The Amy Eagan Podcast

Gary (00:00)
Welcome back to the Amy Egan podcast where regularly, Lyndon Wood University head women's basketball coach Amy Egan talks about basketball and much, much more. We'll talk about games, players, Ohio Valley Conference, the NCAA, academics, careers, and much, much more. My name is Gary Stocker. This week, we welcome a new member to the Lyndon Wood University women's basketball program, Coach Aaron Beadle. Aaron, welcome to St. Charles. Welcome to Lyndon Wood University.

Amy Eagan (00:29)
Thank you for having me on Gary, it's an honor to be here.

Gary (00:31)
Well, good, that's good to hear. So basketball, looks like a long time basketball career. Aaron, share your journey to the Newwood University.

Amy Eagan (00:40)
Well, I still feel pretty young and it is a pretty young short career right now as of now, but I started as a student assistant under Mark Kellogg at Stephen F. Austin State University. And I really wanted to dive in headfirst to be a college basketball coach. So next thing I know, I was up in Iowa at a school called Wartburg College under Bob Amsbury.

a strong mentor of mine, a good friend of mine and won some games there, got to learn and grow for starting out at the small college level. I wanted to learn as much as possible. And then that led me to Hardin Simmons under Kendra Whitehead, won a lot of games, learned a lot and had a lot of fun doing it. And next thing you know, I'm here at the Division one level working under Amy Egan at Lyndenwood University.

Gary (01:34)
Well, congratulations and sounds like a young, an early young career, a good early young career. So congratulations on that. You know, of course, sounds like you sound like a talented young man, talented basketball coach. Why Lindenwood? Why Missouri?

Amy Eagan (01:50)
Amy Egan. I mean, you know, she she sold she, you know, sold me on this first phone call that we had, I think it was supposed to be only 20 minutes and ended up being like 52 minutes. I was ready to run through a brick wall for by the end of the phone call. That's the first thing I told my wife and and then she sold me on Lindenwood University, beautiful campus place to be. It's growing. You know, there obviously, you know,

within the 15 years they've gone from NAIA D2 to Division 1. So, I mean, she's a recruiter, man. She can definitely sell.

Gary (02:28)
good, that's good to hear. So let's take kind of big picture, Aaron. And clearly, and Amy and I have talked about this on other podcasts, that women's basketball, particularly division one women's basketball, something's happening. Something's happening that's really big. What's your view of NTA division one women's basketball in the next two to five years?

Amy Eagan (02:49)
Well, I've only been a division one women's basketball coach for two weeks. So, but I will say what I've seen is positive, positive growth. I mean, it's great for the women's game and I'm just honored to be a part of it. And hopefully I can be a part of it for years and years to come.

Gary (03:08)
Cool. And I know it's just been two weeks in, but how has Coach Egan explained your role in helping her make this program more successful?

Amy Eagan (03:18)
just no job is not your job fall in line. I mean, this, the staff that I'm coming into has worked together for the past four or five years. so it's just fallen in line and, you know, doing it with the smile on your face and working your tail off. And that's what I'm all about. You know, so, and do you want to tell them, tell them a little bit about what your responsibilities will be? Yeah. So some of them I'll play a part in recruiting, post player development, fundraising, fundraising, fundraising.

Gary (03:34)
Okay, okay.

Amy Eagan (03:47)
I love that. And also helping around our social media.

and any other job duties she's assigned to me during the season.

Gary (03:58)
So I understand. So I understand. So this time last year, I was just getting to understand Amy. She and I had been together a couple of times, I think. And I watched her bring together, what was it, nine freshmen, Amy? And I watched, I think I missed one game last year or something like that. And it was fascinating to watch the development from really August when they first started until the end of the season.

Amy Eagan (04:10)
Yeah, nine freshmen, 12 new kids.

Gary (04:27)
What's your initial impression? You talked about Coach Egan being an excellent recruiter. What's your initial impression of the talent you have seen on the floor in your first two weeks here?

