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Coquille basketball alumni playing for University of Nebraska - Kearney
Monique Tribble rises above it all to sink a shot for Clakamas Community College during the 2008 NWAACC Women's Basketball Championships. Tribble, a CHS 2005 graduate, is taking her game to University of Nebraska-Kearney.
by Jake Wilhelm
Going back to school this year is a special honor for one Coquille alumnus.
Monique Tribble, well known Lady Devil athlete and 2005 CHS graduate, has found her dream job -- a full ride basketball scholarship to Nebraska University - Kearney, a Division II school. She will be playing post on the U.N.K. ladies basketball team while that school funds her business administration education.
“They said they needed me...they wanted someone who liked to play post,” Tribble said. “Not a lot of people like to play post, but that‘s what I like. I always have. I’m not going to complain if I don’t get to shoot outside.”
Post play has always been this player’s strong suit. During her 2001-05 Lady Devil basketball career, Tribble was always tapped for that key spot on the court. And she always met and exceeded expectations. She took that Coquille style beginning into a successful college career -- she has played two seasons with the league champ Clackamas Community College Lady Cougar squad coached by Jim Martinelle.
Tribble joined that strong Southern Conference team right after high school. She played as a freshman, was medically red shirted her sophomore year but returned with a bang in her third year. In the 2008 season alone, while helping her team earn a 19-12 record, Tribble broke the school record for single game blocks (nine in a single game), the record for season blocks (61), led the team in rebounding (8.1 per game) and field goal percentage (53.9%), was number-two in scoring (13.8 points per game), was invited to play in the All-League Sophomore game and still found time to be voted First Team All Academics.
That All Academic stat really impresses her dad, Bryon Woods.
“That in itself says a lot about Mo,” he said. “It shows what a driven person she is -- to be able to play basketball and keep her grades up without her mom and dad leaning on her, that’s a motivated, driven person. Her work ethic is incredible.”
Lady Devil fans will remember Tribble’s work ethic on the basketball and volleyball teams. What might surprise fans is the simple fact Tribble never intended to play basketball in college. But a coach that joined the basketball team during Tribble’s junior year changed that.
“If it wasn’t for Jenny Martell, I wouldn’t have considered going into basketball -- I never thought I was good enough,” Tribble said.
Martell, now better known as Jenny Sproul, worked hard with all the girls, and saw something in Tribble.
With a laugh, Tribble recalled how Martell and assistant Jamie Shely worked her hard…
“When I wasn’t jumping high enough, they brought out these tennis rackets and volleyball nets so when I went up for a shot, I was rejected every time. They were teaching me to elevate. Then, they would bring in the biggest, meanest women around to play against me. They didn’t let up.”
“Jenny had an impact on Mo as a player. I think she instilled a good work ethic into Mo,” Woods added. “Mo would go through the entire practice. Then, the rest of the team would leave and Mo would stay another hour. Jenny would bring me down to guard my daughter, and that was a challenge. Even on my best day, I can’t keep up with her jump shot.
Tribble points to two Coquille basketball moments that made her realize she could be something. One was the first time Coquille beat Myrtle Point in many years -- Tribble was a key component in that home game. Another was completing a successful mission to isolate Glide’s Crystal Wall. Tribble shut the Wildcat, known to shoot in the high-20s every game, to six points while making 28 points of her own.
By the end of her senior season, Tribble was being approached by college coaches. She picked Clackamas. After a standout career there, she was wooed by 1-D and 2-D universities on the West Coast, Hawaii, New York, even Louisiana.
Kearney made the cut. They bring an impressive record to the table. The team has made it to the NCAA Division II championships in ‘07 and ‘08 and have won at least twenty games a season 13 out of the last 14 years. The team clicked in another way, Tribble said.
“I liked Nebraska, because everyone’s comfortable with each other and, well, they’re like a tight knit family,” she said. “It’s just like Clackamas. I met some of my best friends there, worked with some great coaches. We were just a big family.”
Not that she will ever forget her favorite coach. Her dad.
“He did a lot for me,” she said.
Woods has been beside his daughter every step of the way -- years ago, he even tore out the home garden and patio to build a basketball court to ensure Tribble got all the practice time she needed.
After pointing out, to his own surprise, the fact she has been playing basketball for 13 years, Woods recalled being an assistant coach on her first basketball team -- fourth-grade SWOYAA. After SWOYAA, she played for Coquille Valley Middle School.
Her eighth grade year turned out to be the most pivotal. That’s the year she was dropped to JV. An upsetting experiance, but one to build from.
“Mo was so upset,” Woods said. “But I talked to her. I said ‘this is going to motivate you, to make you work harder so this doesn’t happen again’.”
It motivated her. By her freshman year, Tribble was playing on the varsity squad. That’s because Coach Kelly Muntifering saw good things in her. Woods still remembers the first high school game Tribble played.
“Tracy and I were sitting in the stands at Reedsport when we see our daughter going to sign in. I’m elbowing Mother and we‘re getting excited. She played the last forty seconds of that half and she got a block, a rebound and two points. The very first three times she put her hand on the ball in high school... Right then, as parents, Tracy and I were thinking how proud we were of her.”
With a grin, Woods pointed out another important job he’s had all these years. “Mosie has always been humble; she just won’t talk about herself. So that’s my job. I can brag about her all day.”
“Tracy and I feel she’s blessed us,” he said. “I just tell her to keep doing what you do. She’s earned so much because of her hard work -- her education paid for, the people’s she’s got to meet, the friends she made.”
