During a typical practice for Long Beach State’s women’s basketball team, a spectator will hear the rippling sound of a whistle echo throughout the walls of the Walter Pyramid.
To head coach Jody Wynn, every piercing whistle blow lets her give her powerful and exuberant voice a break.
Wynn’s whistle and voice complement each other as a dynamic duo. They also provide positive energy that only motivates her team to push even harder.
“I believe work ethic is so important on and off the court,” Wynn said. “Our program is based off of making sure our girls are putting in work as students and as athletes. They need to be role model citizens and learn how to handle the limelight. Working hard at practice builds confidence.”
Wynn, 42, attended Brea Olinda High School where she won three California State championships. She went on to play college ball and was brought on as an assistant coach at [Southern California]. From there, she got hired at Long Beach State in 2009 with ambitions of bringing back its winning ways.
She is now on her seventh year as the head coach for the Beach.
In 2013, Wynn coached LBSU to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, the team’s first playoff appearance in 13 years.
She brought global attention to her team when it went on a 15-game winning streak last season and was ranked No. 18 in the country at one point.
This season, the 49ers finished tied for second in the Big West with a 12-4 record, winning three more games than the season before.
“Our mentality and motivation starts from the coaches,” said junior guard Anna Kim. “Coach [Wynn] has helped build the program and has brought all-around good kids to play. We all are passionate to play for her.”
LBSU’s records over Wynn’s tenure are evidence that the losing mentality that used to haunt the locker room has now changed.
Wynn took over for Mary Hegarty after the former head coach finished with a sub .500 record four times in her six-year stint. Wynn took over in 2009-10 and it took her three years to finish without a losing record, going 16-16 in 2012-13. This season, the 49ers posted their third consecutive winning season and finished with back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1990-92.
“Character is very, very important; we want our girls to overachieve,” Wynn said. “One of my mentors used to tell me whenever I complained, ‘Let me tune up my violin for you.’ That is what we tell our girls and it helps them grow off and on the court.”
On Feb. 9, Long Beach State was practicing the day before making their annual five-hour flight to Hawaii.
“Are you ready to leave here at six in the morning tomorrow?” asks Andrea Ohta, LBSU’s associate media relations director. “I know how much you love that.”
Wynn laughed and went on to complain about how much of a pain it is to wake up that early.
Cue the violin.
Coach Wynn’s practices are intense and strict, but they bring out a surreal feeling that her team is in the middle of playing an actual game.
“Get through that screen,” yells Derek Wynn, LBSU’s assistant coach and Jody’s husband. “If we want to win Friday we got to play smarter than that.”
Derek has been coaching at LBSU as long as Jody has. His role during practices is to coordinate the women with his overpowering voice while they run plays.
While Derek is assisting in running the show, Jody is overseeing with her trusted whistle in her mouth, observing like a lion in the tall grass.
“It is weird how him and I will be on vacation and randomly start talking about recruiting,” Jody said. “But that is just part of the job.”
When practice ends, Jody and Derek lead a team bonding moment that includes loud chanting and clapping. It is an optimistic atmosphere after what Derek describes as a “rocky practice.”
“I won’t be going so easy next time,” said Derek as he walked off the court. “You are lucky that she is the one that is coaching you.”
Wynn’s feisty positivity as a coach is a reflection on how she was raised. Her passion for basketball was pushed by her parents as they helped breed her winning demeanor. She acknowledges how her mother taught her to appreciate being a female athlete.
“My parents are my biggest supporters,” Wynn said. “Since high school, they have been to every one of my games. They watched me win championships in high school, [be] assistant coach at USC and they are here in the stands at every home game, watching me coach. They are my number one fans.”
Although her parents did not play basketball, they have been enjoying watching their daughter be a successful coach and mentor since arriving at Long Beach State. Last season the team was plagued by injuries, which diminished the chances of reaching the NCAA Tournament.
This season, Wynn and the 49ers faced a different challenge.
“With only one senior and the rest underclassmen, we had inexperience,” Wynn said. “Some players have had to quickly step up. It’s not about wins and losses, but we have overachieved this season.”
The 49ers made it to the Big West Tournament semifinals this season after crashing out of the tourney in the first rounds last season. However, LBSU’s improvement from last year secured a second consecutive invitation to the WNIT. The 49ers will go to Eugene, Oregon on Thursday looking for an upset victory over the Oregon Ducks.
With Wynn’s future looking sunny at The Beach, she has no plans of leaving any time soon. She intends on continuing her quest of building a winning culture as LBSU’s women’s basketball coach.