WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:02.439 We are live today at the Dumkey Family Stadium on 2 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:05.280 the campus of the University of Utah. It is the 3 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:09.160 return a professional softball to our great city in this 4 00:00:09.240 --> 00:00:12.800 great venue here in Salt Lake, right outside well, right 5 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:15.800 on campus. Essentially, we're giving away tickets for the game tonight. 6 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:18.000 Also have a grip of t shirts I'm giving away 7 00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:19.760 as well. All you have to do is come on 8 00:00:19.800 --> 00:00:22.359 buy and say what's up. Easiest thing to do is 9 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:25.640 just search Dumkey Family Field on your Google Maps or 10 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:27.640 Ways or whatever you use, and then just follow that. 11 00:00:27.800 --> 00:00:30.800 It's right on campus. It's super close. Come on buy 12 00:00:30.839 --> 00:00:33.880 and say hello. And we have a celebrity siding sitting 13 00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:36.759 next to me, the head coach of the Utah women's 14 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:41.399 softball team and Utah Athletics Hall of Famer Amy ho Aamy. 15 00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:41.880 How are you? 16 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:43.840 I'm great, I'm glad to be here with you. 17 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:45.399 Are you really It's really hot? 18 00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:47.799 It is hot. I'm wondering why they put you out here. 19 00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:49.840 Do you know? I am acting like a diva today. 20 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:50.520 I'm not gonna lie. 21 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:52.679 When I walked up and saw the tent and said, 22 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:55.119 like Porter, my producer is probably so sick of me. 23 00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:57.840 I am stunned that we're outside, But hey, I'm a 24 00:00:57.840 --> 00:00:59.439 man of the people. Amy, I'm gonna make it to 25 00:00:59.479 --> 00:01:01.439 six o'clock. Okay, I'm in a grind, That's what I do. 26 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:02.439 It was grass. 27 00:01:02.439 --> 00:01:04.120 At least putting it on the grass and sent the 28 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:05.280 pavement could have been easy. 29 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:07.079 Yeah, well, seg Well, if you would like to run 30 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:09.640 our promotions department in addition to your duties coaching the 31 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:11.560 softball team, please let me know. But it was great 32 00:01:11.560 --> 00:01:13.400 to meet you in person. I've interviewed you before, but 33 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:14.120 we've never met. 34 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:16.920 Yeah, it was amazing to me when I just sug 35 00:01:16.920 --> 00:01:18.480 your hand and hadn't met you before. 36 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:20.040 That's crazy, But it's great to meet you. 37 00:01:20.120 --> 00:01:23.079 So tell me the significance of an event like this 38 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:25.879 for somebody like you who coaches softball. 39 00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:25.920 Here to you? 40 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:28.719 Well, I was telling them last night when they interviewed 41 00:01:28.760 --> 00:01:31.680 me on ESPN two when the game was on, that 42 00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:35.359 I couldn't have even dreamed this up. I mean, I 43 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:38.640 grew up here, and I played high school here, in 44 00:01:38.680 --> 00:01:41.959 college here, and started coaching here, and none of this 45 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:45.920 was even in our brains as a possibility. So overwhelmed 46 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:48.879 is probably one of the words I would think of 47 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:52.200 but it's just getting better all the time because now 48 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:55.120 we can see what it can become and getting really 49 00:01:55.159 --> 00:01:56.599 excited for the future of this sport. 50 00:01:56.879 --> 00:01:59.439 And you have some former players playing in the game tonight. 51 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:01.879 Tell us about the players positions and kind of your 52 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:02.760 relationship with them. 53 00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:06.920 Yes, we have three two on one team. The talents 54 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:10.599 have Hannah Flipping and Mariah Lopez both played for me. 55 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:13.000 Mariah just last year and. 56 00:02:12.919 --> 00:02:14.360 She's a remember Mariah. 57 00:02:14.439 --> 00:02:16.840 Yeah, she's starting the game tomorrow nights. If you want 58 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:19.360 to come see your pitch, show up tomorrow night. And 59 00:02:19.400 --> 00:02:21.879 then Hannah Flipping started every day at second base for 60 00:02:22.039 --> 00:02:24.280 me for four years. And then on the other team, 61 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:27.080 the Blaze, we have Anissa Ortez and she was my 62 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:29.960 shortstop alongside of Hannah. 63 00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:30.759 For all four years. 64 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:33.759 So the two of them are both shortstops playing against 65 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:36.280 each other for this series. So it's pretty fun to 66 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:37.759 see them on both sides. 67 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:39.280 So I asked you this off air. 68 00:02:40.039 --> 00:02:44.240 Outside of being the unofficial mayor of everything softball here 69 00:02:44.280 --> 00:02:47.520 on campus, what are your official duties with an event 70 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:48.439 such as this tonight. 