Nicholls State women’s basketball head coach DoBee Plaisance never intended to be a shark.
Before Plaisance became the head coach at Nicholls State, she contemplated coaching at the Division-1 level. However, a colleague who coached at that level told Plaisance when she was at Loyola University-New Orleans that she would run into trouble should she choose that route.
“You’re going to have a problem going to Division-1 because you’re not a shark. You’re going to come in and do it the right way,” her unnamed collegue said.
Plaisance would not dare speak of the coach’s name, but deep down this has fueled her to stick to her morals and “win the right way.”
Plaisance said she turned to her colleague and said, “Let me tell you something-when I win, I’ll give you a call because I know it can be done the right way.”
Since Plaisance accepted the Nicholls job in 2008, she has walked in the door with accountability and discipline being the focal points of her program’s foundation. She and her coaching staff instilled in the players the need to work hard and be smart.
The Colonels held practice in Stopher Gym on a cold Tuesday morning, following a three-game winning streak. With her gold cross hanging, Plaisance’s instructions toward her team could be heard outside of the gym. With a vigorous and commanding voice, Plaisance brought order and energy to practice, which can also be seen at games.
Plaisance’s leadership and command over her team saw the Colonels win a school record of 15 games during the 2011-12 season, and it has allowed this club to come just four games shy of breaking that record going into Thursday’s game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
When asked about the reason for the team’s success, Plaisance’s answer was simple: She believes it is by the grace and glory of God.
“I just give the glory to God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Plaisance said.
In terms of strategy, the Colonels’ winning recipe lies within the recruiting process.
“These kids came in winners. I intentionally recruited kids that were winning and that innateness coming in here wasn’t going to let them be denied,” Plaisance said.
Like Plaisance, these players are not afraid of hard work and accountability, the foundation of this program.  More importantly, the Colonels are a team assembled with good attitudes that generate positive energy. It is one of the most important characteristics Plaisance is looking for when she recruits a player.
Plaisance said the body of work is being reflected in the wins and losses, an 11-6 record through January.
“Now the records we’re breaking are the records we set,” Plaisance said.
Plaisance’s team last year set the school record for wins with 15 and most wins in a row with four.
Instead of being a shark, Plaisance chose to give glory to God and coach, in her words, “the right way.”
Now that the Colonels are on the verge of breaking the record for most wins in school history once again, Plaisance is proving what she believed all along.
“Good things happen to good people,” Plaisance said.
As for her unidentified colleague, she said she is recently heard from him since the Colonels went on another winning streak.
“He was congratulatory, but nothing about the sharks came up,” Plaisance said.