When did you first become interested in women's basketball?
I have long been interested in women’s sports, at least since I was in high school when I attended many of my high school’s games. When I was a graduate student at the University of Michigan in 1999-90, a woman from my hometown (Carol Szczechowski, our hometown is Wyandotte, Michigan) was a star basketball player for the Wolverines and I cheered them on to their first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament, where they won in the first round. In recent years I have been a season ticket holder for both the Shock and the University of Michigan women’s basketball teams and also attend other Michigan women’s sports events (particularly softball). I was very impressed with last season’s softball team and their NCAA championship and may well be writing a book about them soon!
What prompted you to write a book about the Shock?
My motivation for not only the Shock book, but my writing on women’s sports in general, is to tell the stories of incredible women who in my opinion do not always get the recognition and respect they deserve. When I go to bookstores and check the sports section, I see so many books about male athletes and teams, and comparatively few about female athletes and teams. This seems to be especially the case in basketball although it also is true for other sports. I would like to see the time come when names like Deanna Nolan, Sheryl Swoopes, and Lisa Leslie are as well known as Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant. I consider myself to be a feminist, and my writing about women’s sports is an expression of my belief in gender equality.
How much cooperation did you receive from the Shock on this project? What was their initial response when you approached them about it?
I am only now really beginning to work with the Shock and Palace of Auburn Hills management on getting the book marketed. My research was mostly done using materials such as the team’s media guides and newspaper accounts of games. I am currently attempting to get the book into the Palace Locker Room stores which are the official souvenir shops for the Shock and Pistons, and also perhaps to have my book be a giveaway at a game.
What difficulties did you encounter researching the book and then getting it published?
The research was not all that difficult, as I am a librarian and so I know how to do research. The writing was also quite easy for me, and enjoyable. Getting it published has been another story entirely. The more traditional publishers did not show much interest either in the Shock book or the manuscript I wrote (currently unpublished) on the history of the University of Michigan women’s basketball program. The feeling I get is that they do not think the topic has enough sales potential, which I disagree with! I think the potential is there and it has just not been tapped yet. So I went with a “self-publishing” company where I have had to invest some of my own money to get started with the publishing process. But it is well worth it to me, because I know that there are a lot more fans of the women’s game out there than some may think.
What has been the response about the book so far from WNBA fans?
The response from other fans so far seems to be positive. I am not sure how many copies have been sold yet, but I do get the feeling that people are glad to see another book out there that celebrates the great things that women athletes have achieved and will continue to achieve. As I get the word out to more and more people, I am confident that they will like what they see.
On the UMGoBlue.Com website, as well as your personal website, you mention that you've written a book on the history of Michigan women's basketball. What is the status of that book?
I am not sure what I will do with the U of Michigan women’s basketball manuscript at this point in time. I may just add to it and try to publish it that way, I may rework it quite a bit, or I may condense it and make it part of a more general manuscript on women’s athletics at the University of Michigan.
What was the research process for that book?
The research process for that book was pretty similar to that for the Shock book. I made extensive use of the athletic department archives at the Bentley Historical Library in Ann Arbor as well as microfilm of the Michigan Daily (UM Ann Arbor student paper), the Ann Arbor News, and other publications. I was able in that case to get some first hand recollections from several former players.
Does Michigan have fairly intact records from the 70's? I've encountered quite a bit of difficulty trying to nail down rosters, schedules, and results from that period as the records are spotty at best.
The records definitely do get harder to track down the farther back you go in the women’s collegiate varsity era which began in 1973. The archives at the Bentley Historical Library are in general very good and complete, but the first couple of years are as you say somewhat spotty with not a lot of detail. In some ways, the newspaper accounts help to fill in some of the gaps but there too the coverage was not always very good…and I would contend that coverage of women’s sports is still not always as good as it ought to be over three decades later! However, great progress has been made and at least we have a good basic level of information available from about the late 70s or early 80s to the present.
What's your take on the popularity of women's basketball in Michigan - past, present and future?*
As to popularity of women’s basketball in Michigan, I think that so far it has been an inconsistent phenomenon that mostly gets prominent when a team in the state is doing particularly well. For example, when the Shock won the WNBA championship there was quite a “bandwagon effect,” and this also has been the case with the Michigan State women as they have had successful seasons of late. Other than that, it seems that the teams in Michigan tend to struggle for fan support which may have something to do with the many long established men’s teams that have strong followings in the state. The Pistons, Michigan and Michigan State and even some of the smaller college teams have strong fan bases. Then you add into the mix other sports such as hockey with the Red Wings and the various college teams, and it is difficult for women’s basketball to compete for public attention. This is exactly one of the reasons why I am doing what I am doing…to try and get more people interested in teams like the Shock and the Wolverine women!
Are you going to be doing any promotional activities for the book (e.g. signings, appearances, print advertising, etc.)?
As for promotions, I have one book signing scheduled for Thursday May 25 at 3:30 pm, at Pages Bookstore in downtown Flint, Michigan. I have also gotten word out via other women’s basketball websites and my publisher is sending out press releases. I have all kinds of ideas that I am working on as far as all that goes, so there will be much more to come!
Available for purchase from:
Outskirts Press Book Publishing (e-book also available)
Amazon.Com
