Posted: Jun 30, 2012
Broadwell moves from Roswell to Cambridge
by Chase Wallace cwallace@neighbornewspapers.comJune 20, 2012
After reconstructing a struggling Roswell girls' basketball program into a perennial playoff contender, Lesley Broadwell has decided to start a new building project.
This time she will start from the ground up as the first head coach of Lady Bears' basketball at Cambridge High School.
"I loved my time at Roswell so much and it was such a privledge to coach there," said Broadwell before an early summer practice at the Milton Center. "Ultimately I made the decision that I wanted to take on a new challenge and build my own program from scratch."
Cambridge Athletic Director Matt Lawless, who is also making the move from Roswell to Cambridge, called Broadwell an "easy hire" given her results at Roswell.
"I have known and watched Lesley for six years and I don't think there is any argument that she is one of the best basketball coaches in this state."
Broadwell spent 15 years coaching at Roswell, serving 11 seasons as an assistant and the previous four holding the head coach's whistle.
In her first year as head coach (2008-2009), she had Roswell in the state playoffs for the first time since 1979 and guided them to their first region title in 30 years. The Lady Hornets followed with state playoff trips in the next three seasons, another region title in 2010-2011, and had a 62-43 cumulative record during her tenure.
While she was quick to admit that getting Cambridge to compete at that same level would be easier said than done, Broadwell was confident that the building process, while often tedious, would be a successful one.
"The long term goal is to establish that winning tradition but at this point we're still working on getting girls to come out for the program," said Broadwell of her first few weeks as the Cambridge coach. "But it's like I've told others, if we build the program [the players] will come."
What she plans to build on the court is a team that plays in a similar manner to her last four Roswell squads — with an aggressive nature on both ends of the court.
"Full-court pressure is one of our staples and we will continue that. We'll play man-to-man, try to be aggressive on offense and play transition basketball when we can."
"It's a process though and it won't all happen in a few weeks."
Read more: NeighborNewspapers.com - Broadwell moves from Roswell to Cambridge
This time she will start from the ground up as the first head coach of Lady Bears' basketball at Cambridge High School.
"I loved my time at Roswell so much and it was such a privledge to coach there," said Broadwell before an early summer practice at the Milton Center. "Ultimately I made the decision that I wanted to take on a new challenge and build my own program from scratch."
Cambridge Athletic Director Matt Lawless, who is also making the move from Roswell to Cambridge, called Broadwell an "easy hire" given her results at Roswell.
"I have known and watched Lesley for six years and I don't think there is any argument that she is one of the best basketball coaches in this state."
Broadwell spent 15 years coaching at Roswell, serving 11 seasons as an assistant and the previous four holding the head coach's whistle.
In her first year as head coach (2008-2009), she had Roswell in the state playoffs for the first time since 1979 and guided them to their first region title in 30 years. The Lady Hornets followed with state playoff trips in the next three seasons, another region title in 2010-2011, and had a 62-43 cumulative record during her tenure.
While she was quick to admit that getting Cambridge to compete at that same level would be easier said than done, Broadwell was confident that the building process, while often tedious, would be a successful one.
"The long term goal is to establish that winning tradition but at this point we're still working on getting girls to come out for the program," said Broadwell of her first few weeks as the Cambridge coach. "But it's like I've told others, if we build the program [the players] will come."
What she plans to build on the court is a team that plays in a similar manner to her last four Roswell squads — with an aggressive nature on both ends of the court.
"Full-court pressure is one of our staples and we will continue that. We'll play man-to-man, try to be aggressive on offense and play transition basketball when we can."
"It's a process though and it won't all happen in a few weeks."
Read more: NeighborNewspapers.com - Broadwell moves from Roswell to Cambridge