May 31, 2007 • Colorado Springs, Colorado

Boasting of a variety of coaching experience, USA Basketball today announced the six high school and AAU head coaches who have been selected to serve on the sidelines at the 2007 USA Basketball Women's Youth Development Festival. Jackie Boswell (Seton Keough H.S., Md./Maryland Magic AAU) will head the USA Red Team with the help of assistant Bonita Johnson (University Laboratory School, La.); tabbed to lead the USA White Team was Caryn Jarocki (Highlands Ranch H.S., Colo.), who will be assisted by Ed Shepard (Proctor R. Hug H.S., Nev.); and leading the USA Blue Team will be Brian Robinson (Bishop McGuinness H.S., N.C.), with the help of Sherri Retif (Germantown Academy, Pa.) as the Blue assistant coach.

The coaching staffs were selected by the USA Basketball Junior Development Committee, chaired by Jill Meerman, assistant athletic director at Decatur Central H.S. (Ind.) and NFHS representative, and approved by the USA Basketball Executive Committee.

"The committee is very excited about this group of coaches, and we are confident that the athletes participating in this year's Festival will benefit greatly from this talented group," Meerman said. "These six coaches not only bring numerous years of experience, but many years of success as well."

The June 13-17 USA Basketball Women's Youth Development Festival will feature 36 of the top U.S. high school rising juniors and seniors, divided into three teams: Red, White and Blue. The three U.S. squads and a Brazilian junior national team will square off in three games of round-robin preliminary play before being seeded and competing in the Festival's semifinals and medal round.

The USA Basketball Youth Development Festival gives U.S. participants exposure to USA Basketball, international basketball rules and the opportunity to go head-to-head against the best prep players in the United States and Brazil. The entry-level event combines position clinics, which target post or perimeter skills, with practice sessions and the four-team, five-game tournament.

USA Red Team
Head Coach: Jackie Boswell

Boswell has completed seven seasons (2000-01 to present) on the sidelines of Seton Keough High School, where she has reached three Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) championship games and compiled a 145-49 overall record for a 74.7 winning percentage.

The 2007 Baltimore Sun Coach of the Year, Boswell led her 2006-07 Gators to a 22-7 mark, the area's No. 3 ranking and the IAAM A Conference semifinal, despite returning only two starters from the previous season.

Boswell also was named the Baltimore Sun Coach of the Year after leading her squad to a 25-6 record, the area's No. 2 ranking and the IAAM A Conference final in 2006.

Also currently a head coach for the AAU Maryland Magic (2006 to present), Boswell also was the head mentor of the AAU Maryland Waves from 1997 to 2000. Overall, she has led AAU teams to eight AAU national championships appearances and won five AAU state titles. Most recently she led the Maryland Magic to the 16U Maryland State Championship in 2007.

A graduate of Virginia Wesleyan College, Boswell also is the Athletic Director at Seton Keough and coached varsity softball. She was named the Baltimore Sun All-Metro Softball Coach of the Year and the Baltimore City Softball Coach of the Year in 2003.

In 2001, she founded the Gator Basketball Camp.

Assistant Coach: Bonita Johnson

In four seasons (2003-04 to present) at University Laboratory School, located on the campus of Louisiana State University, Johnson has compiled an 86-40 overall record for a 68.3 winning percentage. She has helped the program to bi-district playoff titles in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and the district title in 2006.

Most recently in 2006-07, Johnson led her squad to a 21-11 mark and a state semifinal appearance, marking the program's first ever state tournament appearance.

In 2000 and again in 2006, she was named the district Coach of the Year.

In addition to high school basketball, Johnson coached seven years (2000 to 2006) with the Baton Rouge Lady Tigers AAU team. She coached a group of girls from age 10 through to the summer of 2006, who are now headed to college. She plans to resume with another young age group in the summer of 2008.

Also the head volleyball coach at University Laboratory for the past four seasons, Johnson led the volleyball program to the state final in 2004 and the state semifinals in 2003, 2005 and 2006.

Prior to accepting her position at University Laboratory, she coached both basketball and volleyball at Robert E. Lee High School (La.) from 1997 through 2003.

