By Justin Fedich  | The Selma Times-Journal

Erica Heard had a lifelong desire to coach a basketball team. Now, in her first year as a coach, she’s learning it’s never too late to chase a dream.

Heard began her coaching journey this season as the head coach of the Selma University women’s basketball coach as she finishes her degree from Selma University in physical education. Heard said it was scary when she had her first meeting with the team as a head coach, but she was excited to take on the opportunity.

“It’s mind blowing right now, so I’m still getting used to it,” Heard said. “It’s my first year coaching. So it’s been a challenge, but it’s just a mind-blowing experience, and I’ve got a good group of young ladies.”

This season, Heard is tasked with turning around last year’s three-win finish for last place.

Much of her team hasn’t experienced losing, however, since many of her players are freshmen coming from winning high school programs.

Heard hopes to turn the Selma University program around the same way her basketball team she played on in high school basketball made the playoffs after years of trying.

“It took me three years to get there, but we didn’t give up,” Heard said. “We kept pushing and we got there.”

Heard sets the bar high for herself and her team.

She watches NBA and WNBA games on television and envisions herself pacing the sidelines as a head coach. In order to coach at the highest level, she has to exceed expectations as the Bulldogs’ head coach.

Heard isn’t trying to simply win a couple more games than last year or just get to .500. Heard plans on leading her team to the playoffs, but it doesn’t mean she wasn’t overjoyed to get her first win.

The Bulldogs won their first game in just their second game of the season, and freshman Tatyana Griffin said Heard was calling the players just hours after the win telling them how happy she was.

“Even the next day, she called us to her office and she was still talking about it,” Griffin said. “Everybody on campus was talking about it, so it was kind of a good feeling.”

Heard’s passion for basketball doesn’t stop no matter what time of day it is. Prior to the season, the team practiced twice a day, once at 5 a.m. and once at 4 p.m. Griffin said Heard was just as energetic at 5 a.m. practice as she was at 4 p.m. practice.

“She talks a lot,” Griffin said.

The talk is always positive. Freshman Teaira Quicksey said Heard has instilled her players the fight they need to steer the program in the right direction.

“She just told us to stay focused and keep our mind set on one thing and just keep pushing and never give up,” Quicksey said.

Heard knows it will be a tough challenge to make the Bulldogs great in a short period of time. But as long as she can keep her lifelong dream of being a professional basketball coach alive, she’ll be walking the sidelines with a smile on her face.

“I’ve been sitting there saying, ‘That’s where I want to be at,’ so now I’m on the road to fulfilling my dream,” Heard said.