Jan Jensen: Iowa WBB; Caitlin Clark; Building an Elite Program; The New College Athlete

[@drodawig]

Top-level recruits should watch this. The “secret sauce” isn’t a secret. It’s just hard to do. Here, what you see is what you get: Family. Support. Stability. Culture. Tradition. Playing with joy. That’s fun to watch.

[@cathygregory3443]

This great interview has helped me appreciate CC all the more. At Iowa she was valued, understood, embraced because Bluder, Jen and company understood and accepted the challenge of CC. Then she went to the W where the opposite happened, and then it was CC's turn to accept the challenge. And she did with her great heart.

[@Mirror_of_the_Soul00]

Well said. The W is filled with players and coaches with low emotional IQ

[@kimpagel1778]

What an awesome interview! I love the way our Hawkeye women play with so much joy and enthusiasm. They inspire all of us to live with intention and purpose.

[@pamwittman4832]

48min in encapsulates a great great leader for a team of young people and Coach Jenson also highlighted there is a difference in self esteem for male and female athletes that seems very true

[@Eustice2]

Coach Jan is delightful. I'm loving this season.

[@richardhayman4868]

I've said elsewhere and I'll say it here: Coach Jensen is a real keeper. She is doing an outstanding job and I appreciate her ability and willingness to discuss nuance of the game, on and off the court. Others talk generally about nuance while Coach Jensen gets specific enough to be useful. Part of it is that Iowans just connect better (I've found this true in double-blind encounters all over the country), but the other part is that Coach Jensen is obviously an educator...someone vested in both teaching and learning. Go Hawks!!

[@JE-IC]

💯. I was sad when I heard Lisa Bluder had resigned, but I was excited to hear that Jan would replace her.

[@Chercher2494]

What an incredible explanation of Caitlin Clark. Any coach of hers should watch this.

[@williamfragaszy6016]

As an Iowa grad and fan I think that we’ve been very lucky to have first Lisa Bluder and now Jan Jensen as our head coaches. Both have emphasized that their job as coaches is not just winning basketball games, but also helping these players become great adults. Go Hawks!

[@pastortonyr]

This lady is a great coach but even a better person

[@grb024]

Jan said it, near the end of the interview. “There was so much JOY…” That’s what strikes me the most about the Iowa team, the last two years and especially now. I SEE the joy as they play. They are playing with happy hearts. Lucy Olsen is the perfect fit, because she plays with joy. Hannah - joy. The new freshmen - joy. It brings happiness to my heart to watch this team.

[@timmiller9965]

Chris, I don’t know your past media experience, but this interview was incredible. My favorite sports media person is Dan Patrick. When people ask him what makes a good interviewer, he always says, “ask open ended questions and listen”. You did a great job here.

[@pamwittman4832]

Also your green bookshelf in the background is very pleasant compared to seeing a sports desk with a bunch of trophy crap displayed front and center. Much more impressive to see a library in the background than a podcast room for punditry. True journalism at work here!

[@grb024]

I can’t thank you enough for this interview. I’m a Fever, Iowa & Caitlin fan who’s now following Iowa because this team is such a joy to watch. This interview increases my understanding of the sport and these teams so much…in all the right spots. For instance: I never realized the level of empathy that goes into good coaching. Wow.

[@randallross7113]

Really enjoyed the side of coach a person normally doesn’t see, thank you so much!!

[@jmikew417]

Great interview. It was interesting hearing about the management of players like Caitlin. I'm not sure if Caitlin would have been the Caitlin we see today if she would have gone to a different college.

[@ChrisSavenSH]

If she had gone with certain of the big programs, I do think she might have had her uniqueness coached out of her, or at least curtailed. Ref the racehorse comparison in this interview.

[@jeffreypierce1440]

Her talent was inevitable.

[@JE-IC]

I think going to Iowa and working with the Iowa coaching staff played a major role in helping Caitlin become the player she is today. Coach Bluder had said many times that she had decided to reshape her system to let Caitlin be Caitlin. Other colleges would not have done that. I loved Coach Jensen's race horse analogy in this interview!

[@jeffreypierce1440]

@@JE-IC We don't know that she'd have been a better ball player even if a lesser person. Her talent was inevitable.

[@motherofthreeb6337]

100% agree!

[@jjleeisme]

Really great. I wish every coach could watch this. I think that Kate Martin - The Glue - is going to be a good coach one day. I hope she sees this because she lived alot of this.

[@Eustice2]

Olsen, Steulke, O'Grady, Mallegni, I love them all!

[@patgray5389]

This is an excellent interview. I love Jensen's positivity and her behind the scenes look at college basketball today. Insightful, and inspiring.

[@johnhollar6001]

Thank you Jan and Iowa women's basketball.

[@Raindeux]

I figured my fandom would end when CC left. But here I am still watching women's basketball. Iowa just plays an enjoyable style of basketball. Its fun to watch.

[@ccswede]

Listening to Jan I see how and why Caitlin took over offense in 4th quarter in several games when the Fever were behind. Amazing insight.

[@lanihill5471]

There’s something different about the Iowa Wbb team. It starts with the top. Coach Jan and Lisa instill in these young ladies a confidence that will last a lifetime. It’s much more than basketball.