Johnson played college basketball at Stephen F. Austin State University (Texas) before transferring to play at Louisiana State University (1983-84 through 1985-86).

USA White Team
Head Coach: Caryn Jarocki

Jarocki has completed 11 seasons (1996-97 to present) as the head coach at Highlands Ranch High School after coaching at Colorado Academy for 11 years. With a 214-51 record (.808 winning percentage) at Highlands Ranch, Jarocki has compiled a 365-124 career record (.746 winning percentage) in 22 seasons as a high school coach.

Most recently in 2006-07, Jarocki led Highlands Ranch to a 25-3 record, a runner-up finish in the Continental League and the 5A state championship.
With state titles in 2006 and 2007, Jarocki has captured five state championships in the past eight years, including three consecutive titles for Highlands Ranch in 2000, 2001 and 2002. She also collected four consecutive Continental League championship from 1999 through 2002.

Jarocki has been rewarded for her success at Highlands Ranch with numerous coaching accolades including: the Rocky Mountain News All-Colorado Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2002 and 5A Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2002; the Denver Post All-Colorado Coach of the Year in 2000 and 5A Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2007; the Continental League Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2000; and the WBCA District 7 Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2007.

Jarocki also coached at Colorado Academy, where she compiled a 151-73 record (.674 winning percentage) in 11 seasons (1985-86 to 1995-96).

She helped Colorado Academy capture Mile High League championships in 1993 and 1996 and district and regional titles in 1989, 1990 and 1992. Her squad reached the final four of the state tournament in 1989 and finished sixth in 1990.

While at Colorado Academy, she was named the Mile High League Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1996 and the Rocky Mountain News A-1 Coach of the Year in 1989.

Assistant Coach: Ed Shepard

In 2006-07, his first season as the head coach at Hug High School, Shepard helped a program that had captured just two wins in 2005-06 improve to a mark of 11-10.

Prior to Hug, Shepard was the head coach at Edward C. Reed High School (Nev.) for five seasons (1992-93 to 1996-97), where he tallied an overall record of 116-17 for a 87.2 winning percentage.

In 1992-93, he lead Reed to a perfect 30-0 record, extending a win streak he had helped start as an assistant varsity coach in 1990-91 to a state record 83 games. That 1992-93 team also won a regional title as well as a third consecutive state title. In addition, he helped the Reed girls capture a 4A regional title in 1997.

Following the 1996-97 season, Shepard began coaching in an unofficial capacity, volunteering with the Hug High School girls basketball and track programs before accepting his current position there in 2006.

From 1982 through 1992, Shepard was the head girls basketball junior varsity and an assistant varsity coach at Reed High School (Nev.). He compiled a 183-17 record and three undefeated seasons and was voted the league's 3A Outstanding Junior Varsity Coach three times.

From 1978 to 1982, Shepard coached boys and girls basketball at Sparks Middle School and the Washoe Junior Basketball Association League, which he helped found in 1981.

Shepard earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Nevada, Reno and his master's in school administration form the University of Phoenix.

USA Blue Team
Head Coach: Brian Robinson

Serving as a high school coach for 13 years (1994-95 to present), including nine seasons (1998-99 to present) as a head coach, Robinson has spent the past five seasons (2002-03 to present) as the head girls coach at Bishop McGuinness High School, where he has compiled a 123-26 record for a 82.3 winning percentage. Robinson also is the assistant softball coach at Bishop.

In 2006-07, Robinson led his squad to a 32-1 record, a second consecutive North Carolina 1A Public School state championship and a No. 11 USA Today final ranking.

Bishop McGuinness also captured the 2006 state title after compiling a perfect 31-0 record in 2005-06.

In addition, the Lady Villains won consecutive conference regular season and tournament titles, North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) state sectional titles and NCHSAA state western regional titles in 2006 and 2007.

A two-time runner up for the NCHSAA State Coach of the Year honors in 2006 and 2007, Robinson was rewarded as the Northwest 1A Conference Coach of the Year in 2006 and as the Coach of the Year by the Greensboro News & Record, Triad Sports and NCPreps.com in 2006 and 2007.

