'Slow Down and Enjoy the Journey'

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Coach Jan Azar is far more than a phenomenal basketball coach, educator, and champion with over 720 career wins and 16 state championships. She lights up when talking about being a mother to her two children, Nicole and Andrew.

She is a mentor, a builder of character, and a trusted companion who has dedicated over 30 years to shaping not just great basketball players but strong, confident leaders and young women.

Parents don’t just send their daughters to her program for skill development—they entrust them to her nurturing care, motherly grace, and unwavering commitment to excellence. Under her leadership, young women don’t just grow on the court; they evolve into better students, better teammates, and, most importantly, better human beings prepared for the biggest game of all—life.

For Coach Azar, basketball is more than a sport; it’s a powerful platform for transformation. Through every drill, every practice, and every championship run, she instills values that extend far beyond the hardwood.

The Daily Coach continued its conversation with Coach Azar about coaching and leading Gen Z, the importance of reinventing ourselves as leaders, and the evolution and impact of the women’s game.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Part 1: 'Go Find Something You Love—And Get Paid for It'

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Coach, thank you again for you doing this. How do you approach coaching and leading Gen Z student-athletes, given the changes in technology, culture, and expectations over the years?

I hear a lot about different generations of kids, and over the years, I’ve coached through many of them. But honestly, I try not to focus too much on generational labels. My expectations for players haven’t changed in my 30-plus years of coaching. We hold our girls to high standards, and we’re not going to lower them just because times have changed, whether that’s the rise of social media or other cultural shifts.

That said, we do adapt and grow. We pay attention to what’s next for each generation and ensure we’re preparing our girls to navigate new challenges. Social media, for example, is something we actively discuss. We emphasize its impact on their mental health and reputation and how important it is to be mindful of what they put out there.

As for coaching this generation—it’s fun. They’ve been through a lot, from school shutdowns to the ever-evolving landscape of social media. But they’re tough. They know how to adapt, how to roll with change, and they don’t let uncertainty rattle them. More than anything, they know how to enjoy the game. They don’t take themselves too seriously.

We celebrate their successes, and when they make mistakes, we laugh and move forward. Life’s too short not to. At the end of the day, this is a game. Yes, we want to win and be great at it, but I’ve found that this generation—at least the girls I’ve coached—is resilient. They’re tough, fun, and incredibly smart. They see a future for themselves, and they genuinely want to succeed in whatever they pursue.

How have you had to evolve and reinvent yourself as a coach and leader over the years?

If you're not constantly evaluating what you can do differently or how you can grow, then you’ve probably reached the end of the road. I take my job year by year, and every day I wake up and ask myself, ‘Do I still love this? Do I still want to go to work?’ And as long as the answer is yes, I keep going.

As a coach, I’ve seen the game evolve in so many ways—rule changes, pace of play, and the increasing athleticism of the players. When I played, I always wanted to push the tempo as a point guard, even faster than my coach preferred. I wasn’t the fastest player, but I loved getting the ball up the floor quickly instead of slowing down to run plays.

The women’s game has changed dramatically since I started coaching. The speed has increased, the three-point shot has become a major weapon, and overall athleticism has reached new levels. I’ve always been a coach who wants to play up-tempo and press, but the challenge is keeping up with how the game continues to evolve.

That’s why I’m always watching, learning, and adapting—because staying in touch with these changes is essential to leading effectively.

As someone who has witnessed the evolution of the women's game and the growing presence of female coaches balancing leadership and family, what aspects of this progress make you most proud?

I’ve watched the women’s game grow tremendously over the years. When I was in my early 20s, the only women’s game I could watch on TV was the NCAA championship. Meanwhile, every men’s game was readily available. Now, you can watch any women’s game you want, and that’s a huge shift. Young girls today are witnessing this growth in real-time, and that exposure is invaluable.

As a coach, seeing the evolution of the game throughout my career has been incredible. More than that, I appreciate what these young women are capable of when given the opportunity. The influence of female coaches has also expanded, showing young women that they can have long, meaningful careers in coaching. I’m a mom first. I’ve raised both my son, a college baseball player, and my daughter, a college basketball player, while building my career.

For them to see their mom on the sideline coaching—and for the young women I coach to see someone balancing both—means everything. I won my first state championship while 11 months pregnant with my daughter. Now, we’re seeing more examples of this, like University of Tennessee women’s basketball head coach Kim Caldwell returning to the sidelines just one week after giving birth to her first child last month.

That’s what I’m most proud of: former players who are now moms continuing their coaching careers. In the past, we didn’t see as much of that. But today, these young women have more visible representation and role models proving that they can have it all. That visibility is powerful. As a female leader, I want these girls to see that their dreams—on and off the court—are possible.

If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

I’d tell my younger self to slow down and enjoy the journey. Looking back—coaching so many great girls, working alongside amazing coaches and administrators who supported me—I see now that I was always trying to make everything happen overnight. But the best part hasn't been the accomplishments and wins; it has been the people, the experiences, and the moments along the way. I’d remind myself to take it all in, be present, and not rush through something that was meant to be enjoyed. That’s where the real joy is.

Q&A Resources

Coach Jan Azar ― X | Hebron Christian Academy

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