Elk Grove High School Lady Herd Basketball Elk Grove, California

Brian R. Benson

Varsity Head Coach

     

The 2007-08 season marks the ninth season for Coach Brian Benson as the Head Varsity Women's Basketball Coach at Elk Grove High. In his previous eight seasons, each of Benson's teams have qualified for the playoffs, twice advancing to the Section Quarterfinals. Coach Benson is Elk Grove's all-time leader in coaching victories surpassing Dan Sauvain, who coached the Herd to two league championships in the early 90's. The 2006-07 version of Lady Herd basketball exceeded expectations. With a team full of varsity newcomers joining Kara Boyles and Ashley Jacobs, the team struggled during the pre-season. Entering a revamped Delta Valley Conference with new schools Kennedy and Davis, the Lady Herd faced a daunting challenge of finishing with a winning record to make the playoffs. In the first half of league play, Elk Grove defeated Davis, a section semifinalist the previous year. Then, in their second meeting with Laguna Creek, the Lady Herd upset the Cardinals to cement their third place standing in league. Elk Grove qualified for the playoffs for the ninth straight season and drew Yuba City in a play-in game. The Lady Herd dominated the game, during which Kara Boyles broke the school record for three-pointers in a season. She would finish with 70, surpassing the old record of 64 held by Sabrina Briggs set in 1999. Boyles, Jacobs, and Samantha Schuring were all named to the all-Delta Valley Conference team. Freshman Chelsea Suitos was named to the Honorable Mention list for the DVC. The Sacramento Bee named Boyles to the all-city Honorable Mention list.

Before becoming the head varsity coach, Coach Benson guided the Lady Herd's JV team to two consecutive winning seasons and second place league finishes. Prior to the 1997-98 season, Coach Benson spent three years at Del Campo High School serving as their JV coach and Varsity Assistant. Del Campo is where he learned from Paul Romig, one of the areas most successful coaches. While at Del Campo, Benson coached various AAU and Junior High teams as well as coordinating DC's semiannual Shooting Camps and Sunday Leagues.

Del Campo's tradition of traveling cross-country for tournaments stuck with Coach Benson as this has become a part of the Elk Grove program. Benson has taken Elk Grove teams to San Diego, Juneau, Alaska, New York City, and Orlando. His Del Campo and AAU teams have been to Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Portland, and New Jersey. To make these trips possible, a large amount of fund raising has been necessary. Thanks to the commitment and tireless efforts of Elk Grove parents and players, the women's basketball program and booster club has raised more money than any other sport in the school except football.

Coach Benson began playing basketball at River City High School in West Sacramento. While there, he also lettered in Cross-Country and Tennis, performed in three school plays and graduated as his class salutatorian. While in college at Cal State Sacramento, Coach Benson began his coaching career coaching Fifth Grade boy's basketball for the West Sacramento Parks and Recreation Department. He was enrolled in Coaching of Basketball at CSUS when hired at Del Campo. Coach Benson is a huge fan of Kansas basketball and coach Roy Williams, now at North Carolina. He studies the philosophies of other coaches such as John Wooden, Mike Krzyzewski, Dean Smith, Bill Self, Ceal Barry, and Pat Summitt. Coach Benson believes in an up-tempo style offense with a helping team defense. He views his program as a family and encourages his former players to come back and contribute to current players' development. Three former players are currently on the coaching staff: Amanda Fitzgerald (Class of 2000), Vanessa Irving (Class of 2003) and Tina Billingsley (Class of 1992).

Coach Benson is indebted to his loving and supportive wife, Mari Lyn, for her understanding of his passion for coaching high school basketball. They have been married for six years. They enjoy entertaining friends and family, spending time at Lake Tahoe, Monterey, and San Francisco, and playing with their pet rabbit, Gunner. Coach Benson's biggest fan is his son Carter, born shortly after the 2005-06 season.