Former New Iberia Senior High standout Andrea Williams, shown in action in 2003, was named head basketball coach at Ursuline Academy recently.

For the longest time, Andrea Williams really didn’t want to get involved in coaching basketball. But after playing four years at New Iberia Senior High, four more at the University of New Orleans and two years as a graduate assistant coach at UNO, Williams found that she like coaching girls basketball.

So when the opportunity presented itself two weeks ago, Williams couldn’t pass up a chance to become a high school basketball coach.

Her big chance paid off last week as Williams was named the new head girls basketball coach at Ursuline Academy in New Orleans.

“The athletic director at Ursuline, who just got the position, emailed my college coach and asked her if there were any former players who would be interested in coaching,” said Williams, who was working at a non-profit organization in New Orleans after finishing her graduate degree at UNO. “Ursuline contacted me and set up an interview and they offered me the job the next day.”

According to Williams, the interviews took place two weeks ago but the school didn’t announce the hiring until last Wednesday. She replaces former coach Lanie Griffen, who led to team to 22 wins last year, a share of the District 9-4A championship and a second-round appearance in the playoffs.

“This is a very good school both athletically and academically,” said Williams. “I was excited about the opportunity because this is a big program here in New Orleans. I was excited and shocked at the same time.”

After spending two years as a grad assistant coach at UNO, Williams found out that she loved teaching the game, but after UNO dropped to Division III, the school wasn’t able to offer Williams a full-time assistant coaching position. 

That probably turned out for the best since Williams really didn’t like some aspects of coaching college basketball, namely the traveling involved in recruiting and competition.

“I really wanted to transition to high school because as a college assistant you’re traveling a lot,” said Williams. “I would have thought about going back to college but it would have been in athletic administration, where I wouldn’t have been traveling.”

Williams said she is most looking forward to getting back into competition and the ability to work with the girls on the team. She met some of her new players last week and will probably meet the rest in the coming weeks as she gets her team involved in summer basketball.

NISH girls basketball coach Robert Pinckney, who coached Williams during her four years with the Lady Jackets, is glad to see her get into coaching.

“I’ve always asked her about coaching and the first couple of years out of high school she always told me that was something that she would never do,” said Pinckney. “It’s amazing that she got into it. I always knew that she’d be good at it because of how she interacts with kids.”

Although it probably won’t happen next basketball season since the schedules are already set, there exists the chance that teacher and student could face off against each other on the basketball court in the future.

“It’s something that I would definitely want to do,” said Williams. “To play NISH and Coach Pinckney in a game.”

“That would definitely be a fun experience,” added Pinckney.