Carson High alumna, O’Day, takes over Galena girls’ basketball
Tiffany O'Day, a 2009 Carson High alumna, smiles at the scorer's table at Carson High while coaching the Galena girls basketball junior varsity team.
Courtesy
The Galena Grizzly girls basketball program has a familiar face taking over the program. Tiffany O’Day, who graduated from Carson High in 2009, was announced as the new head coach Wednesday on the team’s Instagram page after working with the program for the last eight seasons. O’Day replaces Jeff Keyes, who stepped down following the conclusion of last season for Galena. “I’ve been overwhelmed with support. I’m really excited to take this program in my own vision, my own direction,” said O’Day. “I think it means a lot to me because I’ve put so much work into it.” As a Senator, O’Day played under current Carson High head coach, Todd Ackermann, who was in his first stint at the helm of the basketball program. After graduating from Carson, O’Day spent a year at the University of Nevada, Reno before opting to play a season of Div. III basketball at St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul, Minnesota. A back injury forced O’Day to reconsider her playing career. Upon returning to Northern Nevada, O’Day started her coaching career at Incline High School as a volunteer. “There was one point where I was going to school full time, working full time and assisting at Incline,” said O’Day. “People would ask me why I do it and it’s because I love it.” She returned to Carson for a year, coaching the freshman girls, before ending up at Galena in 2014 where she worked her way up to her current position. Now, the Grizzly program is under her guidance. “I have such love for the sport that I just want to give to other kids,” said O’Day. “I played basketball because I just loved the sport. … The mental aspect of my coaching has changed a lot since I first started.” With her new role, O’Day doesn’t necessarily anticipate seeing a big rivalry form with her alma mater, but she knows her players are aware of her previous ties. “It’s always nostalgic to walk back into the (Carson) gym. It still smells the same as it did,” laughed O’Day. As she adjusts to her new position, O’Day is wading through the first year of putting together the schedule, figuring out summer league information and making sure everything is in order come October. On the floor, O’Day doesn’t anticipate too many changes to the Grizzly style of play, but wants to put more emphasis on the defensive end of the floor. While winning is certainly a goal, O’Day says she’s more concerned with being a presence for the girls around her. “I’m a lot less focused on winning, which sounds crazy. Do I want to win? 1,000 percent,” said O’Day. “My biggest concern and focus is to make sure the kids have fun. … I tell the girls all the time, it’s a game. Eventually the game will in for you and you have to find who you are outside of basketball.” O’Day is still looking to finalize the coaching staff around her, but expressed her anticipation for her first season at the front of the bench.
(Tiffany O’Day look on at the action on the floor from the far side of the bench at Morse Burley Gymnasium. O’Day, a 2009 Carson High graduate, took over the Galena High girls basketball head coaching position earlier this week. / Courtesy)
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