[@markjondall8253]

Very smart and Classy Lady 🖤💛

[@Kingtylerqlb]

Wow some great insight into iowa bb and CC

[@rogerhartman5629]

Outstanding interview

[@franks9432]

The trophy for a college coach should be to produce people who are successful in life.

[@KathyStevens-o2h]

Thank you for the interview, I respected Jan’s coaching & Lisa’s before, but now I feel we Iowa fans are so fortunate to have them/or had them as our coaches…terrific coach, terrific person! Go Hawks! 💛🖤

[@JustJewelsInNY5]

Was on me of the greatest interview EVER! I watched this several times yesterday ❤. Thank you for showing this to those who didn’t see this!

[@JE-IC]

Really fantastic interview! Chris, you're such a great interviewer! You come across as well prepared, you ask intelligent questions, and you give Jan time to fully answer. Really, really enjoyable to listen! Jan, I've been a fan of Iowa women's basketball since the era of Ally Disterhoff and Samantha Logic, ever since my next door neighbor (who worked with you on United Way projects) brought me to games with her! I really enjoyed what you had to say in this interview, especially about your philosophy in recruiting and developing young players. I too grew up on an Iowa farm outside a small town. And I played 6x6 as a girl. I can relate so much to the end of the interview!

[@BillField-d5u]

I AM NOT A BASKETBALL FAN. I FOLLOW COLLEGE BASKETBALL BECAUSE OF CC AND NOTICED ALL THE SUPPORTING CAST AROUND HER.NOW I JUST LOVE WATCHING THE IOWA HAWKEYE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM.( I DID FOLLOW CC TO THE WBA. I HATE WNBA,WAY TO MANY ROTS IN THIS ORGANIZATION. THIS IS A MEAN RACIST ACTIVIST LEAGUE.) NOW, I AM HOOKED ON THE IOWA HAWKEYE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM AND WILL BE SUPPORTING ANY PLAYERS THAT IS ON THIS TEAM. FOREVER NEW FAN!

[@KathyStevens-o2h]

Just simply Thank You, this interview was awesome! 🖤💛 Go Hawks!

[@CassSanchez-k4d]

Awesome interview,

[@vanessafulton3190]

This was awesome

[@quintyss1290]

What a wonderful interview. There might be a reason why the Heartlands are so beloved by many Americans.

[@def1ghi]

With the exception of the Green Bay Packers, all pro teams everywhere are owned by rich people. College teams, especially at public universities, belong to the people.

[@motherofthreeb6337]

She would make a great wnba commissioner!

[@Mirror_of_the_Soul00]

I love Jen. I anticipate her winning a title at some point - especially if she is able to land 5 star recruits in the future

[@ConnieLeinicke]

New subscriber! Thanks for this informative and entertaining interview. I look forward to more. Coach Jensen is a gem!

[@newaulk]

Caitlin Clark fell into Iowa and Lisa Bluder and Jan Jensen's lap. She had committed to Notre Dame and then de-committed from them. She would have Olivia Myles and Hannah Hidalgo as teammates in Notre Dame.

[@rogerhartman5629]

Actually she didn’t fall into Iowa’s lap. They started recruiting her when she was a freshman in high school.

[@WeylanYutani]

Deciding on her home state school, the same school that she rooted for, the same school that recruited her since a very young age, is not falling in the lap. It fit Clark's true character and she saw this just like she sees plays unfold on the court. Dreamed of taking Iowa to the Final 4--and then did it twice.

[@tonyhill5235]

She didn't fall into uowa...bluder and Jenson recruiter her b4 anyone else for years abd years. That was hard work and God speaking to cc who knew something was wrong at note dame and went to bluder.

[@pamwittman4832]

Go play for Iowa Hawkeyes, get a great coaching for success in life too!

[@iarmenta1]

Very good defense, defense wins games.

[@janetmcdonell7167]

I love Jan and what a great interview, but I do not think you realize how many times you say "right". That is so annoying, hoping you can change that and hope you accept constructive critcism. ❤.

[@williamkrejca4641]

Using the word is sorta refreshing, but it really does get to be overused. Sorry Jan, love ya!!☺

[@alward417]

Right

[@richardhayman4868]

Self, spouse, son, daughter...all J-names! 🙂

[@MrsBStacyBattleBorn]

Okay, I get it that Chris is listening to Jan, so the constant reaction of "Right, right, right," when Jan says something, is really annoying. It isn't necessary to say something every 30 seconds to let Jan know that Chris is listening. Ugh.

[@ricardosalazar5743]

A long shot but you have to try to pick up Aaliyah Chavez.

[@tonyhill5235]

And the flashy lady who got bench in 3 minutes to break her. Get the flash and let them shine in a team environment t where all buy in like bluder and cc.

[@JE-IC]

​@@tonyhill5235 I assume you mean Milaysia Fulwiley on the South Carolina team?

[@Ashlyn-p1r]

Caitlin Clark isn't the reason for NIL in women's sports.

[@alward417]

She didn't say she was; she said she was there at the beginning of the NIL

[@markhansen8039]

Chris, not sure the refereeing was fair because you lost? After all these years…pretty pathetic.

[@alward417]

Jackass! He said it with a smile and a laugh with Jen.

[@BUDDYBOY23100]

Coach Jensen is awesome, thanks for this in depth interview. It was very interesting and informative. She is a good coach and a wonderful person. I wish her the best this season. I also subscribed to your channel.