Practice has just ended, and a group of five guys is walking out of JPJ. Their workout today consisted of shooting drills, offensive and defensive breakdowns, and a full-court scrimmage. While the quintet may enjoy the benefits of playing in U.Va.'s beautiful basketball facility and experience perks of a Division I athlete, you won't find their names on the men's basketball roster. That's because these student-athletes are members of the women's basketball scout team.
The scout team consists of nine male students who practice with the women's basketball squad two to four times a week based on their class schedules and availability. Members generally join the scout team to continue playing basketball at a high level, to stay in shape and to receive some of the perks that come with donating their time to the women's basketball team. In addition to getting to play ball in JPJ, guys on the scout team receive Nike basketball shoes and practice shorts, plus the opportunity to sign up for the athletic meal plan.
With the women's team anxiously awaiting its NCAA Tournament bid next week, the contribution of the scout team to the success of the Cavs this season should not be overlooked. According to women's basketball assistant coach Jeff House, there are two reasons for having a male practice team. First, playing against men helps the women's team prepare for potential clashes with "bigger, faster and stronger" players on opposing teams (especially in the brutal ACC) by increasing the strength and athleticism of the competition in practice. Second, because the scout team acts as an opposing team for a whole practice, coaches are able to mix and match lineups drawn from the entire roster.
For example, thanks to the scout team Virginia has been able to keep senior captain point guard Sharneé Zoll fresh during the season. As House explained, "We can take her out of practice for a significant number of reps and not lose anything. We can let the other point guards run the team offense and get a lot of reps so that they get more in sync with that other unit of players against good competition."
That is the biggest advantage of the scout team: the luxury of additional, high-level competition out on the floor at all times. At any given women's basketball practice, there are usually five or more scout team players present. During regular practices, players on the scout team are passers or defenders during shooting reps and the opposing team during offensive or defensive drills.
It's when Virginia prepares for games that the male practice team becomes an especially valuable tool. On the days preceding a contest, the coach who scouted the upcoming opponent will take the scout team members aside and teach them the next foe's offensive and defensive plays, as well as the other team's personnel and tendencies.
"If we are going to play Maryland," House explained, "and there is someone who is a left-handed player that likes to go over her right shoulder to use her left hand, we'll tell the guys in the post, 'Hey as many times as you can when you're on that left block, go over your right shoulder.'"
Learning about rival players and their tendencies is not limited to the practice squad, as members of the women's team obviously must do their research as well. According to freshman scout team member Azhar Ahmed, "Each player [on the women's basketball team] is expected to know the strengths and weaknesses of everyone who plays from the opposing team. It's almost like a separate class."
Many scout team players acknowledged that by participating in practices, they are able to see up close how much time and effort goes into playing on the women's basketball team. It also puts them in the unique position of evaluating their skills against players on the team.
"These girls can really play," second-year member Christopher Ryan said. "I had never played with women as talented as the ones on the team."
In addition to the experience of playing with a Division I basketball team in one of the top facilities in the country, scout team members have built relationships with the coaches and especially the players.
"I think sometimes when you watch athletes play, if you don't know them, it's easy to forget how much they're like the rest of us," said Ahmed. Freshman Mobeen Reza added that players on the women's team are "down-to-earth, cool people."
They also get the satisfaction of realizing their impact on the team.
"The girls say that they play harder when they play us, which makes us feel like we actually bring something to practice." junior scout team member Michael Græswicz noted. "The scout team usually goes together to watch the women's games, and it gives us a sense of accomplishment when you see them play well against their opponents."
Taking pride in knowing that they contribute to the success of a Virginia team might be enough for the scout team, but their effort does not go unnoticed or unappreciated by the women's coaching staff. House said, "they're a group of guys that are not scholarship athletes. They're giving up their own free time to come to make us better and it's such a valuable thing for us. It's something that we don't take lightly. We don't take it for granted."
On Selection Monday, the Hoos will know their first matchup in the tournament, and game preparations will resume. And the scout team will be called into action to help Virginia attempt a run to the Final Four.
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