Sophie's Story Part 4: Coach P and Me
1/4/2019 3:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 5
Missouri women's basketball coach Robin Pingeton realized during Sophie Cunningham's freshman year that she was not a typical player … and this would not be a typical coach-player relationship.
"I remember her sending me a text one day asking me where I was? Attached was a picture of her sitting in my office at my desk with her feet propped up," Pingeton recalled.
And so began the basketball relationship between the serious, structured coach and the carefree freshman. They were both determined to lift the Tigers to national prominence. For two self-described "alpha females," they met in the middle.
"We're both driven, passionate people with big expectations for ourselves and the team," Pingeton said. "Sophie is more free-spirited, and that's something I admire in her."
"She gave me the freedom to be who I was, and it relaxed us both quite a bit," Cunningham said. "I think I expanded her approach to coaching in practice. I'm not afraid to laugh and have fun but still get results."
performance vs. Wake Forest
It's common for Cunningham to arrive at practice and greet her coach with, "Hey, girl, how's your day?" punctuated with a little hip check. That routine that still perplexes Sophie's older sister, who also played for Pingeton.
"When I was a freshman, Coach P was all business. There was no nonsense," Lindsey Cunningham said. "I don't know how she did it, but Soph loosened her up."
Pingeton had an immediate impact on her first-year player as well. Like most freshmen, Cunningham didn't understand the importance of details and discipline. Pingeton emphasized that academics had to come first. There would be no short cuts.
Cunningham was a notorious procrastinator with her studies. She was a solid student, but she didn't enjoy school. In an unusual instance, Cunningham finished her work in a study hall with eight minutes to spare. She was so pleased, she left early.
Pingeton saw it differently.
"I told her to never be satisfied," she said.
To emphasize her point, Pingeton required her to work out on a stair-climber for 45 minutes, even though the Tigers had a game the next day.
"I didn't understand the situation," Cunningham said. "I thought I had done something good, only to receive this punishment. I worked out my anger on that machine. She was holding me accountable."
36-point performance vs. Texas A&M
on Jan. 19, 2017
The next night, Missouri played Wake Forest. With sore legs and a bruised ego, Cunningham broke the school record with 42 points. Sometimes a coach knows exactly which buttons to push.
***
Since her freshman season, Cunningham has generated attention across the country. At times she has drawn the ire of opposing coaches and players. Not everyone appreciates her aggressive style of play.
"If she's not good, then people wouldn't care," said Katie Frerking, a former four-year starter at Auburn who is now a graduate student manager at Missouri. "Our players respected her, but she's had a target on her back since she was a freshman."
Cunningham has at times been accused of being a dirty player, particularly on social media. That reputation bothers her coach immensely.
"I'm disappointed there's even a conversation about her style of play," Pingeton said. "She's not going to back down — that's her competitiveness. It hasn't been easy for her. It pulled at my heartstrings to see her go through so much scrutiny."
"I know it's just a game," said Jim Cunningham, Sophie's father. "But when they go after your kid, it's personal."
Former Arkansas coach Jimmy Dykes said critics confuse intensity with bad sportsmanship.
"There is not a coach in the SEC that hasn't used her as an example of effort, toughness and intensity," Dykes said. "If she doesn't play with that edge, then she's not the player she is now. If you flinch, she will kick your tail."
Pingeton has focused on reeling in the emotions of her star when things get heated. She encourages her to just hand the ball to the ref when she is called for a questionable foul. When an opposing crowd gets on her case, she reminds Cunningham to use it as fuel for a motor that's always running.
"Very few females have that alpha trait — that switch she can just hit when she's on the court," Pingeton said. "She has to control her fouls and stay in the game. I only have so many timeouts, and she's my voice on the court."
***
While her coach has helped her navigate the perils of being a high-profile player, Cunningham returns the support.
In a conference game against Mississippi State, Pingeton was called for a technical foul in a key situation. She was aggravated with herself and struggled to let go of her mistake.
Cunningham contacted every player after the game and encouraged them to send positive notes to Pingeton, reminding her of what she meant to each of them. She then sent a care package to her coach's office. It contained candy and Diet Coke — Pingeton's favorite treats.
They've grown together over the last four years, each saying the other has made them better.
"She's become one of the most important people in my life," shared Cunningham. "I came here with a lot of pressure and responsibility. I've made some mistakes, but Coach P and my sister, Lindsey, have helped guide me along the way."
They worked to elevate the Missouri program into the national rankings. NCAA Tournament appearances have become the norm for the Tigers, but still they are looking for so much more.
Last season, before a record crowd of 11,092 at Mizzou Arena, the Tigers beat 11th-ranked Tennessee 77-73. Cunningham led the way with 32 points. After the game the star and her coach embraced on the court.
"That moment says it all," Cunningham said. "We were holding each other so tight, like telling each other, 'I got you and you got me. We are doing this together.' And really that's exactly what it is — Coach P and me, we've got each other's back."
