Blair became a leader on a team in transition
By KATIE McVOY
Associate Sports Editor
Compared to California, South Bend doesn't seem to have much to offer. It's cold half of the year and rainy or humid the other half. On the other hand, a Californian may not seem to have much to offer South Bend. But for one West Coast resident, coming to South Bend was right on target.
Anne Blair moved to South Bend after seventh grade and found the weather didn't quite agree with her. By the time she was a senior, her brother and sister had moved back to the West Coast. South Bend doesn't hold any long-term prospects for the 6-foot-1 graduating Saint Mary's senior, but it gave her something she will always be grateful for — four years of learning how to lead and live.
"I think I grew a lot throughout the four years," said Blair, The Observer's 2001-2002 Outstanding Saint Mary's Senior Athlete. "Senior year we really needed someone to be a leader. I needed to have that leadership."
Blair came to Saint Mary's in the fall of 1998 after former head coach Dave Roeder asked the South Bend local to think about joining the Belles. Four years of playing for St. Joseph High School had indoctrinated Blair into the South Bend community and staying at Saint Mary's offered her an opportunity to keep that feeling of community alive.
Not to mention that being just minutes away from free laundry service is a perk any local would list in her reasons to stay close to home.
"I just wanted to stay close to home and it was kind of an easy decision," Blair said. "The coach wanted me to play and I figured it would be good to be close to home. My parents are really big supporters and it would be good if they were close."
In addition, staying near home Blair made the connection between the two great loves in her life — basketball and teaching. As an education major, Blair began her student teaching at McKinley grade school, helping teach the first grade. But her teaching didn't end in the classroom. She also began coaching the fifth grade basketball team.
"I've student taught and I was able to bring a lot of community kids in," Blair said. "I helped coach a team and a lot of those kids were interested in coming [to support the team]."
Although Blair was named to the all-MIAA first team for her play during the 2001-2002 basketball season, it's more than her skill on the court that has impressed coaches and teammates.
Blair became a much-needed confidant for players and coaches alike.
"She's a very unselfish person, just very caring about those around her and she puts a lot of pressure on herself to do things right," said head coach Suzanne Smith, who has worked with Blair for the past two seasons. "That just makes a great example."
At the end of the 1999-2000 season, Roeder resigned and Smith stepped in. With a new coach and another young team, Blair found herself in a leadership position that she wasn't used to.
With mediocre retention rates, keeping seniors — especially seniors who could be leaders — may have been problematic for the Belles. But this year, Blair surprised everyone, including herself, and became the leader the team really needed.
"I never was the strong leader or able to be outgoing; now I'm able to take care of anything," Blair said.
Blair has become the go-to person on the court and off. Her openness has made her the perfect person for teammates to go to with problems and she's Smith's No. 1 choice for discussing possible problems with the team.
As one of three seniors, Blair was the one who took the leadership role. As a captain, she proved to be the missing link between players and coach.
"She has done fantastic both seasons I've been here as far as being that link between the players and myself," Smith said. "She's never been afraid of conveying their needs to me."
At the end of last season, Blair was a consistent contributor to the Belles, but she wasn't MIAA first-team quality. However, a summer's worth of work paid off and when Blair returned for fall camp, she was an improved player.
Blair was the Belles second-leading scorer, averaging 12.6 points-per-game and grabbing six rebounds a game. Her .464 shooting percentage was third on the team and Blair was in almost every minute of the game.
"I was blown away at the beginning of this year at how hard she had worked on her skills, around the basket and post moves," Smith said.
Although Blair has no definite plans to play or coach in the future, her love for basketball is something the Californian turned South Bend fan will never lose.
"I'll always love [basketball] but I don't see it as the most important part of my future," Blair said. "But the love for it will go on."
All Sports Stories for Friday, May 17, 2002
