#WynnTheBattle: Geneva Women’s Basketball Team Takes on New Opponent - Geneva College
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#WynnTheBattle: Geneva Women’s Basketball Team Takes on New Opponent

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Big changes are underway for Geneva Women’s Basketball, and new Interim Associate Head Coach Patience Baker has to tackle this upcoming season without Head Coach Lori Wynn by her side to start the season.

#WynnTheBattle“I had just come off fourth of July vacation back home and coach Wynn was contacting me a lot, which was weird, because she knew I was on vacation. She was like ‘hey, as soon as you get back, I want to see you.’ And I went over to her house and immediately looking at her, I knew something wasn’t right,” coach Baker recalls.

Wynn then informed Baker that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

“I immediately just hugged her, I didn’t know what to do, I just felt so bad,” she says.

Once coach Baker was aware of the situation, they thought of ways to tell the girls the news, and they decided on a conference phone call, which was made during the summer.

“The players took it like anybody would,” she explains, “We were a complete team. We were coaches, players, parents.”

Recently, at a team meeting, the players and coaches Facetimed with coach Wynn, and she was visibly excited to see the girls. Coach Baker says it was comforting for the players to see her face-to-face.

Each year, Coach Wynn organizes a team retreat where she introduces the theme for the year.  This year, she was unable to do that, and although there is no official theme yet, coach Baker has her own ideas.

“If you ask me, and I told her this, coach Wynn’s our theme.  She doesn’t want to admit it, but she’s our theme,” said coach Baker with a smile, “She’s brought us together. Players that may have second guessed coming back this season for their own personal reasons are now committed 100 percent.”

When it comes to coach Baker’s expectations for the team, nothing has changed since her first season with Geneva. Her desire is to take the program to another level.  She has the title change, but her goals and expectations have stayed the same, even through this time of trial for her and her team.  

She will not be coaching the players alone. Kendall Hunter has stepped up to the role of assistant coach after he previously stepped down to work in the Admissions office and to make room for Coach Baker.

“He’s right where he left off [with the team].  They’re excited to see him back on staff, he’s excited to be here and help out. Kendall is a good guy, he worked in Admissions so he knows everyone around here. He’s a people person,” says coach Baker.

Together, the coaches hope to hold the fort down until coach Wynn is 100 percent recovered and ready to come back to a team that is also 100 percent.

Senior captain Rachel Larson comments, “Ever since we learned that coach wouldn't be able to join us back at school come September, we immediately wanted to go to North Carolina and see her. It seemed like a no-brainer. Coach has always been there for us, we wanted to be there for her.”

The players plan on making a trip down to see coach Wynn the weekend of September 17.

“So that will be another step,” says coach Baker, “we are just taking it step by step. That will be good for both them and her.”

When asked what the Geneva community can do to show their support for the team, she immediately replies, “They can continue to pray for us, for our team, for coach Wynn, for our players. But they can come out and support. Come to the games. See us. Cheer for us. Let us hear you, all that good stuff. That will be big.”

“Lori’s going through this battle, this tough fight, and she has given us a reason to fight as well.”

Follow the basketball team on their trip to see Head Coach Lori Wynn by using the hashtag, #WynnTheBattle, on various social media sites.  Members of the Geneva community and beyond are also encouraged to use this hashtag as a way to show support for coach Wynn on her road to recovery. 

Sep 15, 2016