New London

A more cynical fellow might summarize Bern Macca's switch from sports information director to head women's basketball coach as going from the person who makes up the quotes to the person who actually says them.

Of course, you'd have to be a sports information director to appreciate that.

Still, it's quite the transformation, going from the dispassionate stat-keeper to the passionate teacher, from the one who records the 34 turnovers Mitchell committed Tuesday night to the one that can't sleep because of them.

But then, Bern is a Macca and Maccas are about coaching and teaching and basketball.

Bern Macca is one of us. Stonington native, Connecticut College grad. Just about her whole life was inside Yarnall Athletic Center for the season opener on Tuesday. Her team, her family, her friends. Quite a few of them, too. They personified that, sometimes, you can go home again.

"It was very hard for me to keep my mouth shut last year," Macca said Tuesday night, alluding to her old job at the scorers' table. This was after the Mariners lost to Regis College, a 34-turnover barf-o-rama that could inspire Macca to tape a photo of a basketball to each player's locker today with the words "treasure possession of this" in big, bold letters.

Macca's job a year ago today was to chronicle and promote Mitchell sports. She'd sit there at the basketball games and stare at a computer screen, tending to all the relevant numbers of the day. This was not Bern Macca, the three-sport star at Stonington, the third-leading scorer in Conn women's basketball history.

Allison Reyes, Bern's sister (and the former Allison Macca) is resuscitating the girls' basketball program at Ledyard High. Brother-in-law Mike is the boys' basketball coach at Stonington High. Basketball is a frequent topic of conversation in the family.

And Mitchell, as part of a strategic plan, was looking for someone to coach women's basketball and softball. Your basic full-time job. Your basic retort to the Army commercial that says its people do more before 9 a.m. than most people do all day.

Right. You try being a mother, spouse, basketball coach, recruiter, softball coach, practice planner and the college's life skills facilitator.

"This place is so family friendly," Macca said Tuesday, "I can bring my family here. It means a lot."

So Macca, who coached before at Bloomsburg University and Elmira College, has found her way home. One of her first phone calls was to her old coach at Stonington High, Paulla Solar, who has hung two state championship banners on the wall.

Solar, still coaching the Bears, has been helping Macca as much as she can. She was on the bench for Tuesday's opener as The Lady In Red, Mitchell red, believed to be the first time she's left home not wearing Stonington brown since her wedding day.

"Can you believe that? Coach Solar in red?" Macca said.

There is already an inbounds play called "Solar" that resulted in a pair of three-point field goals Tuesday night. Note to Bern: Keep running that one.

"She's one of my coaching mentors," Macca said.

The Mentor, who will spend the winter with her Bears again, is happy to help.

"Bern's got great temperament," Solar said. "She understands kids. I totally admire her coaching style. I've learned a lot that I can bring back to my own team."

Macca was inspiringly calm after Tuesday's loss to Regis. Thirty-four turnovers would cause some coaches to exhibit homicidal tendencies.

"I'm disappointed with the outcome, not the effort," Macca said.

The Mariners have several players of local origin, including Alix O'Neil (New London), Stephanie Davis (Ledyard) and Allison Peck (Colchester). Macca didn't need to recruit much this year. But when she does, parents around here should listen. Bern Macca isn't all that far removed from her playing days. Good rapport, good program, good hire.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.