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Fujimoto coaches players on life

An unfamiliar face, Lynne Fujimoto works behind the scenes with the women’s basketball team. She is with the team wherever it goes and you can count on her always carrying her clipboard and taking down stats. She is an assistant coach alongside head coach Julie Kline. / photo by Veero Der-Karabetian
An unfamiliar face, Lynne Fujimoto works behind the scenes with the women’s basketball team. She is with the team wherever it goes and you can count on her always carrying her clipboard and taking down stats. She is an assistant coach alongside head coach Julie Kline. / photo by Veero Der-Karabetian

by Merritt Beckett
Staff Writer

Loyalty, commitment, responsibility and teamwork are the values that assistant women’s basketball coach and manager Lynne Fujimoto tries to emphasize to her players.

Her coaching philosophy stresses positive action and reinforcement and encourages the players to be aware of how athletics are involved in their everyday lives. She gives them the same level of commitment that they give to the team.

“The commitment that the girls give to the team, I try to give them the same commitment back,” she said.

Head Coach Julie Kline and Fujimoto attended Whittier College together from 1983 to 1987. After receiving the head coaching position in 1992, Kline asked Fujimoto to come and help with the program. Once she accepted Kline’s offer, Fujimoto spent three years as team manager on a volunteer basis. She became a second assistant coach along with graduate assistant coach Jennifer Manfredi this season after the previous assistant, Caryn Cranston, did not return.

“Every program should be as lucky as we are to have someone as committed and loyal to their program,” said Coach Kline.

Sacrifice of personal time and arranging vacation time around the season schedule is not uncommon for Fujimoto, who also works as a senior buyer at Northrop Grumman Corporation, an Aerospace company in Pico Rivera.

“The great thing about Northrop is that I can work early enough to come here and coach everyday,” said Fujimoto.

This sacrifice is taken in stride by Fujimoto because she believes the heart and desire of this year’s team is priceless.

“A coach can’t teach heart and desire. I can teach them how to shoot and make it, but I can’t teach them how to have heart,” she said.

Fujimoto goes to practice each day out of a love for athletics and because on the court each day is different.

“Coaching is an adventure everyday. Something new will come up,” she said. She describes her role on the team as one of support.

“I’m here to take care of the coaches first, and then to take care of the players,” she said.

The players have adopted her as the team mom because of her kind nature and willingness to put others before herself. She has also been known to bring the team little treats such as candy and gum.

“She’s really supportive and encouraging. She is always in a good mood and keeping our spirits up,” said sophomore Aundraya Ross. “She spoils us. The team wouldn’t be the same without her.”

Senior point guard Tiffany Hall said, “Fuji’s the best. She loves us like we’re her own.”

Manfredi describes Fujimoto as the most giving person she has ever met and the type of person that will leave you a note to help pick you up.

“She cares about people. There is a spirit around her that is very giving and very supportive,” said Manfredi.

“You’ll realize until you’re around her how she comes through everyday. She’s irreplaceable.”

Fujimoto’s favorite part of her position as assistant coach and manager is seeing the women and the coaches on a continuous basis. She describes the team as a close-knit group that is like family on the court.

A top priority for Fujimoto is making college athletics a memorable experience for the players because there are not many opportunities for women in athletics after college.

She is currently working to compile a book of statistics for women’s basketball from previous seasons and from this season to give to the players and the University.

Coach Kline went on to describe Fujimoto as, “the nicest person you will ever meet. She is the kind of person that reminds us that there is still a lot of good in society.”

Fujimoto’s role includes taking statistics at the games, along with other paperwork and trying to alleviate some of the pressure from the head coach. Each day she helps to run Kline’s practice plan and makes sure that there is enough time to cover everything. She is pleased at the opportunity to be more vocal during practice and to do more coaching.

“What she gives to this program could never be repaid monetarily,” said Kline.

Merritt Beckett
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Veero Der-Karabetian
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