© Brett Davis/Imagn
Coaching women’s Division I college basketball is an exhausting job. It’s a nearly 24/7, 365-day occupation that involves high stress and little to no downtime.
Don’t believe us? Just ask UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close, who recently disclosed that the nonstop nature of the job has led her to consider walking away despite leading one of the best teams in the nation.
Close, who became UCLA’s head coach in 2011, has a .710 win percentage for her career and led the Bruins to the Final Four for the first time in program history a year ago. This season, they’re yet again a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a near 20-point favorite against Big Ten rival Minnesota in Friday’s Sweet 16 matchup.
But even that may not be enough to keep Close going.
“I’ve never been as tired as I’ve been in the last two years, and it’s made me think how much longer I can do this,” she said ahead of the matchup with the Gophers. “And I’m just being transparent with you about that. There are so many things that are harder, and we keep losing incredible people on the men’s and the women’s side.”
But friend and cohort Jeff Walz isn’t very sympathetic to Close’s plight.
Louisville Coach Jeff Walz Tells Cori Close To Either Quit Or Stop Complaining
Walz, the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals, is the same age as Close, 54. He took over in 2007 and has reached the Final Four twice, most recently in 2022.
The veteran coach says he understands Close’s frustration. But he says there’s an easy way to deal with all of the stress: quit.
“I’m friends with Cori,” Walz said. “My favorite line, I would tell her, if you don’t like your job, find a new job. I mean, I’m listening this morning at 4:20 as the workers outside my window at the hotel in the street are working. I mean, you choose your profession. If you don’t like it, find a new profession.”
Walz is set to lead the third-seeded Cardinals into a Sweet 16 matchup with second-seeded Michigan on Saturday, and he sounds as energized as ever about the opportunity.
“I mean, of course, it’s a lot of work, but we chose to do it, and we get compensated for it,” Walz said. “I don’t think anybody is going to feel too sorry for us that you might be tired. I’m tired, too, but who is not?”
On one hand, he makes a valid point. Close makes a solid chunk of change (albeit far less than Walz) to coach the Bruins, and is likely in line for a sizable raise. Nobody is forcing her to keep coaching.
But his message certainly comes across as cold. Especially from someone who claims he’s friends with Close. Something tells us the next time the two speak, it may be a bit of an awkward conversation.