh, it has to be a God thing, right. Like I said, I didn’t play three of the four years in high school because I tore my ACL. I was so desperate. I knew I wanted to play in college. I’m very competitive. So, I started making a list of things I wanted in the school and started touring all these campuses that I could like at least strive to hit, and CBU ended up being one of them.I just got onto campus. I brought my highlight film burned on the CD. Kids don’t understand that was a thing. I’m only 29. There was a huge jump. I had to burn my highlights on a CD.I brought my highlights with me, and I just toured the campus, and as corny as this sounds, it just felt good.I saw myself being able to come to CBU, but it was dependent on if [Jarrod] believed in me. I had to try out, which I did, and it all fell in line.I could see myself going to CBU after I walked the campus, which is not even the same campus it is today because it’s grown so much.I think everything just fell in place for me. I had the opportunity, and I took it and ran with it.IS: You mentioned burning your highlights on CD. We’re the same age, so it brought me back to that era. A lot of people today won’t understand what that is, but I certainly can relate to that. I know you’re more the defensive-minded coach in terms of game preparation for the team. What are your basic defensive principles that you really try to hang your hat on?BC: Without getting my full playbook, just kidding it’s not that serious, I would say we have a lot of non-negotiables. We play pack line defense, and we’re very high personnel. So, when we actually get into games, that comes first. That goes over what our non-negotiables are.So, if one of our non-negotiables is don’t get beat baseline, but we’re saying don’t let this person dribble and beat you left (and right is baseline, contradicting that), we’re able to walk through that and change it up.We’re just trying to be smarter. Maybe I shouldn’t say this loud, but work smarter, not harder. Obviously we want them to hustle. We want them to have great effort.But I think we try to strategize more than anything on what kind of shots we want them to take and then rebounding [is important]. So, we’re always trying to contest, make them take tough shots and then get the rebound.We’re not a team that says, ‘all right, we have to get 12 steals or three stops in a row or up the line.’ We prioritize what our strengths athletically are as a team and how we can outsmart them on D and play fluidly on offense.Our defense really complements our offense because if we’re going crazy on D, we’re not going to have a lot of stamina on offense. Some people might disagree, but that’s the way we see it. And I see it that we all have to complement each other.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2dSRt4_0tHaFCIc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2dSRt4_0tHaFCIc00" width="1920" height="1280" >IS: It all harkens back to your high basketball IQ showing there on the defensive end, working smarter, as you said. You went 28-4 this past year, another successful year for the program. What has been the magic sauce for you putting together winning season after winning season?BC: One, it’s our staff. Jarrod, Kamille [Diaz] and I are going on 11 years knowing each other. Now, within that, I’ve been on staff seven years, and Jarrod finished 12. Kamille just finished her second year at CBU, but I think being a tight-knit group and working well together translate to the court.If the players see we don’t get along, how do we expect the team to do that?I would say our staff and then just being able to stay true to who we are. I don’t think we’re trying to be the next Gonzaga or the next Duke or South Carolina or whoever you want to compare us to.We’re just trying to be us and work with what we have and reach our ceiling every year. When we stick to that, be humble and know who we are, what our identity is and style of play is, I think that gets us really far.IS: How would you describe life as an assistant coach?BC: Well, I would say at CBU it’s great. It’s a hustle, for sure. You’re balancing players and the head coach. You’re always like the liaison between the two.Our head coach has a great relationship with the players, but at the same time, you’re the liaison.I think I work so well with my head coach because I take it just as seriously as he does. I pretend in my mind like I’m the head coach in the sense of the responsibility falls on me too.I think some people just think ‘oh, that’s his decision to make, or, oh, the pressure’s on him or it all falls on him.’ That might be true. But I think if I were in his shoes, I would want my assistants to do the same.I don’t want it just to be on him. I want it to be on all of us. And we’re all working towards that.I would just say it’s a grind. It’s a lot of work. You’re balancing recruiting and on-court stuff and then random tasks that need to be done, like admissions, all the other fun stuff that comes with coaching. It feels like sometimes X’s and O’s are only like 30% of the job, especially when the season’s over.IS: There’s definitely a lot more that goes into it than simply being out on the court and drawing up plays. You mentioned a couple minutes ago about trying to develop the players both on the court and off the court, what are some lessons that you try to instill in the players?BC: We have a core set of values that we try to stick to. It’s commitment, humility, resiliency, integrity, selflessness and trust. Those are always the core values.But all these girls come from every walks of life. For example, they’re not all believers. Some of them are interested in growing. Some of them just want to do themselves and play basketball.I’ve had the privilege of being able to walk through some stuff with them. I try to be a good listener and then go from there.I use discernment on whatever they’re going through, but I really want them to leave feeling confident in themselves. As women, that’s a huge thing in our culture. I want to build up these girls to feel like they are prepared to make decisions.They know who they are, and they’re confident in making a decision, whether that’s on the court or off the court. But eventually, basketball is going to stop and knowing who they are and their identity, I think makes a big difference.</div></body>

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CBU’s Brittany Chambers helps make Lancers ‘big time’

Touring the Cal Baptist campus as a prospective student, Brittany Chambers discovered she found a place that could harness her future. She walked onto the basketball team, which was Division II at the time. The Lancers finished as the national runners-up in 2015. She graduated a year later with a...

CBU’s Brittany Chambers helps make Lancers ‘big time’

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