SAMMY DOUCETTE IS THE HEAD COACH FOR THE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM FOR THE ORANGE COAST COLLEGE PIRATES IN COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA IN THE OEC IN CCCAA IN THE JUCO LEVEL OF BASKETBALL. SHE WAS A STAR FOR THE VANGUARD UNIVERSITY LIONS WHO ARE ALSO IN COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA AND PLAY IN THE GSAC IN NAIA AND ARE COACHED BY RUSS DAVIS. AS A MEMBER OF THE LIONS SHE SCORED 1,593 POINTS, WAS A 3 TIME TEAM CAPTAIN AND HELPED THE LIONS MAKE 4 NAIA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES. HER COACHING CAREER PRIOR TO JOINING THE PIRATES COACHING STAFF INCLUDES STOPS AT COSTA MESA HIGH SCHOOL, CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY IRVINE EAGLES AND HOPE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ROYALS. I’D LIKE TO THANK COACH DOUCETTE FOR SHARING ADVICE WITH THE CANNON NETWORK FOR YOUNG COACHES. IN SHARING ADVICE FOR YOUNG COACHES, SHE WROTE, “ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT COMES YOUR WAY, GRAB IT. EVEN IF IT DOESN’T END UP WORKING OUT, IT WILL LEAD TO SOMETHING LATER ON. WHETHER IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK A CAMP, INTERVIEW FOR A JOB YOU DON’T REALLY WANT, ETC. DO IT! IT WILL LEAD TO A CONNECTION, A JOB, A MEMORY OR SOMETHING.  LASTLY, NO MATTER WHAT, STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE. STAND TALL. SOMETIMES THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IN YOUR PROFESSION LONGER MAY TRY TO TALK DOWN TO YOU OR PUSH YOU IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION. STAND TALL. DON’T LET ANYONE MISTAKE YOUR STRENGTH OR CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF FOR ARROGANCE. JUST BE YOU. ALWAYS OPEN TO LEARN NEW THINGS, BUT ALSO ALWAYS YOU.”