Coach Tyler Marsh begins work on getting Sky to compete and commit
Everybody got through the Sky’s first training camp practice healthy. Even the staff, though coach Tyler Marsh admitted he and his assistants were experiencing more soreness than the players.
Other than maybe his own post-session tightness, everything went as planned for Marsh during his first practice leading the Sky.
“I thought [practice] embodied everything that we hoped it would from a competitive standpoint,” Marsh said. “It’s kind of knocking the rust off [and] getting everybody together. Everyone seemed energetic and together. I thought it was a great first day.”
Regardless of how it went, Sunday would’ve been memorable for Marsh. Marsh has worked his way up through the ranks, beginning in the G League and going on an odyssey through that league, college basketball, the NBA and the WNBA. During that journey, Marsh was never a head coach, serving in a variety of roles as he tried to build his career and reputation.
That changed when the Sky hired him in November, plucking him from the Aces’ coaching staff after assisting Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon as part of one of the WNBA’s model franchises.
“I wasn’t [nervous],” Marsh said of his emotions Sunday. “I felt really prepared coming into it. Had enough time. The offseason was long, so this is just a day that I hoped for and a day that I dreamt for for a long time. I’m appreciative of having a day like this.”
Marsh doesn’t have much time to linger on how appreciative he is of his new gig. After all, he’s inheriting a team that went 13-27 last year and saw coach Teresa Weatherspoon fired after a single season.
The Sky have their first preseason game Friday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, against the Brazilian national team. They open the season May 17 at Indiana against Caitlin Clark and the Fever, and Marsh must get an overhauled team to mesh within a month and buy into his vision while perfecting his systems and schemes.
Marsh got to work on the floor Sunday and stressed the same message in a team meeting Saturday night. There was talk about the investment Sky players will make within each other, and Marsh explained that it was important for the team to build a competitive training camp roster.
“That’s the theme for this year, that we want to compete,” Marsh said. “Commit and compete are the two words that you’re going to hear me say a lot.”
Forward Angel Reese said she could feel the vibes and positive energy in the building. She congratulated Marsh for running his first practice as the Sky coach and echoed his vision for the 2025 season.
“I know it’s super-overwhelming, your first day, first time doing this,” said Reese, who practiced fully after a hand injury ended her Unrivaled season. “I’m just super-happy for him and he’s doing a great job.”
Happy 2-0
At the end of practice, vice president of basketball operations, strength and conditioning Ann Crosby was honored by the team and coaching staff as she enters her 20th season with the Sky. Crosby was presented with giant 2 and 0 balloons and the current roster gathered on the Sachs Recreation Center practice floor to watch a video of former team greats paying tribute to the franchise stalwart.
Guard Courtney Vandersloot called Crosby the “core” of the Sky and noted she’s been with the team since its start and gotten through coaching and roster changes. The veteran guard stressed how important it was to show Crosby what she means to the Sky.
“She does it all,” Vandersloot said.