This 2017 article features quotes from some of Kellie's past and present players on her coaching skills.
Year five of Kellie Harper
Coaches Kellie and Jon Harper before a game last season.
Collin O'Connell/The Standard
Lady Bears’ head coach Kellie Harper alternates between sitting and squatting.
She watches the game intently, the back and forth of athletes, as junior guard Liza Fruendt sinks a 3-pointer, as junior forward Aubrey Buckley snatches the ball from the opposing team and sophomore guard Alexa Willard drives to the basket.
They do exactly what Harper wants them to do.
“I think it’s completely 100 percent exactly what Harper wants it to be,” Fruendt said. “And we all understand that and have adapted to that. She comes in and sets the tone, and you either get it or you don’t.”
Harper starts her fifth year at Missouri State this season. In the past four years, she’s collected 72 wins.
In 2016, Harper led the Lady Bears to their 10th MVC Tournament championship. But in Harper’s past four years, they haven’t won a regular season title.
“One thing I said I wanted to do is be in contention to win the Valley every year I think we’re to the point where we can compete for it, not saying we are going to win it every year, but we can compete for it every year,” Harper said. “I think that’s where we want to be. I think the next step is winning it, and that’s a goal we hope to get sooner rather than later.”
Harper held the head coach position at Western Carolina and North Carolina State before coming to MSU and her husband, Jon, has been an assistant coach for her at all three. She signed a five-year agreement, which will be up for consideration this following the upcoming season.
And, Harper is setting the level of the team’s work ethic.
“She sets that standard and that’s why we have great practices, because the tone is set from the very top,” Fruendt said.
Willard said Harper will meet one-on-one with the team members to talk about what they need to do to improve. For Willard, that was playing pickup basketball with strangers. Harper knows what she’s doing.
“She’s a smart coach,” Willard said. “She’s able to point things out real quick. I think we all knew in the back of our heads what was wrong, the way the season ended, you know there was definitely something up.”
Meeting with everyone individually helps Harper coach each athlete how they need to be coached as an individual.
“She understands that we are different players and different people, and that different people need different styles of coaching,” senior forward Audrey Holt said. “I do think we do have a different mix of personalities, but she does a good job of knowing what each specific person needs from her.”
When it comes to how the Lady Bears plan on winning, it boils down to defense.
“The defensive end is important,” Fruendt said. “From day one, Harper has set that standard, and if you don’t play defense, you won’t play.”
Harper said the best four years have flown by but she’s enjoyed every minute of it. The next goal? Winning the Valley.
“I am constantly trying to evaluate where our program needs to go and thus where I need to go and what I need to do and who I need to be for our players,” Harper said. “I need to be me, but how can I make them better and how can I be better for them?
“I think you are constantly looking for that and constantly growing as a staff and as a program, you’re constantly changing and hopefully we will be clicking this season.”
. Cool story bro is that my great grandfather owned the property where the Rock House still stands and once technically owned the Rock House . “Donated “ it back to the state sometime back in the late 50’s
