Basketball for Women

While thousands of women basketball players have the talent to compete at a high level, they don't always have the opportunity, instruction, or training to do so. Basketball for Women was designed to help these players achieve their fullest potential.

Written by Nancy Lieberman-Cline and Robin Roberts, two women who know the game and how to excel at it, this practical guide challenges women from high school through college to develop their talent and skill to the highest level.

Basketball for Women provides 111 drills for improving and refining offensive and defensive skills. The authors explain the importance of each skill, identify the keys to proper technique, show how to correct common errors, and apply these skills in game situations. The drills are great tools for improving every practice and workout.

Unlike most basketball books for women, this unique resource goes beyond the basics to address topics for the serious-minded player, including:

- an overview of the history of women's basketball;
- identifying priorities, establishing goals, and seizing opportunities;
- 10 steps for handling success;
- getting the most out of practice and games;
- dealing with special game situations and matchups;
- where to play during the off-season;
- teamwork, coachability, and attitude; and
- recruitment.

Filled with proven principles, innovative drills, and conditioning guidelines designed especially for women, Basketball for Women will help players eliminate their weaknesses and sharpen their strengths to succeed at any level.

Nancy Lieberman-Cline has been a dominant force in amateur and professional basketball since the early 1970s. In 1975 she won a Gold Medal at the Pan-American Games. As a member of the 1976 U.S. Silver-Medal-winning team, at the age of 18 Nancy became the youngest basketball player in Olympic history, male or female, to win a medal. She was also a member of the 1980 Olympic team, (which did not compete due to the boycott).

After a standout career, leading her team at Old Dominion University to two consecutive National Championships and being named a three-time Kodak All-American, Nancy was the number one draft choice for the Dallas Diamonds, the professional women's basketball team. She led her team to the 1984 Championship in the Women's American Basketball Association. She made history again in 1986 as the first woman to play in a men's professional league, signing with the Springfield Fame of the United States Basketball League. Another triumph followed when she joined the 1987-1988 Harlem Globetrotters/Washington Generals World Tour. In 1993 she was the first woman inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.

Nancy's talents extend beyond the basketball court. From 1981 through 1984 she served as Martina Navratilova's conditioning coach, revolutionizing the way women train. She has worked as a network and cable broadcaster and color analyst for men's and women's basketball games, including NBC, CBS, ESPN, Prime Network, HSE, and the SportsChannel. Nancy owns Events Marketing, Inc., which promotes sporting events across the country.

Each year Nancy conducts several weeks of basketball camps for young girls across the country and donates her time and effort to numerous charities and special organizations. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, Tim, and their son, T.J.

Robin Roberts' affiliation with ABC and ESPN has made her one of the most versatile commentators in the business. Since joining ABC in 1995, Robin covers a variety of sporting events for the network and hosts the Wide World of Sports. For ESPN she hosts Sunday SportsDay, anchors SportsCenter, and contributes to NFL PrimeTime. She hosted the network's coverage of the men's NCAA Final Four, and the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, and she called play-by-play for the East Regional Final in the Women's NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Prior to her career as a sportscaster, Robin made her mark at Southeastern Louisiana University. She was a standout performer on the women's basketball team, ending her career as the school's third all-time leading scorer (1,446 points) and rebounder (1,034 rebounds). She earned her bachelor's degree in communications, graduating with honors.

Roberts received the 1993 Excellence in Sport Journalism Award for Broadcast Media and the 1992 Women at Work Broadcast Journalism Award for her contributions to the image of women in broadcast journalism. She is active as a speaker for charity and civic functions across the country. Robin lives in Farmington, Connecticut.

Kevin Warneke, who assisted the authors in preparing the manuscript, is a former newspaper reporter and editor. He serves as a magazine editor and part-time journalism instructor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Warneke writes for several sports magazines and covers high school sports for a daily newspaper in Nebraska.