“If you are having a bad day, he will ... try to cheer you up in his way,” said Asjha Jones of Sun assistant Scott Hawk. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

Located in a state that lives for women's basketball, the Connecticut Sun have consistently been a competitive team in the WNBA. With talents such as forward Asjha Jones and center Margo Dydek on the roster, the team had success in the post this past season, finishing second overall in rebounding with 35.9 rpg.

Playing a vital role behind the scenes for the Sun posts is the tall and broad shouldered assistant coach Scott Hawk. Prior to the five seasons he has spent with Connecticut, Hawk coached both boys and girls high school teams in Nebraska and won several championships over his 20-plus years. But it was Hawk's history as an educator that caught the eye of Sun head coach Mike Thibault when he was bringing in assistants.

"He wanted someone with a teaching background," said Hawk. "He thought that was important coming into a new venture."

For Thibault, Hawk's passion for women's basketball was just an added bonus.

"He loves the women's game. He knew the league. He followed the WNBA quite a bit before he ever came into this league," explained Thibault. "I felt that he had a comfort level with the players in the league and with what they needed to learn."

A teacher's job is to convey new ideas or skills to an individual or group. But that's rarely as easy as it sounds. Like a successful teacher, the better coaches can explain game plans and tactics to their players, helping them to become smarter on the court. Thus Hawk's teaching background has often been integrated into the Sun's daily practices.

"He has a really good way of explaining things," said Jones, a first-time All-Star in 2007. "So Coach T puts him in a position where he does most of the explaining for drills and things of that nature."

With the dual role of coach and teacher, Hawk's unique style has benefited both the players under his direct tutelage and the team as a whole.

"He does a good job of fine-tuning things," Jones continued. "We have all come in with the skills we learned in college, but he gives you details and special key tweaks that you can put in your game that will help you on this level."

Known for his sarcasm, his sense of humor and his softer side, Hawk's teachings are packaged in such a way that players are excited to put his advice into practice on the court.

"Even when he yells, he is very positive," said Dydek. "He is a big guy, so when he yells, a lot of people would be afraid. But we know he yells because it is good for us."

He is also supportive and understanding off the court.

"He is there for you no matter what," said Jones. "If you are having a bad day he will come over and try to cheer you up in his way. He is a big teddy bear. We love him."

And Thibault believes that the growth of the Sun post players over the past five years speaks volumes about Hawk's abilities.

"Look how Taj McWilliams-Franklin played for him, how Asjha is developing, Le'coe Willingham, Margo, all those players have all gotten better with him on our staff."

But Hawk's responsibilities go beyond coaching the post players.

"He has to keep me sane," Thibault continued. "He and (assistant coach) Bernadette (Mattox) both split up the advance work on each team. That involves a lot of detail work in putting together the scouting report and the video stuff that we show our players."

Despite the often migratory life of an assistant coach, Hawk hopes to remain with the Sun.

"Right now my plan is to be in Connecticut as long as they want me here," he remarked.

Hawk and the Sun both wrapped up their fifth seasons in the league with a disappointing Game 3 overtime loss to the Fever in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. But they're not worried. With the big teddy bear coming back in 2008 to help one of the league's top frontcourts, the sky is the limit for the Sun.