University of Minnesota Athletics
Jamie Broback: Evolving Into a Leader
12/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
As home town kid from Apple Valley, Minn., it was very important for her to attend college close to home and be near her family. In fact, the people that she admires the most are her parents and her two older brother's because they have always been there for her and never let her settle for nothing but the best. When Broback was deciding where to continue her education and play basketball it was a given that Minnesota would be her top choice.
For Broback, it's been a dream come true to grow up in Minnesota, a dream come true to play college basketball, and a dream come true to play here at the University of Minnesota. What's the sugar you ask? Playing in the NCAA Final Four as a freshman, the experiencethat every college basketball player dreams of.
Being a member of this year's team that consists of just one senior, there's an opportunity for others to step up in leadership roles. "We have a young team this year so us sophomores (Broback, Kelly Roysland, and Liz Podominick) have to step it up and be more vocal leaders," Broback said. "We need to include ourselves with the upperclassmen."
A little older and wiser with a year of experience under her belt, Broback is ready to step it up as a leader on the court, and she's done just that. Last season she averaged 4.8 points per game while grabbing 2.5 rebounds in the regular season and during the NCAA tournament she averaged seven points per game along with 3.2 rebounds.
It's difficult as a freshman to jump into a program and make the adjustments that are needed to be made. Expectations can seem difficult to live up to, and there's a lot to take in the first year. After that first year, the sophomore season seems much smoother.
"Last year I really didn't know what to expect as a freshman, but this year I think that my role is pretty clear and I know what I have to do," Broback commented. "I'm pretty confident now."
Broback says her role on the team is to play at both ends and be a defensive stopper while offensively taking good shots. She also feels that she needs to be an all around fundamentally strong player. Statistically, she has proven that she is a great basketball player.
In just the first 11 games of this season, she's managed to put up 16.5 points per game, just below the team's leading scorer, senior All-American, Janel McCarville. Broback is also contributing further to her team by grabbing 6.1 rebounds per game this year, improving almost four more rebounds from last year. She's also gained the confidence that was lacking the previous season along with becoming more of a physically strong player.
As an opponent defending her, you've got quite the challenge on your hands. A forward who can handle the ball, shoot the three, post up and run the court is quite impressive. "I think I've stepped it up," she said. "After (Lindsay) Whalen and Kadidja (Andersson) left, I knew I had to step it up."
Although she has made a lot of progress in the transition from freshman to sophomore status, Broback feels that she still has some improving to do to become the best player she can be and contribute as much as possible. "I need to get more mentally tough," Broback said. "In games my shots aren't always going to fall and I'm going to get cheap fouls, but I just need to keep my head in the game."
However, this game isn't all about one person, and Broback will the first one to say so. "I think our team is really special," she said. "We had a great team last year but I think this team is even more special."
As far as confidence, well she may have assurance with herself but her confidence with her teammates is stronger than words can explain. "I see this team as a championship team. We are all hard workers, and I think we are the hardest working team in the country," Broback confidently stated. "That will get us really far in the tournament and hopefully get us to the championship."
Team chemistry is also an important factor in the success of a team, and Broback feels that her team has just what it takes. "You come into a season each year and wonder how the team chemistry is going to be," she said. "Our team chemistry is the greatest in the country. We can talk to our teammates on and off the court and at the end of the day we are all friends no matter what happened."
Broback says that many of her dreams have come true already in her young college career. That doesn't mean that she's fulfilled all her dreams though, there's one thing she's still dreaming about, an accomplishment she's still working to achieve, bringing an NCAA Championship home to Minnesota.
Story by Cathy Behr, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant Last year as a freshman, Jamie Broback of the University of Minnesota women's basketball team made her dreams come true, not to mention with a little sugar added on top.
As home town kid from Apple Valley, Minn., it was very important for her to attend college close to home and be near her family. In fact, the people that she admires the most are her parents and her two older brother's because they have always been there for her and never let her settle for nothing but the best. When Broback was deciding where to continue her education and play basketball it was a given that Minnesota would be her top choice.
For Broback, it's been a dream come true to grow up in Minnesota, a dream come true to play college basketball, and a dream come true to play here at the University of Minnesota. What's the sugar you ask? Playing in the NCAA Final Four as a freshman, the experiencethat every college basketball player dreams of.
Being a member of this year's team that consists of just one senior, there's an opportunity for others to step up in leadership roles. "We have a young team this year so us sophomores (Broback, Kelly Roysland, and Liz Podominick) have to step it up and be more vocal leaders," Broback said. "We need to include ourselves with the upperclassmen."
A little older and wiser with a year of experience under her belt, Broback is ready to step it up as a leader on the court, and she's done just that. Last season she averaged 4.8 points per game while grabbing 2.5 rebounds in the regular season and during the NCAA tournament she averaged seven points per game along with 3.2 rebounds.
It's difficult as a freshman to jump into a program and make the adjustments that are needed to be made. Expectations can seem difficult to live up to, and there's a lot to take in the first year. After that first year, the sophomore season seems much smoother.
"Last year I really didn't know what to expect as a freshman, but this year I think that my role is pretty clear and I know what I have to do," Broback commented. "I'm pretty confident now."
Broback says her role on the team is to play at both ends and be a defensive stopper while offensively taking good shots. She also feels that she needs to be an all around fundamentally strong player. Statistically, she has proven that she is a great basketball player.
In just the first 11 games of this season, she's managed to put up 16.5 points per game, just below the team's leading scorer, senior All-American, Janel McCarville. Broback is also contributing further to her team by grabbing 6.1 rebounds per game this year, improving almost four more rebounds from last year. She's also gained the confidence that was lacking the previous season along with becoming more of a physically strong player.
As an opponent defending her, you've got quite the challenge on your hands. A forward who can handle the ball, shoot the three, post up and run the court is quite impressive. "I think I've stepped it up," she said. "After (Lindsay) Whalen and Kadidja (Andersson) left, I knew I had to step it up."
Although she has made a lot of progress in the transition from freshman to sophomore status, Broback feels that she still has some improving to do to become the best player she can be and contribute as much as possible. "I need to get more mentally tough," Broback said. "In games my shots aren't always going to fall and I'm going to get cheap fouls, but I just need to keep my head in the game."
However, this game isn't all about one person, and Broback will the first one to say so. "I think our team is really special," she said. "We had a great team last year but I think this team is even more special."
As far as confidence, well she may have assurance with herself but her confidence with her teammates is stronger than words can explain. "I see this team as a championship team. We are all hard workers, and I think we are the hardest working team in the country," Broback confidently stated. "That will get us really far in the tournament and hopefully get us to the championship."
Team chemistry is also an important factor in the success of a team, and Broback feels that her team has just what it takes. "You come into a season each year and wonder how the team chemistry is going to be," she said. "Our team chemistry is the greatest in the country. We can talk to our teammates on and off the court and at the end of the day we are all friends no matter what happened."
Broback says that many of her dreams have come true already in her young college career. That doesn't mean that she's fulfilled all her dreams though, there's one thing she's still dreaming about, an accomplishment she's still working to achieve, bringing an NCAA Championship home to Minnesota.
Story by Cathy Behr, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant
