Journal-News.com

HAMILTON — If observers want to believe this is going to be a down year for Badin High School girls basketball, that's OK with Tom Sunderman.

He's the Rams' new head coach after a 13-year run by Dan Purcell, and Sunderman is taking a can-do approach to the rebuilding project on New London Road.

"We told the girls in April; we told 'em in June; we told 'em the first day of practice — the expectations in the area, throughout the league and throughout the city are for Badin to be at the bottom and win four or five games," said Sunderman, an assistant with the Rams the last six years.

"Honestly, I think it's a good thing because it takes the pressure off the girls and puts it on me," he continued. "That's fine. As inexperienced as we are, I'd rather the pressure be on us coaches so they can just go out and play."

To say Badin is inexperienced is an understatement. The Rams return zero starters. They return zero players with significant varsity experience.

In the Girls Greater Cincinnati League, that's generally very bad news.

Sunderman, 38, is trying to be realistic and optimistic at the same time. He wants to put his stamp on the program without disrespecting the past.

"I think we're going to be OK down the road because obviously our strength is in our younger classes," Sunderman said. "I just want to create an identity for our program. It's going to be a process. It's going to take time.

"Our goal is to be competitive, to keep the tradition going," he added. "We're not going to miss a beat. The girls have come in with a very, very positive attitude. They're willing to learn, and that's made the transition a lot easier."

He's been a head man in the GGCL before, directing the Roger Bacon program for three seasons before coming to Badin.

Sunderman likes his staff (varsity assistant Nick Baltimore, reserve coach Jerry Mathews, and freshman coaches Paul Owens and Lindsay Riegert) and believes they are providing quality instruction to the players.

Sunderman has had to adjust his role with the Rams. He's no longer the assistant coach, the good cop to the players. Yet, he really doesn't see himself as the bad cop either.

"Being the head coach, sometimes they fear you," Sunderman said. "Honestly, being here six years beforehand, I think the girls still see me as a good cop. So if I'm hard on them, they don't take it personally."

Badin opens the season at home against Ross on Saturday, Nov. 29. Sunderman admitted he doesn't know what to expect on the scoreboard.

"We will play hard," Sunderman said. "We will be very aggressive. That's all I know."