Editor’s Note: Lea B. Olsen is a women’s basketball icon in the state of Minnesota. She’ll be sharing her knowledge with her bi-weekly blog on our website along with broadcasting Lynx games for Fox Sports North this season.

19 WNBA SEASONS:

Wow, it’s really hard to believe that the WNBA is headed into its 19th season.  I certainly remember the start of the league like it was yesterday.  The declaration that “We Got Next” was amazing and exciting news for those of us who had been hoping there would be women’s professional basketball in the United States.  I was working in the Wolves front office at the time and Minnesota was on the list of teams who wanted a WNBA franchise.  So the WNBA sent it’s biggest name players here to sell corporate sponsors on the game.  I remember when Sheryl Swoopes arrived and how exciting it was to see her in real life.  I remember watching that first game with L.A. Sparks and New York Liberty and thinking “wow, this is really happening.” Sure it was a bit sloppy but we had to start somewhere. Now Minnesota has the top franchise in the league with two championships under our belt and the level of play isn’t even comparable to those early days.  Here’s to the next 19 years and the hope that the league continues to grow, that all of the franchises become profitable, and the play keeps getting better and better.

10 SEASONS FOR AUGUSTUS:

Being that I’m going down memory lane I thought I better mention that Seimone is going into her 10th season in the league and with the Lynx. I vividly remember when we drafted her and realizing what it meant to the organization to be getting a player of her status.  She was ridiculously good in college and has been one of the best in the WNBA.  We have gone through a lot with Seimone over the years.  She has had a slew of injuries from a torn ACL, to a concussion, a sprained toe and the dreaded abdominal surgery. But she would always bounce back, her chill personalty and desire to be the best became her trademarks.   Her moments of greatness are too numerous to count but certainly making Rookie of the Year, 2011 WNBA Finals MVP and reaching 3,000 points in just a mere 151 games are just a few of the highlights.  She remains the best in the WNBA with her ability to score the ball and the master of the mid-range shot. Her unselfishness to move over and allow Maya Moore to reach her greatness is what separates her from the rest.  Seimone told me that Coach Reeve said to her “from this year until you retire I’m not coaching you anymore.  You know what to do and I need you to do it every time you step on the floor.”  That is the ultimate compliment a player can receive in their career, when your coach shows you that she truly believes in you. So here’s to Seimone having a healthy season and helping lead this team to another ring fitting.

1 VERY IMPORTANT KEY TO SUCCESS:

I enjoy watching Lynx practice to witness the intensity that they bring each and every day to play at the highest level.  Sometimes they make it look easy and other days you realize how draining it is to push your body to its maximum.  I always keep an eye on Coach Reeve to gauge how she thinks practice is going.  Some days she looks happy and things are moving just as she is demanding.  Other days she looks like a disappointed mother who knows that her kids should and could be playing at a higher level. On this particular day she was demanding more from the team on the defensive end and informing her players that if defense is to be their identity they have to take it up a notch.  Just two days in front of the home opener and she is not seeing the little effort plays that take your defense from good to great. At this point the number one key for early success is understanding how difficult it is to be great on the defensive end.  After practice coach let her players know that energy and effort from all five players on the court is what it takes to get to the next level.

LEA LIKES:

• Watching former Gopher Amanda Zahui B in open opener vs. Tulsa
• Rolling Stones Concert