Franklin’s varsity women’s basketball team recently hired a second assistant coach, Meghan Dillon. She was officially hired on Nov. 4, and will begin working with the team this winter season. Outside of coaching, Dillon is a full-time physical therapist specializing in sports medicine and orthopedics, often working with student athletes. In addition, Dillon has worked for the past four years as the head coach of Grant High School’s junior varsity women’s lacrosse team, as well as helping coach middle school basketball for the last two years.
Hazel Allen, a senior who’s been playing basketball at Franklin since her freshman year, shared that in her opinion “the more coaches the better … it can never hurt to have more perspective and more feedback on your skills.” Allen explained that there is an all female coaching staff this year, which she thinks is awesome. She believes it is “really important to have female coaches and female role models for players to look up to.”
As the second assistant coach, Dillon will be helping out with practices and games, offering another set of hands with knowledge of the game. Dillon is expected to add experience to what is supposed to be a very young team.
Dillon explained how basketball was the first activity she loved as a kid — a love that has never stopped. “The speed of it, the beauty of ball handling when done well, defensive schemes, I just don’t get bored with it,” Dillon expanded. She comically added, “My 5-year-old-self is devastated I never became tall enough to dunk, but what are you gonna do?”
Dillon even heard about this job, in a way, by playing basketball. “Erin Brunton, [the women’s varsity head coach], and I actually played basketball together many years ago.” Dillon added, “We ran into each other when I was coaching youth a few years back and we’ve been trying to make [my] coaching work since then.” Dillon is excited to finally be coaching with Brunton.
Dillon greatly enjoys coaching and being able to help bring the best out of people in their sport and beyond. “There’s an incredible metaphor between how you approach a team sport and how you approach life,” Dillon said. “Just as much as a coach’s job is to create the best team they can, it’s also about helping mold someone into the best or most accountable person they can be.”
Dillon remarked, “The strategy and planning is pretty fun too.” She is also excited for the change in pace from middle school basketball to the high school level. Dillon explained, “[The middle schoolers are] adorable, but the shooting is rough.” She is excited to have the opportunity to coach at a higher skill level at Franklin.
Looking towards the start of the season, Dillon said all she can hope for — having not yet seen where the team’s skills are initially at — is that they will be able to improve throughout the season. Allen hopes the same and encourages people of all skill levels to consider trying out for basketball at Franklin.
