Former UK players join forces to coach high school team. ‘It’s definitely fun.’
The Black and Gold of Woodford County High School slapped on some more Big Blue primer underneath this summer when the Yellow Jackets hired former University of Kentucky basketball standout Erik Daniels to be their girls’ head coach.
Woodford already had former Cat Dennis Johnson as football coach and athletic director. Then Daniels hired one of UK women’s basketball’s greatest players, Makayla Epps, and another ex-Cat, Antwain Barbour, as assistants.
While their 2-2 record shows a work in progress as the players and coaches get used to each other, there’s no mistaking the fresh attitude everyone is bringing this season.
“It’s definitely fun,” said senior Delaney Enlow, who plays in the post during basketball season as an alternative to her main sport, softball, where she’s committed to play Division I at Louisiana Lafayette. “It’s great to be around coaches who are chill, but they are also very serious about what we’re doing. They make it fun to work hard instead of making it more of a job. And they also enjoy the sport, which makes us enjoy it too.”
The chill comes from Daniels, who maintains an even keel on the sidelines. But there’s also a spark from Epps, who, at 24, isn’t much removed from her high school playing days, and sees that as an asset.
“I bring the enthusiasm, the passion, and … I’ve been in their shoes, six, seven years ago,” said Epps who supports and cajoles from one end of the bench while Daniels directs from the other. “I tell them, ‘I’ve been there, I know. Anything you can possibly have a question about, I would used to worry about and have questions about it too.’ I just always let them know I’ve always got their backs through it all.”
But she’s not all “good cop,” which Daniels uses to his advantage.
“It’s great to have somebody with a contrasting style,” Daniels said. “I’m more laid back. She’s more intense. When I need to get on the girls, I send them to her and she gets them together. …
“It’s been great. The girls, they love Coach Epps. It’s always great to have a positive female out there with the girls. … They can relate to her and they also look up to her because they know she’s played at the highest level.”
Enlow said Barbour, a teammate of Daniels at UK from 2002-04, also brings calm to the team and has been someone she and her teammates feel they can talk to.
Eppswas a three-time First Team All-Southeastern Conference player for UK and was chosen with the 33rd overall pick by Chicago’s WNBA team in the 2017 draft. Though she was waived ahead of the 2018 season, she says she’s keeping her options open about playing again somewhere if the opportunity arises.
For now, though, she’s all Woodford County.
“Going from playing to coaching is totally different, but I still love it just the same just as if I were out there playing,” Epps said. “ If the opportunity arises, I’m going to take it, but if not, I’m just going to keep giving back to the next generation — make the next Makayla Epps or the next LeBron or whoever it may be.”
Woodford returns to action Tuesday at Bardstown and has been going through some growing pains in learning a new style of basketball from what the Yellow Jackets have been playing over the past few years. Enlow said the team is welcoming the challenge.
“We’re going from a very basic way of playing basketball to a very advanced way of playing basketball, so it’s kind of an adjustment, but we’re all getting better,” Enlow said. “It’s really just a big improvement for us.”
Daniels, who prefaced his first head coaching gig with assistant stints at Frederick Douglass and Bryan Station, has been adjusting to high school head coaching life, as well.
“I’m getting to know everybody because I’m new here, so I’ve got to build relationships with these girls so they trust me and go out there and play hard for me,” said Daniels, who scored 1,053 points at UK from 2000 to 2004. “We’ve had our highs and lows, but we’re still learning. We’re learning each other’s game. We’re learning my coaching style. It’s going to be a while before everybody gets clicking on the same page.”
Their new style includes trying to convert more transition opportunities in addition to running half-court plays that have been their bread-and-butter in past years.
“We’re learning how to play basketball rather than playing a play.” Enlow said.
Statewide realignment means Woodford County has a new district (the 30th), a new region (the 8th), and new opportunities in the postseason.
“I expect a lot out of this team,” Enlow said. “Right now, we’re getting used to a new pace of basketball … I think you’ll see us slowly getting back, and you’ll see us improve a lot.”
