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'Other moms need to keep hearing this': Juggling being a new parent during an NCAA Tournament run far from easy
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After Creighton pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the women’s NCAA Tournament by defeating player of the year candidate Caitlin Clark and No. 2 seed Iowa to advance to its first Sweet 16 in school history, the Bluejays were greeted by a FaceTime call as they walked off the Hawkeyes’ home court.
That’s when the tears began to fall.
On the other side of the call was Bluejays assistant coach Carli Berger, who watched the game from her home, less than one week after giving birth to son, Luke.
When Berger first learned she and her husband, Nate, would be expecting their first child and her due date was Selection Sunday, she knew she would have to step away when the baby was born — she just didn’t know when and where her team would be. Because of her due date, she wasn’t able to travel with the team for the final two regular-season games and the Big East tournament.
Berger gave birth March 15, but the trip to Iowa City for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament wasn’t possible, so Berger watched the games from home.
“Watching from home is a wild experience,” Berger told USA TODAY Sports. “When you’re on the bench in the game, you have to control your emotions a little more because you’re around the players, you’re around the staff, you’re in public. But watching from the couch, you can be absolutely crazy because no one’s watching you.
“My husband and I, we had to set the baby down a couple times just to make sure we didn’t do anything crazy,” she said.
As excruciating as it was to miss her team make school history over the weekend, Berger wasn’t left out of the game plan.
Ever since she couldn’t travel with the team in mid-February, she’s watched film, taken part in scouting, joined team meetings and talked with players virtually. Not long after she gave birth, she was back at it, talking with her assistants to prep for their first-round matchup against Colorado.
“She’s still such a competitor at heart, still sending us so many texts throughout the week, just checking in on us and telling us different scout stuff, which is kind of funny because it’s like, you just had a whole child,” said senior guard Tatum Rembao. “It just shows how much she cares about us.”
Berger was able to bring Luke so he could meet the team at their final practice in Omaha before heading to North Carolina.
“He was just as cute as we all thought he’d be,” said senior guard Rachael Saunders said.
“Carli is unselfish and she likes to be in the middle of it. She’s not a bystander,” head coach Jim Flanery said. “She’s definitely an extrovert and just enjoys being around people.”
The feelings with her players are mutual.
Berger was a standout for the Bluejays from 2011-2013 under Flanery, winning the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and 2012 conference tournament MVP, and leading her team to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2012 and 2013. After retiring before the 2013-14 season, she was the team’s graduate assistant and video coordinator before becoming an assistant head coach in 2017.
One of the first players Berger recruited as a coach was Saunders. She said Berger’s experience and her commitment to building relationships with players is what makes her such a difference-maker.
“She’s meant a lot to me over the time, as well as the rest of us. She’s a constant figure at practices, team meals and is always gonna make you laugh,” Saunders said. “She’s really there for us anytime that we need her, whether that be on the court or off the court.”
Despite the missing piece, the Bluejays advanced to the Sweet 16 in the Greensboro region where they will play Iowa State on Friday night.
Even though they got to celebrate with their assistant coach over the phone, Saunders said the entire team couldn’t wait to see her when they got back to campus in Omaha. Berger was the first person they saw as soon as they stepped off the bus, and they all rushed to celebrate once again.
“I thought I was all calm and cool (and) collected, and I was just gonna kind of hang out on the side of this welcome home parade. They just ran right towards me and I was just overwhelmed with emotion for them because you’re so proud of them,” Berger said. “It all kind of came out.
“You know, they do say that new mothers are kind of emotional,” she added.
As excited as she was to see her team, Berger felt guilty about not being in Iowa this past weekend, and was honest that the transition into becoming a mom and coach hasn’t been a smooth ride.
When last year’s tournament was in a bubble, numerous coaches were open about the difficult decision they were forced to make: bring their children, which meant some team personnel were unable to travel with the team because of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic; or leave their children at home. It opened up a conversation of how stressful it can be for women’s coaches trying to balance motherhood while staying locked-in with the team, something Berger is experiencing now.
She said she understands she can’t do everything at max capacity, but having your partner, friends, family or other coaches there to lend a hand makes all the difference.
“I’ve watched these moms that are coaches do this. It’s a great story because we need to keep hearing it. Other moms need to keep hearing this stuff and that it’s OK if you’re not perfect,” Berger said. “These moms are all pretty special. They’re pretty badass, but it’s a support system around them that helps keep them going.”
‘I need to be there’
Berger wasn’t the only coach to become a new parent this past week.
