She is beloved in her classroom, on the basketball court, and in the community.
On this episode of the Supercast, we meet West Jordan High teacher and head girls’ basketball coach, known as Coach Lei. Find out how this former West Jordan High student is changing lives and inspiring winning ways on and off the court.
Audio Transcription
Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. She is beloved in her classroom, on the basketball court, and in the community.
On this episode of the Supercast, we meet the West Jordan High School teacher and head girls' basketball coach, known as Coach Lei. Find out how this former West Jordan High student is changing lives and inspiring winning ways on and off the court.
We're here at West Jordan High School talking to legendary basketball coach Lei. I wanted to make you uncomfortable right from the start by calling you a legend.
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah, you did a great job of that.
Anthony Godfrey:
I know you're very humble about your accomplishments, but I also know that I've heard a lot of positive about you just as people found out I was going to be talking with you today. You've made a really big impact in this community and that's something to be proud of.
Lei Lolohea:
Thank you, I appreciate that.
Anthony Godfrey:
I understand that you were a student at West Jordan High School as well.
Lei Lolohea:
I was, yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about your time as a student at West Jordan High.
Lei Lolohea:
Oh it was, I mean it wasn't as diverse as it is now but it was still probably the best three years of my life. I mean that's when Jim Birch, Michael Kochevar they were VPs here. Anthony Godfrey:
Oh really?
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah, Argyle was our principal so I mean it is still a small world around here. I loved it, I loved it here at West Jordan.
Anthony Godfrey:
You've already mentioned some of the administrators that were here and Mr. Birch of course was back as principal and is retiring this year. Tell me about some of the other people that had an impact on you while you were a student here at West Jordan.
Lei Lolohea:
I mean George Hughes, he was my coach for a couple of years, and then Carlson Boudreaux became one of my head coaches when I was a senior. But I mean there were so many people. Dan Cowan, he was our athletic director back then as well and so I mean there's a lot. There's a lot. We also had like hall monitors, Gary Erickson, he's still here.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, he is.
Lei Lolohea:
We had JoAnn, she was one of our main hall monitors back in those days too. And she had a big influence on the school as well.
Anthony Godfrey:
When did you know that you wanted to come back to West Jordan High School as a teacher and coach?
Lei Lolohea:
I think after my playing days were done, I knew that there was just more to what I can give back with the sport, whether it was playing or coaching. I knew that I wanted to come back to my high school and help make an impact wherever I could.
Anthony Godfrey:
And how long have you been back at West Jordan now as a teacher?
Lei Lolohea:
This is seven years of teaching. This is my sixth year as a head coach. But I was also the assistant under Carlson Boudreaux for quite a few years.
Anthony Godfrey:
So even when you were preparing to be a teacher, you were an assistant coach.
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah. And I think that was three, four years. That was like four years under Carlson Boudreaux. So I mean, I've put in some work here at the school.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, no wonder people view you as the heart of West Jordan High School. It's exciting to talk to you about that. So tell me, when did you start playing basketball? And when did you realize that you maybe had some talent in the area?
Lei Lolohea:
Well, I was raised in California and so I've never really played organized basketball until I moved here to West Jordan. I moved here when we started high school. So I was just kind of just playing and I didn't really fully understand how basketball could change my life until I started in high school. So I started playing in high school. I knew that it was my way to go to college for a free bachelor's degree. But I also knew that it was– I was very passionate about it in high school. When I knew that, hey, I was a freshman playing against the big girls on the varsity team. And so I figured, you know, maybe this could be my ticket.
Anthony Godfrey:
And tell me about your college experience as a player.
Lei Lolohea:
It was fun.
Anthony Godfrey:
On a scholarship.
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah, yeah. So I got a scholarship to play at BYU Hawaii. And so I went over there, played for a couple of years, and then I transferred over to a small school out in Oregon
where I finished off with my bachelor's degree. And so then I was able to dabble with a little bit of playing in Germany. But all good things come to an end. And they say those who can't do anymore, coach. So that's what I hopped in.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I'm so grateful that you're here and that you've chosen that path. There are very obvious ways that basketball has changed your life. But tell me about, as opposed to just the teams you've been on and the jobs that you've had, how has basketball impacted your life and what has it taught you about yourself?
Lei Lolohea:
Honestly, I think the game of basketball saved my life. It kind of saved the direction of it. And it was the best thing to ever happen for me to fall in love with the game and know that there is more to life than just basketball and how we can use that to help myself. It taught me hard work, dedication, accountability, time management. It taught me all this. But it also was something that I told myself, hey, I needed to be– I want to be a coach for girls that I needed when I was younger. And so I think that's where I wanted to change that whole, I'm not a basketball player anymore, I want to be a coach. And I think basketball is one way that I am able to connect with a lot of my players is because it's– besides the classroom, it's in the gym, and it's a whole different ballgame.
Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of the rewards that you get as a coach for working with these girls?
Lei Lolohea:
The relationship, that's the biggest thing. Speaking with Lauryn Melton, she's one of the biggest role models of my life. And that's not just her, but there's so many girls that I know that I will have a long-lasting relationship with them. Not just with them, but with their family.
Anthony Godfrey:
There are a lot of things that you expect of the girls that are not directly related to basketball. That build that team and that family feel, and I think teach them a lot of life lessons that they'll carry with them. Tell me more about some of the projects that you've involved in.
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah, we do a lot of community service. We do a lot of that. The biggest ones that we've done is our Monster Mash, our Halloween Monster Mash. It started off as like a trunk or treat kind of thing for the kids in the community, we give out free candy. We have them walk around and stuff. It just kept building year after year. Then we did our Easter egg hunt just recently. That was a big hit. It was great.
Anthony Godfrey:
Now the Easter egg hunt was out on the football field.
Lei Lolohea:
Yes.
Anthony Godfrey:
And eggs spread throughout the football field.
Lei Lolohea:
Oh yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
And I understand it was quite a big event.
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah, it was awesome.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, tell me about the turnout from the community.
Lei Lolohea:
It was, you know, at first we're like, “oh, you know, are we gonna get people?” Just because it was, I think it was during like a break time. And so we were kind of nervous about that. But then, you know, also within our community, if you think about it, we have a lot of parents who have to work, you know, just with our social demographics. And so we also thought, okay, so we're going to throw this Easter egg on, but it's also going to be free eggs. You know, so everyone's going to get eggs. Everyone's going to have a good time. We also had community vendors come out and they were able to sell their stuff to the community, which was also a really great thing too. But the turnout was, to say the least, it was amazing. It blew me away.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.
Lei Lolohea:
And so...
Anthony Godfrey:
It's really exciting. And obviously, there's a need for it.
Lei Lolohea:
Yes.
Anthony Godfrey:
When you do something like that and you see the turnout, that's very rewarding.
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
Now I also understand that you've done some things that are a little less glamorous, like having the girls wait until lunch is over and they clean the cafeteria.
Lei Lolohea:
We do, yes. But that's fine.
Anthony Godfrey:
You say we do.
Lei Lolohea:
Yes.
Anthony Godfrey:
You're joining in on that.
Lei Lolohea:
Every once in a while. Yeah. But sometimes I like to hide in the corner and see who shows up and who doesn't. And there are consequences if you don't.
Anthony Godfrey:
I’ll bet there are. I believe they're called ladders.
Lei Lolohea:
Yes, it is. Or it's called a nice lecture from Coach Lei.
Anthony Godfrey:
OK, which I'm sure they want to avoid. They don’t want to let you down.
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah. But I mean, just like little things like that, we help clean the commons and stuff. I preach a lot to our girls, like our gym area, before we even start practice and before we leave practice, that gym area is as clean as it can be. We always leave a place better than how we find it. And that's just the same here. It takes 10 minutes out of our day, out of our practice time, our class time, to help clean up the commons. But it's such a big deal to help with Nate, with our custodian. It's such a big deal because that takes 30 to 45 minutes away from them having to do that. And it's also a great lesson for our girls to learn that there's no one too high and there's no one too low to help. We help anyone and everyone, whether they're in the school, in the community, or in our own families. We help everyone.
Anthony Godfrey:
I love that. It's obvious that you're very intentional about creating a deep and broad and meaningful experience for these girls that's connected to community and connected to each other.
Lei Lolohea:
Yes.
Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me, what are some of the lessons beyond basketball that you hope they take from the experience of being on your team?
Lei Lolohea:
I think the biggest one is that I hope that they just, the take away of just being a good human being. You know, just to be kind to anyone and everyone you come in contact with. But being a good human being is my biggest. Yeah, we're competitive. I mean, don't get us wrong. On that court, we are competitive.
Anthony Godfrey:
Right, no. That goes without saying.
Lei Lolohea:
But it's also like, if we knock someone down, we're gonna be the first one to help them up on the court. Whether or not they take our hand, we're still gonna be the first one to help them up off the court. And I would hope and pray that that's probably the biggest lesson that I hope my kids take away from being part of this program is that, one, they become, or they are good human beings and I hope they realize that. And they move in every way, I hope they move with pure and genuine intentions. And just, I mean, just to love. And I, you know, and my girls know, my coaching staff knows, like everything. I am a tough love coach, but it is like we love them.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, expecting a lot of them is the best way to show love.
