After seven years in the high school basketball coaching world, Canyon High School graduate Shawna Monreal is making the leap to the college game.
In May, West Texas A&M head coach Josh Prock announced Monreal as the latest edition to his women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach.
“I’ve always thought about coaching at the college level,” Monreal said. “I really enjoyed coaching high school for the past six years, but WTAMU came open and I was able to reach out to coach Prock. It was the perfect opportunity. I loved high school but getting the chance to focus on one sport and it be basketball which is my passion is something special for me.”
Prock echoed Monreal’s comment.
“Shawna is doing a fantastic job,” Prock said. “You can see how she’ll get along with the team. She’s a winner and a hard worker. She has a great knowledge of the game and has had some great mentors. She is the perfect character person for this program.”
Monreal, a 2012 Canyon graduate, has grown her path as a coach with previous stops at Seymour, Shallowater, Lubbock and Frenship.
However, she’s best known around the Texas Panhandle for what she and her Canyon Lady Eagles accomplished in 2011 going a perfect 38-0 and bringing home a state championship for the prestigious program under legendary coach Joe Lombard.
From there, Monreal went on to Wayland Baptist to play in 124 games scoring 1,100 career points while earning All-American honors.
Now, she’s hoping she can take all that knowledge and lead it into future players.
“I’m excited to learn under coach Prock,” Monreal said. “I’ve been fortunate to have some great mentors like Joe Lombard and Alesha Robertson to name a couple. I love building relationships with players and I can’t wait to recruit. I have been able to take a little bit from each coach I’ve learned under, and I hope to apply it in my own way.
“I always want to be true to myself and be confident and let each player know they can trust me. I always trusted my coaches and that was a big deal.”
Monreal also brings a grit and passion to the court that any player can’t miss.
“I’m very competitive,” Monreal said. “In high school and college, we didn’t like to lose but I have very high expectations as a coach. But you have to realize you are dealing with young adults, so you keep them accountable and make sure you love them and do what’s best for them. That’s another thing I learned, and I can’t wait to bring to WTAMU.”