On January 7, Coach Niemuth accomplished something that very few other coaches have. He won his 400^th career game. I mean, seriously, 400?!?! That's impressive. However, I've come to realize that this accomplishment was more than just a number. It's a testament to the leadership Coach Niemuth has obtained over the last 22 years as Simpson Women's Basketball Coach.

Like in the Spartan movie, 300, the leadership of King Leonidas inspires the rest of Sparta to take on their enemy and fight until the death. (Historically speaking, Sparta was a very active military power.) Every time the Spartans go into battle, King Leonidas demonstrates, through his leadership, the pride of Sparta. He won't allow anyone to cave or surrender, and he pushes every one of his soldiers to their greatest potential. It all sounds too familiar to me, and although death might be a little extreme in our case, we definitely would come pretty close if need be.

Coaching a team is obviously on a way smaller scale than leading a country into war, but they do share some of the same necessary qualities that make successful leaders. Dedicated to building a program that allows nothing less than your best, Coach Niemuth pushes everyone of his players to the best of their abilities. (Trust me, he'll let you know when you can run faster J ) He's proud of what he's established at Simpson and has every right to be. He also builds confidence and trust in every individual relationship he has with each of his players. This genuine interest in all of his players is what inspires our team to take on our enemies and never stop fighting. Finally, he's just a good coach. He knows the game and he knows the strengths of his team. It's as simple as that. (plus a little help from some superstitions never hurt).

Credit also needs to be given to all the players who have come before this team and have contributed to his wins as well. I'm sure they feel the same way about him as our team does now. They set the bar in what it takes to play in this program, and it hasn't let down since. Their hard work in the past has allowed us to enjoy Coach's accomplishment now. Thanks, gals. We are...SIMPSON!!