Lei Lolohea:
Yes.
Anthony Godfrey:
And given everything I've learned about the type of coach you are, it's no surprise that you've won the Gold Star Coach award from UHSAA. You were selected from all the 6A nominees. It's a statewide award and it's given to someone for inspiring students and for being a positive role model. It's chosen by the UHSAA Sportsmanship Committee and the way that you teach lifelong lessons to the girls on and off the court. I'm just thrilled for you that you're getting this honor. I understand that when you found out that you received this award, you got a hold of this trophy, trying to keep people from finding out that you had it and you took it up to your room. Is that true?
Lei Lolohea:
It is.
Anthony Godfrey:
So you stole the trophy.
Lei Lolohea:
Wait, wait, wait. It was in my box.
Anthony Godfrey:
That was yours. You took it and quietly took it to your room and the athletic director had to go up there when you were out of the room and steal it back so that it could actually be given to you in a proper ceremony. Is that all accurate?
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I admire your humility, but I'm glad that they were able to honor you. You're very deserving of this award and I'm very proud of what you're doing here at West Jordan.
Lei Lolohea:
Thank you.
Anthony Godfrey;
Stay with us. When we come back, we'll be on the basketball court where Coach Lei gives me a lesson in making a free throw.
Break:
Hello, I'm Sandy Riesgraf, Director of Communications for Jordan School District, and we want to invite you to connect with us. So many exciting things are happening in your child's school, your neighbor's school, in every school here, every day. Don't miss out on following the fun or simply staying informed when there's important information we need to share. Join us at jordandistrict.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @jordandistrict. We can't wait to connect.
Anthony Godfrey:
We're at West Jordan High School with one of Coach Lei's former players who recently graduated. Introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your experience on Coach Lei's team.
Layrn Melton:
I'm Lauryn Melton. I've been playing with Coach Lei for seven years. I started when I was really young and just played throughout the summer with her. I really enjoyed my time here. I was a captain for three of my years and just loved being on that team.
Anthony Godfrey:
After three years as a captain, can you still remember back when you first met Coach Lei?
Lauryn Melton:
Yeah, she was just an assistant coach at a summer camp I came to, and I remember she was just always there for us and just knew how to help us. And I was scared of her, but--
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, there's a good healthy little dose of fear when you first start out in a new program, right?
Lauryn Melton:
Yeah, for sure.
Anthony Godfrey:
And what was it that you liked about Coach Lei right from the start?
Lauryn Melton:
Her energy and I just knew that she loved the game and could help me grow my love for the game.
Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of the things that you've learned from Coach Lei related to basketball specifically over the years? What are some of the skills, attitudes, and approaches that you've learned working with her?
Lauryn Melton:
I'd say just how much I can do. I doubt myself a lot and she was able to kind of just give me that confidence that I needed. Like I said, I didn't mention this before, but I have been a state champion for taking charges three years in a row and she helped me get there. I didn't have the confidence to do that until she motivated me.
Anthony Godfrey:
A state champion for taking charges?
Lauryn Melton:
Yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me a little bit more about that.
Lauryn Melton:
Yeah, I mean, it's the dirty work. I don't think many people do it or know about it. I've had to tell people even what a charge is throughout my experiences. But it's the one thing I knew I could help my team with. I struggled on offense and stuff, and defense is definitely my game. So once I found that I could take a charge and hustled down that court for that few seconds to help my team get a stop or get us back in the game.
Anthony Godfrey:
So how many times have you hit the floor for your team?
Lauryn Melton:
Oh, a lot.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I think that's one of the less glamorous aspects, as you call it, the dirty work. It's one of the less glamorous aspects of playing basketball, is that you take that charge, you set yourself, and you prevent the score.
Lauryn Melton:
Yeah, I definitely walked home with a few scrapes and bruises after every game. They call me the wall, so I kind of just stand there and know that no one else wants to do it, so someone has to.
Anthony Godfrey:
And has the skill of being the wall translated into other aspects of your life, like, hey, I know a difficult thing is coming my way, but I'm here to face it, and I'm ready to take it on.
Lauryn Melton:
Yeah, I'd say so. It's helped me know that I have support, because my teammates were always supporting me once I fell, whether they called the charge or not. They were always there to pick me up. It's the same in life. They are there to pick me up. If I go for something, it doesn't work out.
Anthony Godfrey:
That's great. I love that lesson. You talked about how Coach Lei helped you believe in yourself. Tell me more about that.
Lauryn Melton:
I'd say just even on and off the court. She's always been interested in our life away from it. Especially at school, she always makes sure we set time aside to do our schoolwork and excel in it and not just do average work. We always are good. We have a lot of 4.0 students on our team. And yeah, I feel like she's always just pushed us outside of basketball as well as in the gym.
