Black History Month Sitdown With Women's Basketball Coach Anita Howard

As a part of Black History Month, Georgia Southern athletics has been spotlighting important student-athletes and coaches that have had a tremendous impact on the program in Eagle history.

One of those important figures is current Georgia Southern head women's basketball coach Anita Howard. When Coach Howard was hired on March 27, 2019, she became the first female African-American head coach in program history. Coach Howard has directed a remarkable turnaround within her four years at the helm of Eagle women's basketball and has the team playing its best basketball of the season heading into the final game of the regular season on Friday at Georgia State.

Last Thursday, Georgia Southern hosted Marshall at Hanner Fieldhouse. The Eagles celebrated Black History Month by honoring many former student-athletes before and during the contest, a 63-61 win for Georgia Southern. ESPN+ broadcaster Danny Waugh sat down with Coach Howard to reflect on her accomplishments at Georgia Southern, and got her thoughts on what her role in Eagle athletics, as it relates to diversity, equity and inclusion and the women's basketball program in Statesboro.

Below are excerpts from that interview, which aired at halftime of the contest against Marshall.

On picking up her 200th career collegiate head coaching victory (against App State on February 11)

"It's crazy. I just thought about the wins I've had over the seasons with the different teams and at the different stops. I'm blessed. I also kept thinking about how many games did I lose? *laugh* To stay on the positive, it's both an honor and a blessing to see 200 wins. I remember all the victories, with the different players I've had over the years."

On the importance of Black History Month and taking part in its recognition in the game against Marshall

"We want to celebrate the accomplishments that I've been able to make as an African-American woman in this industry, but also for everyone that has paved the way. All African-Americans throughout history who have shaped our country. We want to celebrate them and their accomplishments. Growing up, you learn about certain things in the history books, but sometimes they don't put everything in the history books. This is one of the ways to shine the light on those who have been forgotten."

On South Carolina Head Coach Dawn Staley and winning the 2017 NCAA National Championship

"I'm a Dawn Staley fan. It showed me that, I can do it too. You see men win championships all the time, women win championships all the time - but from a player perspective, and from a woman of color perspective, to see her cut down a national championship net? I was at that game, you know. I kept a piece of the confetti. And of course later, Dawn sent a piece of the netting to all the women of color head coaches. One day, I would love that to be me. It just gives you inspiration, that if she can do it, then I can do it."

On being the first African-American women's basketball head coach in GS history. 

"It's definitely another blessing. For an AD who took a chance on me for being a woman of color, and also being a Division II head coach being pulled up to Division I - it was such an honor bestowed upon me at the time. People see what you're doing when you change a program around. For the first woman of color to be. a head coach here, they didn't see any boundaries. They noticed my work and my resume, so I feel obligated to do the best i can so that several other women of color can come behind me."

On coaching and playing at HBCUs and how it prepared her to coach at Georgia Southern.

"Representation matters. At an HBCU, that's all you see - people who look like you, walk like you, talk like you and act like you. And it gives you confidence that you can get the job done, you can be successful. You have people to help you through your faults. At HBCUs, I fell on my face a lot. But you have people there to help pick you up without feeling like you're being judged or looked up on differently. I would never change my journey. Both playing and coaching - it made me into the woman i am today. I always thought I had to be different. Maybe I need to talk a little different, or have a different type of posture. But working at a HBCU made me realize that I just had to be myself. People are going to like you whether you're a woman of color or not. Just continue to be yourself - that's what being at a HBCU taught me."

On being coached by men throughout her career, and how it plays into her coaching style and how it carries over to her players.

"I don't knock any of the men who coached me. I think I learned a whole lot from them. I learned how to balance my emotions. But, I think my players that come through the program, they're able to see kindof what I saw in Dawn Staley. Someone who looks like them that plays the game, coaches the game and understands where they're coming from. Our roster is predominantly African-American, but I don't do that by default. I look at the talent, and I'm able to go into those homes and talk to their parents. I have a daughter too, a young African-American woman. How will your daughter be looked at at this institution? I'm able to lead by example and show them it can be done. This is a male dominated industry still, regardless of color. I want them to know that we can get it done at a high level."

Finally, on the rise of African-American coaches and how representation has grown from the coaching and players perspective.

"We've got to continue to do what's best for the game. I think the women's game is growing. Recently, we saw record numbers with Dawn Staley and the LSU game with 18,000 people there. Times are changing. People are understanding that we're putting a great product on the court. We've got to keep being successful and do what we're do so people want to come check us out. People are starting to know that women's basketball is where it's at."