71 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:49.919 Yeah, it's kind of fun. 72 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:53.919 Like showing up the day before everyone came, I found 73 00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:56.639 myself just like if you're having your in laws visit, 74 00:02:56.879 --> 00:02:58.840 cleaning that house and making. 75 00:02:58.560 --> 00:02:59.719 Sure it's just right. 76 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:03.439 And then I've tried to stay out of their way 77 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:06.800 because an event like this needs a lot of people 78 00:03:06.840 --> 00:03:09.039 and a lot of work, and I knew that the 79 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:11.560 way they run, they just want us out of the way. 80 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:15.240 They want us open the door and let them do 81 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:17.240 their things. So they've been doing a great job. We 82 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:20.960 have a lot of our staff helping and our players helping. 83 00:03:21.560 --> 00:03:24.719 But I've just gotten to walk around and enjoy being 84 00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:26.840 at the stadium and not feel like I was in 85 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:28.319 charge of pretty much anything. 86 00:03:28.439 --> 00:03:30.319 So it's nice to relax a little bit, is what 87 00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:30.759 you're saying. 88 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:32.960 Yeah, they said they were going to sell alcohol and 89 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:37.120 they blew that, so that's happening, but relaxing nonetheless. 90 00:03:37.240 --> 00:03:40.439 Okay, good for you. So you were a student athlete here? 91 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:42.960 Where'd you go to high school? By the way, I'm talta, 92 00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:44.080 you're an outsit girl. 93 00:03:44.319 --> 00:03:48.159 Okay, And then you tell what positions or position. 94 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:48.719 Did you play? 95 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:52.840 Yeah, I played second base for both high school and 96 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:54.840 second base for high school. 97 00:03:54.840 --> 00:03:57.719 I'm for the college here, so every day second base. 98 00:03:57.919 --> 00:03:59.360 Very nice? How have you? 99 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:01.759 I know you reference that you look around and your 100 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:03.879 mind is blown that we're doing what we're doing tonight. 101 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:05.960 But how has the sport grown? 102 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:09.159 I was part of the group that brought real Salt 103 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:13.599 Lake care right, and so I understand the challenge of 104 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:16.879 bringing a sport that isn't necessarily familiar to the masses 105 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:18.720 and trying to grow it and trying to sell it. 106 00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:23.560 And quite frankly, it's an ever you know, changing landscape 107 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:28.040 and the destination is never fully reached. But from you know, 108 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:29.879 your time at ALTA and then at the U as 109 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:32.560 a player and you're twenty seven years affiliated with the 110 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:35.959 program as a coach, how have you seen the sport 111 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:37.959 grow both here locally. 112 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:39.120 And then nationally. 113 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:42.000 I mean, the ratings for the Softball World Series are 114 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:42.480 through the roof. 115 00:04:42.680 --> 00:04:43.959 ESPN gets a lot of eyes on that. 116 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:47.160 Yeah, all those things that you set are through, including 117 00:04:47.240 --> 00:04:49.720 all of the parallels with all the other sports that 118 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:53.279 have been ahead of us in doing professional level stuff 119 00:04:53.319 --> 00:04:56.800 and bringing it into cities like ours. I'm really impressed 120 00:04:56.839 --> 00:05:00.920 with what it is. Not only that profession all sports 121 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:04.279 is happening for the like WNBA and those that are 122 00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:08.319 coming out with with soccer, like you said, but what 123 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:11.319 I love is just the people that are coming out, 124 00:05:11.480 --> 00:05:13.360 Like I just saw people stand in another tree. I 125 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:16.000 swear they're waiting for to get in. And it's the 126 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:19.439 games at seven thirty tonight. So that's that's why it's 127 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:22.319 gonna work is because of those people, and also because 128 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:25.040 you know, there's a lot of times we've started this up. 129 00:05:25.160 --> 00:05:28.959 I actually played professional softball, so and you know it 130 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:30.959 was on and then off, and on and then off. 131 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:32.959 So they've tried it a lot of times, but they 132 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:36.519 didn't have kim Ing. Kim Ing as our commissioner of 133 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:41.160 I say ours as if I'm part of the league. 134 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:42.000 And you're all part of the ecosystem. 