LADY MOUNTAINEER BASKETBALL

Story by Michelle Hardimon, Statesman reporter
(01-29-08)

Faith And Family Helps Guide Eastern Assistant Coach

Those are the words of the Eastern women’s assistant basketball coach, Anita Hernandez. Anita was born in Antlers, where she grew up in a loving home that was also very tough and disciplined at times. Her family’s number one priority, however, was education.

As a student-athlete at both Carl Albert and Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Anita received her master’s degree in December of 2005. When she did she said that she finally felt that she had accomplished her educational goal, one that took a lot of hard work and dedication.

Her fiancé, Hiarali Garcia, and their son, Joseph, have inspired her toward wanting to become a basketball coach.

"Everything I do reflects back to my family," she says.

Anita always wants to learn and grow to become the best coach she can be and having just turned 27, Hernandez still feels young, motivated and energetic.

"Being an assistant coach under the legendary head coach Andy Mace, is a great opportunity and a lifelong learning experience that will help me become a better coach and teacher of the game."

Before coming to Eastern, coaching for a college was a major goal for her. She is now happy to be where she’s at and hopes that is where she finishes, if that is what God has planned for her.

Anita knows that everything it has taken to get to this point in her life have been stepping stones on the way to her ultimate goal and she feels that she will always have love for the game, and hopes to have a championship ring!

As they tell the Eastern athletes – "play hard, smart, and together."