In 2003-04, Robinson was named the Piedmont Athletic Conference of Independent Schools Coach of the Year after leading the Villains to a 24-8 record and a trip to the North Carolina 3A State Tournament.

Prior to McGuinness, Robinson was the head boys coach at Starmount High School (N.C.) for four seasons (1998-99 to 2001-02), reaching the state playoffs twice and finishing as high as third in the Northwest 1A Conference in 2000. In addition he was an assistant softball coach for two seasons (1998-99 and 1999-00).

Robinson began his high school coaching career at his alma mater, R.J. Reynolds High School (N.C.), where he coached the ninth grade boys team for two seasons (1995-96 and 1996-97) and was the varsity boys assistant coach for four seasons (1994-95 to 1997-98). His ninth grade teams were 24-13 in his two seasons, and as a varsity assistant, the team won two CPC 4A regular season and tournament titles and made the state 4A regionals in 1997 and the sectional finals in 1998. Robinson also coached junior varsity baseball at Reynolds for three seasons
(1994-95 to 1996-97).

In 1996 Robinson founded the AAU Winston-Salem Stealers girls basketball program. The program boasts of 14 teams and more than 100 participants. Thirty-seven Stealers have gone on to play college basketball since the program's inception, including former USA Youth Development Festival participant Chanté Black, now at Duke University (N.C.). Robinson now volunteers his time as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Winston-Salem Stealers, and since August 2004 has not coached in the program.

Robinson graduated from Appalachian State University (N.C) in 1994, with a degree in business administration. He is the founder and president of 292 Real Basketball Report, LLC., in Winston-Salem.

In 2006-07 Robinson was named to the NCHSAA Women's Basketball Sectional Tournament Committee, and he is a member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

Assistant Coach: Sherri Retif

Retif has completed nine seasons (1998-99 to present) as the head coach at Germantown Academy and tallied a 198-48 overall record for a 80.5 winning percentage. The Patriots have captured InterAc League championship in all nine of Retif's seasons.

In 2006-07, Germantown tallied a 26-3 record, was undefeated in league play and rattled off 17 straight wins to close the season ranked No. 19 in the nation by Sports Illustrated.

During her tenure the Patriots have finished the season ranked as high as No. 1 in the east region and No. 8 nationally by USA Today (2001-02).

In January of 2006, she was honored by the Woman's Basketball Coaches Association for her 400th win.

Before arriving at Germantown, Retif coached at Sun Valley High School (Pa.) from 1994-95 to 1997-98. She compiled an overall mark of 77-35 (.688 winning percentage) at Sun Valley, and won four league championships.

Retif also was the head girls coach at Ursuline Academy (1986-87 to 1993-94) in New Orleans, La., where she guided Ursuline to a 156-36 overall record (.813 winning percentage) and back to back city championships in 1991 and 1992.

A native of New Orleans, Sherri played basketball for Tulane University. She was inducted into the Tulane University Hall of Fame in 1998 and selected to the All-Quarter Century team in 2001.

Retif is a member of the Board of The Center for Sport and Spirituality at Neumann College, and in 2006 she co-authored the book, More Than A Game (St. Mary's Press).

USA Basketball Junior Development Committee

In addition to Meerman, the USA Basketball Women's Junior Development Committee includes AAU appointees Rachelle Baker, Kathy Campbell and Matthew Williams; National Federation of State High School Associations appointees Rhonda Farney (head coach, Georgetown High School, Texas) and Gretchen Seeley (head coach, Eastside College Prep, Calif.); as well as athlete representatives Jennifer Gillom (1988 Olympic gold medalist) and Katy Steding (1996 Olympic gold medalist).

2007 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival Coaching Staff

USA Red Team
Head: Jackie Boswell, Seton Keough H.S., Md. / Maryland Magic AAU
Assistant: Bonita Johnson, University Laboratory School, La.

USA Blue Team
Head: Brian Robinson, Bishop McGuinness H.S., N.C.
Assistant: Sherri Retif, Germantown Academy, Pa.

USA White Team
Head: Caryn Jarocki, Highlands Ranch H.S., Colo.
Assistant: Ed Shepard, Proctor R. Hug H.S., Nev.