135 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:44.920 She's gonna make it go. She's got it figured out. 136 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:47.759 She came over and brought Major League Baseball with her, 137 00:05:47.959 --> 00:05:51.519 and you know, the game tonight is on MLB Networks, 138 00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:54.759 and I think it's really important that we understand that 139 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:59.560 that's what's been missing, and we have her now and 140 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:02.920 she's gonna make it go. I talked to her for 141 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:05.199 a good forty five minutes for the game yesterday and 142 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:07.519 have never been more impressed with someone. 143 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:09.680 And I've seen a lot that have tried tried to 144 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:10.319 get this to go. 145 00:06:10.519 --> 00:06:12.439 Our sport's too good for it to not go at 146 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:15.040 some point, and I like that she's the leader of this. 147 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:17.879 Tell me about your squad this year. What are you expecting? 148 00:06:17.959 --> 00:06:19.560 Give me, Give me some names to watch out for. 149 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:21.959 Give me, give me some storylines for your team this year. 150 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:22.839 Yeah, I love it. 151 00:06:23.560 --> 00:06:25.120 We had a lot of new kids last year on 152 00:06:25.160 --> 00:06:28.040 our team, so we had a backwards step as far 153 00:06:28.040 --> 00:06:30.680 as wins and losses. And this year we have a 154 00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:35.439 incoming freshmen. We have two senior pitchers that haven't thrown 155 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:40.800 in inn for me, and I think it's really important 156 00:06:40.839 --> 00:06:44.079 that we make steps forward, even as we had a 157 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:47.120 cremmy year last year. I think that some names are 158 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:52.279 some freshmen names. Actually, we have some hitters. So it's 159 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:54.720 been fun to watch them this summer because I signed 160 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:57.160 them obviously last year and committed them the year before, 161 00:06:57.759 --> 00:06:59.360 and to go out a couple of weeks ago and 162 00:06:59.399 --> 00:07:01.600 watch them and say, yes, they're the ones coming in 163 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:04.079 putting a lot of pressure on them if I throw 164 00:07:04.120 --> 00:07:05.040 some names down. 165 00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:06.160 So I won't do too much of it. 166 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:07.199 Oh, I like it. 167 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:10.360 But we have some returning kids that I think have 168 00:07:10.519 --> 00:07:14.720 some some growth that we need from them, including our 169 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:16.160 starting shortstop I'm. 170 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:18.319 Going to ask my program director to get me back online, 171 00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:20.519 as my computer just refreshed as I was looking up 172 00:07:20.519 --> 00:07:22.839 some information because where I wanted. 173 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:23.120 To go next. 174 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:26.439 Is it Texas Tech who just paid a softball player 175 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:27.439 million dollars a year? 176 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:28.920 Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. 177 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:31.360 That's good investment, That's what I thought. 178 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:33.120 So I wonder Amy. 179 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:35.279 Of course, we talked about this through the prism of 180 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:39.959 NIL collectives and football and basketball and what it means 181 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:42.279 for you know, the sports that people kind of know about. 182 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:46.639 How has the changing landscape, includion athletics affected your job 183 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:47.399 in your program. 184 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:51.199 Well, here's what's happened. There's women that are getting scholarships 185 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:53.680 that didn't used to get them. So the increase in 186 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:57.040 the roster size and the scholarship numbers that just changed 187 00:07:57.160 --> 00:07:59.560 is going to benefit these women, and that's what I'm 188 00:07:59.600 --> 00:07:59.920 all about. 189 00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:00.279 Good. 190 00:08:00.519 --> 00:08:02.879 So there's a few obviously that are paying. 191 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:05.759 Beyond that, there's you know that that was life changing 192 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:08.800 money for that young woman that was in a wonderful 193 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:12.519 program in a wonderful situation at Stanford, who now they 194 00:08:12.680 --> 00:08:15.680 paid off mom's house and all the things. So there's 195 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:18.199 no way I'm not going to believe that that's good 196 00:08:18.199 --> 00:08:22.079 thing for sure. But our scholarship numbers improved, and I 197 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:24.000 think there's a lot of programs in the country that 198 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:26.800 are in the same boat. Hopefully they're as supported as 199 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:29.839 I am here at Utah and got a bump in 200 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:33.639 scholarships so that we're just giving more young women scholarship 201 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:35.000 money and getting their college done. 202 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:37.919 Does it change anything as far as the ability to 203 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:40.399 go out and pitch your program when you're on the 204 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:42.639 recruiting recruiting trail a little bit? 205 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:44.879 You know, we had to be pretty creative with twelve 206 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:47.840 that was the max for anybody in softball, and we 207 00:08:47.879 --> 00:08:49.799 took a lot of kids from the West because it 208 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:52.000 was cheaper for them to come to school here with 209 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:54.639 that scholarship we get from a Western school or a 210 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:58.480 Western state. So now my footprints beer with big twelve. 