Caleb Heim, assistant strength and conditioning coach for South Dakota, also welcomed his first son, Bennett, on March 15. It was a surprise since his wife wasn’t due until April, so Heim was unable to be with the team while it played the first two rounds in Waco, Texas. Similar to Creighton, the 10th-seeded Coyotes stunned a No. 2 seed in Baylor to advance to the school’s first Sweet 16. South Dakota plays Michigan on Saturday night.
Heim wasn’t with the team for the first two rounds, but made sure his players had a sense of normalcy. Each day, he sent a video of his usual pep talk to get players hyped up for practices and games, and coordinated team meals. This time around, he’ll be able to join the team as they play in Wichita, Kansas, on Saturday.
“My wife was saying that she couldn’t tolerate me pacing around anymore,” Heim said. “I was probably still loud, but (Bennett) slept the entire time. He’s prepared for athletics.”
Heim said it was important for him to spend the first few days of his child’s life together.
“That was something I know my wife was concerned with early on, and that was something I wanted to prove to her,” Heim said. “Family is before work and yes, athletics is really important and yes, they’re an extended part of our family, but I need to be there and show support.”
If South Dakota is able to win its next two games and advance to its first Final Four, Heim may bring Bennett along to Minneapolis.
Berger is already thinking the same thing.
“Driving to Minneapolis is very doable,” she said. “My husband and I have already talked about going.”
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.
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Travel
Razzies royally torch 'Diana' musical and 'Space Jam 2,' show love to Oscar favorite Will Smith
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In its proclamation of the worst films of 2021, the Razzies lambasted a critically reviled Princess Diana musical and LeBron James’ “Space Jam” sequel, but spread love instead of hate for Will Smith.
The Golden Raspberry Awards, annually announced the day before the Academy Awards, bestowed five dishonors on Netflix’s “Diana: The Musical,” a filmed production of the recent Broadway show that closed after 33 performances. “Diana” beat out “Infinite,” “Karen,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy” and “The Woman in the Window” for worst picture, plus picked up worst screenplay and worst actress for star Jeanna de Waal.
“New Legacy,” the live-action/animated hybrid basketball comedy featuring James hooping it up with Bugs Bunny and Co., earned three Razzie awards. James was named worst actor and also was saddled with worst screen couple – which went to James and “Any Warner Cartoon Character (or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On” – while the movie snagged worst sequel.
How to watch the 2022 Oscars:Everything you should know about Sunday’s Academy Awards
“House of Gucci” star Jared Leto lost his Screen Actors Guild race for best supporting actor but nabbed the Razzie for worst. And Bruce Willis does so many VOD movies now that he received his own special category (worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie) that, to no one’s surprise, he won – for “Cosmic Sin.”
Smith, who’s expected to win the best actor Oscar Sunday for “King Richard,” received this year’s Razzie Redeemer Award for previous Razzie honorees who’ve come back with quality efforts. Recent winners include Ben Affleck, Sylvester Stallone, Melissa McCarthy and Eddie Murphy.
The full list of this year’s Razzie “winners”:
Worst picture: “Diana: The Musical”
Worst actor: LeBron James, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst actress: Jeanna de Waal, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actress: Judy Kaye, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actor: Jared Leto, “House of Gucci”
Worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie: Bruce Willis, “Cosmic Sin”
Worst screen couple: LeBron James and Any Warner Cartoon Character
(or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst remake, rip-off or sequel: “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst director: Christopher Ashley, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst screenplay: “Diana: The Musical”
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Business
As more marijuana dispensaries get targeted by robbers, SAFE Banking Act lingers in Congress
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A bill that could allow electronic transactions at weed dispensaries nationwide is again make its way through Congress but the SAFE Banking Act might not be the cure-all that supporters envision.
In over a decade of operating cannabis shops in Washington, Shea Hynes never once worried about his stores getting robbed at gun point – until recently: In a span of three weeks, his stores were robbed three different times at gun point.
Reports of armed robberies at cannabis dispensaries like Hynes’ have nearly doubled in the first quarter of this year compared with all of last year, according to data maintained by the Craft Cannabis Coalition. The group, which represents more than 50 stores in Washington, has recorded more than 65 armed robberies so far this year, compared with 35 in 2021 and 29 in 2020.
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CHICAGO — In a ridiculous coincidence, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks wrote NCAA Tournament history on National Peacock Day with a thrilling upset of Purdue.
