Get to know Steward School girls basketball head coach Kara Bacile
RICHMOND, Va. — As a freshman at Monacan High School in 2007, Kara Bacile caught the eye of then head girls basketball coach Larry Starr. Despite being younger and smaller than her competition during an open gym session, she found a way to shine.
“[Bacile] was being guarded by one of my best defensive guards who was physically much bigger and stronger,” Starr said. “She would pick Kara up full court and physically bully her and kept stealing the ball. I could have stopped it, but I saw the look in her eyes. It was a look of never stopping and keep fighting. Eventually, she would beat this upperclassman time and time again. That first day of open gym made me realize this girl needed to be on the varsity.”
Starr’s story sounds like the start of a magical basketball career that ends with several awards. And, while Bacile was on the varsity roster for four years and went on to play collegiately alongside her twin sister Leslie at Franklin & Marshall College, that isn’t exactly how things went. Back injuries and spinal surgery cost Bacile her sophomore and junior seasons on the court. However, what Starr’s story was the start of, was the start of a budding coaching career.
Today, Bacile is entering her fifth year as the head coach of the Steward School’s girls basketball program, as well as her fourth year as the school’s assistant director of athletics. In her short time as head coach, she’s led the Spartans to a pair of VISAA Division II state titles and two semifinals appearances. According to Bruce Secrest, the school’s head director of athletics, there are a few traits that have made Bacile successful in both positions.
“She’s so personable, she relates to the girls really well. They like her because she’s easy to like. She’s a nice person, yet she’s tough on the court but in a way that isn’t demeaning – but expecting and encouraging,” Secrest said. “When she’s tough, she’s holding them to a higher standard and also expecting them to do more than they’re doing at the time in an encouraging way. The girls really respond to that. The way she handles them, her relationships, and her organization really set her apart.”
Secrest continued about Bacile’s job as assistant athletic director, “The same characteristics that are obvious when she is coaching is who she is every day. She’s been a tremendous blessing to us. That’s who she is. She’s an organized person, a hard-working person, and a personable person. We’re just really, really glad that we have her there in both those roles.”
But years before she was commanding respect as a head coach, she was sitting in the stands with Starr. Bacile’s injuries and surgery could have completely taken her away from basketball. Instead, she chose to view the game a different way – from a coach’s perspective. Starr was happy to keep his pupil involved.
“Instead of writing me off as an injured player who couldn’t physically help the team, coach Starr took me under his wing and taught me to grow as a player from the sideline,” Bacile said. “He would let me go with him to scout other teams and teach me what he was looking for and asked what I saw. He’d allow me to help plan practices and teach me how to read and adjust to defenses and offenses. I really started finding a passion for that side of the game.”
Two seasons worth of sideline work paid off for Bacile once she was able to make her senior year return to the court. While she had some catching up to do physically, her on-court knowledge had taken a dramatic step forward, helping her overcome the conditioning obstacle until she could get up to speed. The hard work she put in to make a return caught the attention of her teammates, and she was named a team captain her senior season.
“She became a coach on the floor and watching the games the previous two years from a coach’s perspective made her a much better player – very smart and mature,” Starr said.
After a four-year career at Franklin & Marshall, Bacile returned home and got right back into coaching. She became an official assistant coach on Starr’s bench for the 2015-2016 season in which the Chiefs won its second of three consecutive state titles. At the same time, she enrolled in VCU’s Center for Sports Leadership, which afforded her opportunities to serve as a graduate assistant for the University of Richmond’s women’s basketball team, as well as hands-on experience with the administrative side of the sports business with Sports Backers. Once she finished the program, she was on the lookout for coaching opportunities. Monacan boys coach R.J. Spelsberg tipped Bacile to Secrest, who quickly brought her in as the JV girls coach and a varsity assistant. When head coach Robyn D’Onofrio moved on to take a position at Saint Gertrude after the season, Bacile was immediately tapped to take her place. A year later, the assistant athletic director position came open. The rest is history.
“When she came in, I just told her to enjoy herself and have fun,” Secrest said. “[I said] Don’t get stressed out. If you need to take a step back, that’s fine. … She jumped right in and has been full blast since day one.”
As the assistant athletic director, Bacile serves as the primary communication link between the athletic department and coaches, players, and parents. There’s lots of schedule-making between practices, games, and buses … and then there are her coaching duties as well. However, the challenge of being the leader is what she cherishes about her job.
“Every day is different and brings its own challenges and surprises. Coach Secrest and I always joke that we begin the day with a long list of things we need to get done by 3 p.m. We haven’t stopped working, but none of those things on the list are crossed off,” Bacile said. “That’s what I love about the job though, it keeps you on your toes and there is something new every day.”
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