211 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:01.519 So getting a Texas kid is easier with the scholarship 212 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:02.320 money that I've got. 213 00:09:02.519 --> 00:09:04.240 I don't have the only recruit from the. 214 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:08.039 West so much so, and you reference the conference change, 215 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:11.559 I'm not going to tell you that I'm overly educated 216 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:15.320 on this dynamic of yours. It feels like maybe it's 217 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:18.000 a bigger challenge though the softball competition of the Big 218 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:19.519 twelve is probably a little stiffer. 219 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:20.360 Is that fair to say? 220 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:22.039 It's actually not? 221 00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:22.679 Okay? 222 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:30.120 The Pac twelve is historically much tougher. Of recent we 223 00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:34.000 had some of the you know, Texas Tech improve their 224 00:09:34.039 --> 00:09:35.519 program and some others are paying. 225 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:36.159 Some big numbers. 226 00:09:36.200 --> 00:09:40.080 But RPI wise as a conference, Pack twelve has always 227 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:40.559 been bigger. 228 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:43.200 But it's quite a. 229 00:09:43.159 --> 00:09:45.679 Different type of a game. They play more of the 230 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:48.120 long ball. The pack was a little more of a 231 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:50.039 speed game, which is kind of what we did. So 232 00:09:50.759 --> 00:09:52.720 we'll acclimate see what it is we need to do 233 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:53.080 to win. 234 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:56.799 So as far as long ball versus speed game, how 235 00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:59.279 would you articulate what you anticipate with your team this year? 236 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:00.679 Is it maybe a little bit of both. 237 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:02.960 Yeah, a little more of a long ball than I'm 238 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:04.879 used to. I like the speed game. I think we're 239 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:07.399 a little slow. I'd like us to pick that up 240 00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:09.519 a little bit. Our park's the biggest one in the 241 00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:10.360 entire country. 242 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:11.120 Oh is it really? 243 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:13.000 So you can't just put a hitter out and right 244 00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:14.360 field and think you're not going to. 245 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:16.080 Pay for it. 246 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:18.919 So so yeah, I mean we added late and the 247 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:21.399 kids that I'm recruiting that are showing up today are 248 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:25.000 a little quicker, so we got a little lot of balance, 249 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:28.559 But we also had a really speedy team when we 250 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:30.960 went to the World Series in twenty three. So for me, 251 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:34.039 it feels like whiplash, but we'll get more balanced by 252 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:34.240 the end. 253 00:10:34.279 --> 00:10:36.279 It was what was twenty three like for you? 254 00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:40.320 I mean it really I think introduced your program to 255 00:10:40.360 --> 00:10:43.039 a lot of people around here that maybe didn't necessarily 256 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:47.720 have the familiar relationship. So what did that year do 257 00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:50.480 for you your program and just kind of the exposure 258 00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:52.720 that you get here locally and then maybe they're a 259 00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:55.279 recruiting footprint that maybe feels a little bit bigger. 260 00:10:55.559 --> 00:10:58.159 Yeah, it was fun because last night it was reminiscent 261 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:02.039 of twenty three. We hosted supers here and won it 262 00:11:02.039 --> 00:11:05.159 and went to the World Series, but this Donkey Stadium 263 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:08.279 was lit up, and that's how it felt, you know, 264 00:11:08.519 --> 00:11:12.120 last night with the pro game, and you know, there 265 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:14.559 are a lot of contributing factors to that, but what 266 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:17.960 I mostly realized is there's a lot of fans in 267 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:20.759 this state, and if we're putting a good product on 268 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:22.919 the field, they're going to show up, and if we're not, 269 00:11:23.159 --> 00:11:26.039 they might not. Unless the weather's pretty crummy then really 270 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:28.399 nobody's coming but sure, which is tough. 271 00:11:28.440 --> 00:11:30.000 We play early March and it's cold. 272 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:33.200 So when they bought season tickets at the end of 273 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:36.200 the spring in twenty three, it was eighty degrees and 274 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:39.159 we were playing under the lights, and they bought season 275 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:41.039 tickets and I told them it needs to come with 276 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:45.200 a football sized puffy coat because it's a little chilly. 