The mid-major became the first-ever No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, outdoing previous No. 15 seeds Oral Roberts (2021) and Florida Gulf Coast (2013). Exactly 0.8% of people picked the Peacocks to get this far, with the school from Jersey City, New Jersey, defying all odds. Is Saint Peter’s the best Cinderella of all time?
Meanwhile, the ACC is sitting pretty with three teams – Duke and now North Carolina and Miami (Fla.) – in the Elite Eight on the same day the Big Ten saw its last team go down.
A look at three key takeaways from Friday:
Saint Peter’s writes NCAA history
Coach Shaheen Holloway has this team playing inspired basketball, and now the Peacocks (22-11) are just one win from the Final Four. The best Cinderellas of the last two decades to reach Final Fours – George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, Loyola-Chicago (2018) all were double-digit seeded mid-majors. But none was as highly seeded as this Saint Peter’s team that’s now beaten No. 2 seed Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue.
WINNERS, LOSERS:Poised Saint Peter’s keeps the dream alive; bye-bye, Big Ten; hello, ACC
OPINION:Saint Peter’s embodies wackiness and uncertainty of this NCAA Tournament
ANALYSIS:Purdue’s loss leaves Big Ten shut out of Elite Eight. We could see this coming.
MORE:Legendary Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson: Coach K’s farewell tour ends Saturday
OPINION:Houston is leaving Phi Slama Jama in the 1980s for good
While other bracket-busting NCAA Tournament darlings of yesteryear have had flair (FGCU’s “Dunk City”) or a lovable fan (Loyola’s Sister Jean), this team from the MAAC is doing it with defense, namely with nine steals. In spite of being undersized against the Boilermakers, the Peacocks used aggressiveness and hustle to outduel their seemingly superior opponent behind 6-8 freshman Clarence Rubert and 6-7 junior Hassan Drame. Daryl Banks III (14 points) is the go-to scorer for Saint Peter’s, but Mr. Clutch has been guard Doug Edert (10 points) off the bench. One stat to note: a 19-for-21 clip from the free-throw line. What’s been most impressive is the Peacocks’ ability to stay hungry and poised under pressure, winning close games in all three NCAA Tournament matchups.
Blue-bloods show title potential
Duke and Villanova advanced on Thursday, and fellow blue-bloods Kansas and North Carolina will now join them in the Elite Eight. And yes, if both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels win Sunday, we could see them meet in the Final Four.
Ever since North Carolina embarrassed Duke in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Heels have been red-hot – knocking out No. 1 Baylor in the previous game in overtime. That continued against a UCLA team that reached the Final Four last year and seemed destined to get back. Caleb Love was brilliant again, finishing with 30 points off six three-pointers. Armando Bacot’s tip-in with 22 seconds left sealed the win in another impressive outing for coach Hubert Davis’ resilient team.
The last remaining No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament, Kansas stayed alive, escaping Providence by five points. It’s coach Bill Self’s ninth trip to the Elite Eight with Kansas and 11th of his career, as the Jayhawks (31-6) are one win from the Final Four. They’ve now won eight in a row and are looking like a title contender after entering the NCAA Tourney having won the Big 12 tournament.
The secret weapon for Kansas has been guard Remy Martin. For the third consecutive tournament game, Kansas got a jolt off the bench from the fiery Martin (23 points), the Arizona State transfer who has erupted in these NCAAs after playing a reserve role throughout 2021-22.
ACC > Big Ten
Despite garnering nine NCAA Tournament bids on Selection Sunday – the most of any conference – the Big Ten is out following Purdue’s stunning exit vs. Saint Peter’s. The league tanked in the first two rounds, with No. 5 Iowa – the conference tourney champ – getting upset by Richmond in the first round. No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Illinois, No. 7 Michigan State and No. 7 Ohio State all lost in the second round. And now, with Michigan’s loss to Villanova, the overall underachievement is on full display. That’s a 9-9 finish in the tournament.
No Big Ten team has cut down the nets since 2000 (the Spartans), and it’s a depressing outlook for the league that posted the second-best NET score in 2021-22 and showcased several teams with Final Four potential.
The ACC, which finished with the sixth-worst NET score as a league, has Duke, North Carolina and Miami all in the Elite Eight. That’s after the Tar Heels, Hurricanes and Notre Dame were all bubble teams in early March. The NCAA Tournament is about matchups and pathways. No matter how well the Big Ten did in the regular season, much like the Pac-12’s surprising finish last year, the ACC is well-positioned with three teams still alive and two of them title contenders.
Follow college basketball reporter Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.
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