Amy Eagan (04:36)
man, I'm really impressed. I'm kind of like an all. So, I mean, they're honestly great kids, but just coming from the division three level to this level has been, it's going to be an adjustment and it is an adjustment. It's a process. But I see the growth. I see the vision. And I believe Amy Egan and we'll put the pieces together. I think probably his first comment to me here was.

These kids are a lot bigger. The size is different. I mean, you know, I mean, it's, you know, just looking at Brooke coffee, and it's like, Okay, well, she and coaches like, Yeah, she's a three player. So I'm like, Okay, that's great. Well, so no, it's it's awesome. But the kids are great. I mean, it's, you know, she has a good culture going here. So, you know, I would say to Gary, you don't know this, and I know you'll stop by practice soon.

Gary (05:08)
Thank you.

Excellent.

Amy Eagan (05:31)
And everyone's kind of asked me and Erin wasn't here last year, but looking at where we were last year to this year is just night and day. I mean, you know, walking in practice and our kids knowing what we're doing and how we're doing it and the intensity that you got to do it with, the drive that you got to do it with, the focus you got to do it with, the teammates that they are. I mean, I can't even explain how much further we are ahead than last year.

And I know, you know, I felt like last year we had the right kids in the right group. And, you know, I think we've added some good pieces, but I do think that we are so much further ahead in every aspect of our program than last year that, you know, it's fun right now to see that. And it's exciting to see that. But it's also a challenge in the fact that we got to find ways to continue to take us to the next level and take that next step with it. But it's been a fun.

Fun couple of weeks here on campus, that's for sure.

Gary (06:32)
Well, that's good to hear. I think I'm stopping by tomorrow morning to watch some of the practice. So next question, Aaron is recruiting. And we've talked about that a little bit already. It's a big deal. But we know how good Amy, Coach Egan is at recruiting. What's your philosophy? How do you establish relationships with players and their families that you and Coach Egan might want to bring to Lindenwood in the future?

Amy Eagan (06:56)
Well, just first establishing a genuine relationship and I'm always going to be myself. And, you know, it's a it's a different process here because usually Division three, you're not offering any scholarships. So you're having to sell the university, sell your head coach and also pay, you know, there's a forty thousand dollar sticker price that you're going to have to pay. But but now it's it's the same way here. So like, I'm just going to be myself and.

Gary (07:17)
Ha ha.

Amy Eagan (07:23)
sell coach Egan and Lindenwood University and sell the vision because I do believe and I do believe what she is saying we they have taken a tremendous jump I mean And she has won everywhere. She's been so I don't doubt that we'll do it here. So we will we will do it here

Gary (07:41)
Okay, and then finally you mentioned your wife. Tell us about your family.

Amy Eagan (07:46)
man. that's a that's a good one. Because just thinking how I'm here in this moment, I'm not here without my wife. She worked three jobs at my first job because I was making no money. And I literally mean no money. But, you know, I had to I had to substitute teach on the side as well. But.

My mom and dad, my dad's a janitor and my mom's a hairstylist. So they're both hardworking people. And my wife as well, she's a staffing agency and I get my work ethic from her. She shows me up on a daily basis. But now I love my wife so much. I'm not here without her.

I name is Vince. He's a beautiful baby boy. He's seven months old. He's a stud. I mean, just like his dad. So Now, well, it's probably better than mine.

But I've seen him make Gary, I have seen him make two baskets his whole time here. Two baskets. I'm pulling up from the parking lot. No, I mean, he's gonna be awesome. He's gonna be a way better person than I am. And I mean, it's but no, but yeah.

Gary (09:06)
Well, Aaron, welcome to Lindenwood. Welcome to St. Charles. Welcome to Missouri. It's a pleasure to have you here. It's great to meet you on camera. We'll do that in person probably tomorrow morning sometime, but don't step away from your practice. So we've come to the end of this podcast episode with Lindenwood University, Head Women's Basketball Coach Amy Egan and new assistant coach Aaron Beadle. We'll be back again soon and we'll talk then. This is Gary Stocker for the Amy Egan Podcast. So long for now.

Amy Eagan (09:32)
Thank you for having me, Gary.

Gary (09:34)
And we -