277 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:47.320 But you know, I think, if anything, and open their 278 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.399 eyes to what we have going over here. And we've 279 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:50.519 had more people ever since. 280 00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:54.759 Does it feel like I don't know, the US women's 281 00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:58.080 national team in soccer when I was kind of growing up, 282 00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:03.240 was very popular. Popularity has continued to grow and they're 283 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:06.559 still you know, they win in a way that our 284 00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:11.639 men's team doesn't. The WNBA is certainly having a moment 285 00:12:11.720 --> 00:12:14.600 with Kaitlyn Clark and Angel Reese and you know they're 286 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:18.240 flying private. Their salaries have jumped through the roof. I mean, 287 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:21.159 I could give you stat after stat after stat, and 288 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:23.159 I do think it's a Kaitlin Clark effect. I know 289 00:12:23.159 --> 00:12:25.559 a lot of people don't like that opinion, but she 290 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:28.360 feels like Tiger Woods. She feels like Lino Messi and 291 00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:31.919 women's sports feels like it's having more than a moment. 292 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:34.159 I mean, the Utah Royals are back. I could remember 293 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:37.200 during their introductory press conference. I think it was Lindsay 294 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:39.120 Vaughn who said, this is not a moment, it is 295 00:12:39.159 --> 00:12:42.080 a movement. Of course, we're honed in on softball at 296 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:44.519 this point, But does it feel like women's sports across 297 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:47.000 the board is maybe in a place now that it 298 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:48.320 hasn't been potentially ever? 299 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:50.679 It doesn't feel like that. It is. 300 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:51.120 It is. 301 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:52.399 Okay, you nailed it. 302 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:55.360 I mean, and it doesn't matter if I'm softball, I'm 303 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:58.519 talking about basketball. I'm talking about Lindsay Vaughn and what 304 00:12:58.600 --> 00:13:01.200 she did. I'm talking about we support each other, which 305 00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:04.080 is why all of the women's sports are continuing to 306 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:06.759 go up. And if we continue to, you know, champion 307 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:10.039 each other. And you know, even I talked with our commissioner, 308 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:13.559 and you know, they have ideas of expanding this league 309 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:16.799 and copying some of the things that the WNBA is doing. 310 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:19.120 So we're learning from each other and we're all growing. 311 00:13:19.559 --> 00:13:21.519 Well, that's that's excellent. Here. 312 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:23.840 Let me go back to nil for a moment, just 313 00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:26.039 because I find it so fascinating to talk to college 314 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:28.960 coaches with his landscape, what sort of. 315 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:32.799 Endeavors are you undertake? 316 00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:34.759 Because it's one thing, you know, the school now has 317 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:38.080 the twenty point five mil. The splits are the splits 318 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:40.799 when it comes to football, basketball, and then what's left 319 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:42.559 over for everybody else? 320 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:44.679 Actually, let me ask you that, how does that land 321 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:46.120 with you? 322 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:49.080 You know, it's it's always a sticky, you know, kind 323 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:52.679 of tricky conversation about revenue generation and then okay, are 324 00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:56.120 they revenue generating sports because they've received coverage and exposure 325 00:13:56.200 --> 00:13:58.720 for thirty forty fifty years or whatever it is. We 326 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:01.200 haven't had that exposure. If we had the exposure, maybe 327 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:03.879 we'd be generating revenue. I mean, I do understand all 328 00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:06.720 the levels. But when the twenty point five mili becomes 329 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:09.440 the reality and you see the pie split the way 330 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:11.360 that it is, tell me how that lands with you. 331 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:13.720 It's great, all of it's great. 332 00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:16.120 I think everyone's trying to get a hot take on that, 333 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:17.879 and some of them are biting on it. 334 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:19.519 And I'm a half glass fool. 335 00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:23.159 I like the attitude for person, and I'm not in 336 00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:23.960 charge of the split. 