Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Harvey remembers time in Prescott

Candi Harvey, head coach of the San Antonio Silver Starzz of the Women's National Basketball Association, had a good time at her brother's expense.

Her brother, Jackie Harvey, she said, gave her some advice on how to eliminate security problems in airplanes  have everyone board the planes naked.

"I never believed I'd be standing here today," she said. "It wasn't so long ago I was a kid eating my parents' profits at Wolves Drive In or Harvey's.

"I haven't had a burger as good since I left, and I'm still searching for the perfect hamburger."

The people of Prescott, she said, had an impact on her growing up, which has helped her along the way.

She told the audience of her career, starting as an assistant coach at Arkansas State University, and working her way to the head coaching position with the WNBA Starzz.

"I'm glad the Spurs bought the team and moved it back South," she said. Originally, the Starzz were based out of Utah.

"No matter how far I go away from Prescott geographically," she said, "it's never far away from my heart."

The lessons learned in Prescott, she said, have prepared her for life. Entertainment was sports during her time at Prescott High School, and this was during the heyday for the Curley Wolves and Wolverettes.

"I'll never forget going to Greenwood and watching the Wolverettes win the state championship," she said. "From then on, I was hooked and have never regretted the path I've chosen."

During her prep career at PHS, the Wolves won three state championships in football. This was under the leadership of Eddie Jackson.

"When people ask me who had the most influence on me," she said, "I tell them it was Coach Jackson.

"I saw how successful teams were in Prescott and that's how I built my teams."

Harvey patterned her coaching on Jackson's style. Stress the team be a family and work together for success.

The season for the WNBA runs from April until September. For the rest of the year, she said, the players have to find other jobs and ways to make a living. the average salary in the league is $46,000 a year.

Coaching the Xs and Os, she said, is nothing. The challenge comes in getting the players psychologically ready to play and be a team.

The Starzz adopted the motto of "One Heart" with the goal of being one of the elite teams in the WNBA.

"I coach the greatest women's players in the world, but sometimes their egos can get out of hand," she said. "I tell the players they will always remember the friendship and relationships more than the wins and losses."

This proved to be more true than expected during the playoffs last year. The Starzz had beat Houston in San Antonio, then lost the second game in Houston. In the rubber game, the Starzz trailed by three at the half.

The head referee suffered a heart attack, and both coaches removed their players from the court while emergency crews worked on the fallen official.

Before the half, Harvey said, the Starzz had been playing more as individuals than a team. However, during the break, her team gathered and prayed for the official, sending him the strength of their young hearts.

"They told me they finally understood what one heart meant," she said.

"Today's world is all about winning, making more money and having more stuff. Life has a way of showing us what's important."

Harvey said she's proud of what she accomplished in Prescott, as PHS was a leader in women's sports under Title IX.

When she comes home, there's always a trip to the old gym to be made, as this is where she played as a Wolverette.

"The new gym is amazing," she said, "but when I go to the old one, I can almost smell the wax on the floor, the best popcorn in Arkansas and hear shoes squeaking.

"Prescott's still a great town, with great teachers and students. What a great heart Prescott has. My work ethic came from here, and I'm proud to say I'm from Prescott."