Anthony Godfrey:
So it would be fair to say that well beyond basketball, you've achieved a lot of things you might not have otherwise because of Coach Lei's influence?
Lauryn Melton:
Yes, for sure.
Anthony Godfrey:
She shaped who you are.
Lauryn Melton:
Yes, our whole team. She's made us the women we are today.
Anthony Godfrey:
That's wonderful. Thanks very much for taking the time. Congratulations on a great career in basketball, especially here at West Jordan High School, and especially as the wall.
Lauryn Melton:
Thank you.
Anthony Godfrey:
I'm going to think of you every time somebody takes one for the team.
Lauryn Melton:
Oh good. Thank you.
Anthony Godfrey:
We're now in the West Jordan gym. I have a basketball in hand and Coach Lei and Lauryn are going to teach me a little bit about the game of basketball. So first of all, show me what a stance looks like when you're ready to take that charge. How do you stand? All right, shoulder width.
Lauryn Melton:
Just with my arms up.
Anthony Godfrey:
Hands up. Give me, show me.
Lauryn Melton:
I just stare them down when they come all the way down.
Anthony Godfrey:
All right, stare me down. I'm coming down. That is intimidating. I definitely want to stop. I want to, you stopped me in my tracks. Okay, very good. All right, what do you want to teach me? Passing, shooting, dribbling, dunking. I mean, I'm ready for anything.
Lei Lolohea:
If you want to dunk, we can dunk.
Anthony Godfrey:
I'm ready for anything.
Lei Lolohea:
Let’s do shooting.
Anthony Godfrey:
All right, some shooting.
Lei Lolohea:
Are you right-handed, left-handed?
Anthony Godfrey:
I'm left-handed.
Lei Lolohea:
You're left-handed? Okay, so you're just, you got the ball right on your fingertips.
Anthony Godfrey:
Okay.
Lei Lolohea:
And then when you shoot, you're gonna flick your wrist, but you're also gonna act like you're picking a cookie out of the cookie jar. That's how you're gonna end it.
Anthony Godfrey:
I do have some practice at picking cookies out of a cookie jar. So let's try that. Let's try that. Where do I want it? Do I want it kind of in front of my, right here? Okay.
Lei Lolohea:
Elbow tucked in.
Anthony Godfrey:
Elbow tucked in?
Lei Lolohea:
Yep.
Anthony Godfrey:
This feels very, okay, let's try it, let's try it. I did not do what you told me to do with my wrist.
Lei Lolohea:
That's okay, are you aiming in the front of the room or the back of the rim?
Anthony Godfrey:
It's tough to tell, isn't it?
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
Let me try the back of the rim. Should I aim for the back of the rim.
Lei Lolohea:
Up to you, just a little softer touch.
Anthony Godfrey:
A little softer touch.
Lei Lolohea:
Yeah, elbow tucked in.
Anthony Godfrey:
Elbow tuck, okay.
Lei Lolohea:
You look like John Stockton right now. (laughing)
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, that's the best backhanded compliment I've ever received. Okay, here we go, here we go.
Lei Lolohea:
That's a nice shot.
Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, that's a little better, but I didn't aim where I needed to aim. So let's try it again, let's try it again.
Lei Lolohea:
Don't forget, pick your cookie.
Anthony Godfrey:
But I put my elbow in this time without being told. Okay, pick the cookie. And I made it. I picked the cookie and I made it. That's awesome! I have improved my basketball game in 90 seconds under your Coach Lei. Thank you for that.
Lei Lolohea:
And stealing the cookies are out of the cookie jar.
Anthony Godfrey:
All right. Okay. Let me try it again. Let's see if I can bring that elbow in. Pick the cookie.
Lei Lolohea:
Oh, there you go.
Lei Lolohea:
Wow, that's two in a row. You're a natural. I think you lied about not being able to shoot.
Anthony Godfrey:
I did not lie. I was not sandbagging it. Okay. All right. Let's try. Let's try three in a row. Now I'm feeling pressure. Okay, man. Get right there. Lauryn, get right there and give me that menacing look. So that it's more,
Lei Lolohea:
I feel like we should do a wager.
Anthony Godfrey:
Seriously, she just turns it on. She's nice and sweet and kind and then bam, don't mess with me all of a sudden. All right, let's try it.
Lei Lolohea:
I say if you miss, I get your salary.
Anthony Godfrey:
Oh no, wait a minute. Wait a minute. You stopped the recording before she said that, right? Okay. All right, thanks very much. It's great spending time with both of you. I appreciate it.
Lei Lolohea:
Thank you. Go Jags!
Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.