337 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:25.200 Their job's really hard. 338 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:28.519 And I was just in my boss's office and what 339 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:32.559 they do is ridiculous as far as stress and trying 340 00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:35.399 to figure out how to be equitable. And if they 341 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:38.039 didn't care about that, then I'd probably be a little 342 00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:41.080 bit more worried about trying to champion my young ladies. 343 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.120 But they are. 344 00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:44.480 They do care about that, and they think about it 345 00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:46.679 and talk about it all the time. Yea, And so 346 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:49.279 I trust them and I get to let them stay 347 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:50.600 in there lane, and I'm going to stay in mine 348 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:53.279 and be grateful for the fact that they just gave 349 00:14:53.320 --> 00:14:54.759 me a whole lot more than I had before. 350 00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:58.519 Oh that's a great attitude to have. How much interaction 351 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:01.159 do you have with the other coaches on campus or 352 00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:03.120 are you pretty insulated or does it feel like the 353 00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:06.320 athletic department is under one umbrella and is a big family. 354 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:10.159 I think it's like every area probably of anyone's job. 355 00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:14.080 You can keep yourself to yourself. I mean, my stadium's 356 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:17.919 over here, a office over here, a lot. But just 357 00:15:17.960 --> 00:15:20.639 like I was saying about the women's sports supporting each other, 358 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:24.279 I tap into them. I tap into all those other 359 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:27.320 coaches because they help me become better with my program. 360 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:29.720 So that's for me to do, and I do it. 361 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:31.240 Because I want to get better all the time, and 362 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:35.799 those that want to get better, we collaborate. And I 363 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:38.240 have some of the best coaches around. So I'm in 364 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:40.919 Beth's here all the time. I'm like, Beth helped me 365 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:44.279 with this, so I mean, she's been here longer than anybody. 366 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:48.120 So I know some dumkies. I went to the you 367 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:51.840 in the nineties, signa Kai Okay in Hokee. I know 368 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:55.799 you're impressed with that. The dumkies. You know, ultimately there's 369 00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:58.840 some in our fraturnity. I don't know all the family. 370 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:02.679 What does their contribution mean to your program? What does 371 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:04.240 this facility mean your program? 372 00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:04.679 Yeah. 373 00:16:04.759 --> 00:16:08.039 I remember riding in a golf cart up that ramp 374 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:12.919 with Zeke Zeke yeah, yea. And he first asked me, 375 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:15.360 you know, how good is the baseball team? And I 376 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:19.559 said they're good, you know, like he was so lovely, 377 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:25.080 and he talked about his desire to put his entire 378 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:27.000 family's name on this place. 379 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:29.720 And I just listened to him talk that. 380 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:33.159 Day and it was fun because a lot of times 381 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:35.799 you don't get as much time as I got that 382 00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:38.360 day with someone who has their name on it. And 383 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:41.200 I asked him why not Zeke on the stadium because 384 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:43.639 he was the one that was the big presence for us, 385 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:46.080 and he said he wanted his family on it. So 386 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:49.159 I think what's fun is that's what started this place. 387 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:52.559 You know, we were in the Mountain West and moved 388 00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:54.960 from a field across the way that we built when 389 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:58.000 I was a senior here in nineteen ninety four and 390 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:01.320 clearly needed an upgrade to move over here, and he 391 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:02.559 was the beginning of that. 392 00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:04.400 And to hear his story and. 393 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.000 Be there for all of that, still be here and 394 00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:09.480 be able to tell my team about him and about 395 00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:12.359 what he started. There's been a lot money since then, 396 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:15.480 but it was pretty special. And when people try to 397 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:17.559 figure out, you know, how to say their name, I 398 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:18.720 make sure they know the story. 399 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:20.680 We all know how to say it around here. If 400 00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:22.519 you're connected to the University of Utah, you know the 401 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:23.200