Stephanie White directs members of the Sky during a timeout. Gary Dineen/NBAE/Getty Images

Prior to the 2007 season, the WNBA teamed up with NIKE to start up a joint venture called the “Coaches Program,” an initiative designed to land more former WNBA players into the league’s coaching ranks.

With the existence of a NIKE GBU (Global Business Unit) office in Chicago, the Sky became a logical pick to be the first team to undertake the program. After a thorough review of their options, the WNBA, NIKE and the Sky, under its new head coach Bo Overton, all agreed on the selection of Stephanie White.

White played five years in the WNBA, spending her rookie season with the Charlotte Sting before being selected in the expansion draft by Indiana, which would be her home for the final four years of her playing career. She averaged 5.9 points and 2.0 assists per game before retiring because of injuries.

Prior to that, White starred in college at Purdue, earning National College Player of the Year honors during her senior season of 1998-99 while leading the Boilermakers to their first national title.

White was a fixture in her home state at every level during her playing days. A native of West Lebanon, Indiana, White played her high school ball at Seeger High School before moving on to Purdue and eventually the Fever.

When White made the decision to go into coaching, she stayed within the Midwest, scoring a gig as an assistant at Ball State in 2003-04 before moving on the Kansas State (2004-05) and Toledo, where she spent the last two college seasons before getting the call from the Sky.

“They were all a little bit different,” said White about her previous coaching stops. “They were all good experiences for me. Each step I took was kind of a step up the ladder, especially in experience. I think it prepared me to be where I am right now.”

Where she is right now is on the staff of a team in just its second year of existence, coming off a rough but somewhat expected 5-26 campaign in 2006. She’s one of two new assistants along with Roger Reding working under a first-year head coach (Overton). Steven Key, who rounds out the staff, was the only member from last year’s coaching crew to remain with the team after Dave Cowens left for a job with the NBA’s Pistons.

Despite the uphill battle facing the Sky, White was intrigued by the challenge and thus eager to come aboard.

“Chicago’s a great city and it’s in a great area for basketball,” said White. “I wanted to be part of the league again and wanted to see a team succeed. I think we have a good foundation and a good base in Chicago. It’s exciting to be a part of it.”

The benefits of having White on the staff are obvious for Chicago. Besides the fact that she is a former player not far removed from her playing days, she has also built up the coaching acumen necessary to earn respect from her peers and players.

“I have a coach’s mentality, but I can still relate to the players,” said White. “I still know what’s going through their minds and still know how they’re feeling on and off the court, so it gives me a unique perspective.”

Overton is excited about the addition of White and stated how important it is to have a former WNBA player on the staff for that experience factor. That sentiment was echoed by the players.

“She has been in the league, has played at every level, and also has a really good basketball IQ,” said Sky forward Brooke Wyckoff. “She just brings a lot of experience with the women’s game and the WNBA which is something that is definitely needed.”

After resisting the urge to jump on the court during her first year on the sidelines, White says she's been fully entrenched in coach mode for a while now. An admitted “film person,” she’s currently a student of the game in a much different fashion.

Knowing that, we asked White what advice she would give to coaches teaching younger players in the early stages of basketball development.

“I think the biggest thing when you’re teaching younger players is that they need to be taught the fundamentals,” said White. “I think there are a lot of kids that play so many games nowadays with AAU and everything else, but they’re still not working on fundamentals, not working on the basics."

White added that as far as gaining experience, she recommends that coaches go to any camps and clinics they can and continue to learn. Considering where she’s been and where she’s headed, it seems as if White has never stopped learning. That approach should do wonders for the Sky.

“I think that every experience is a learning experience on and off the court and I’ve been very fortunate to be in a lot of good situations and this is no different,” said White. “I’m excited about it and ready to get going.”