Pantherettes Head Coach Eyes 100th Consecutive Win
DUNCANVILLE (CBSDFW.COM) - In the "City of Champions" the standards are high, and who better to a coach a team to the top than a self-described perfectionist?
"As a player, as a student as a person it's gonna be right," said Cathy Self-Morgan, Pantherettes Head Coach. "We're going to do it the right way."
Right now, Coach Self-Morgan and her team are eyeing their 100th consecutive win. It's a streak seldom reached but already surpassed by former Duncanville women's coach and Texas Hall of Famer Sandra Meadows.
Her girls saw the win column reach 134. That was a streak that lasted from 1987-1991. Self-Morgan's girls weren't even alive back then but she said the accomplishment isn't lost on her team.
"Sandra Meadows name is on to two gyms and they know they inherit the legacy and they have to live up to the standards to win to be successful. To live in City of Champions they have to be champions," said Self-Morgan.
This crop of Pantherettes are already just that after winning the last two state championships. They are now looking for a third. A win over Killeen Harker Heights Wednesday gets them one step closer and keeps the streak alive but it's not the streak they're focused on.
"Not at all, we want to talk about the zero's. We want to keep the zero on the right side. We don't even pay attention to the numbers on the left," said Self-Morgan.
She said the team's greatest motivator occurred over two years ago. The motivator -- loss.
"That one loss is from December 3rd, 2001… Plano West 2011," said Self-Morgan. "Even the ones that weren't around know that kind of has a bad connotation with it, 'Like oh we don't want to go there."
Her team was prepared Tuesday to face the Killeen Harker Heights in Hillsboro but weather postponed the game to Thursday in Waco at Baylor University. Instead of getting on the bus, she got them back in the gym. After scouting the team this weekend she said her Pantherettes had a little more height, they needed to make sure to get their boards but said defensively it's a good match-up.
Self-Morgan said her teams don't ever fear an opponent and that comes with preparation. Her teams play with both heart and brains and so far its served her well.
In her 32 years, she has gone to the playoffs 22 times and commands an 82 percent win record while never logging a losing one.
She said the secret to her success is the excellent feeder system in the city. Three area middle school implement her system early and send her players often. As a result, Self-Morgan said she has no plans of losing anytime soon or leaving Duncanville High School. In fact, she said she is already eyeing future talent.
"I've got a 5th grader coming up that I'm real excited about," said Self-Morgan.
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