By grace, through faith: A new era of Sun Devil Women’s Basketball

Coach A speaking to Valley clergy members on April 25, 2024. | Photo courtesy of Jr De Chavez 

Natasha Adair, head coach of the Arizona State University Women’s Basketball team, is on a mission to revitalize her program through faith and community. Seeking guidance, support, and expanded community connections, Coach Adair gathered with African American clergy from across the Valley on April 25 to unite in prayer, service, and encouragement for the team and the community.

“Well, anytime you come into a new space for me, I'm definitely into my faith,” Coach A said. “God guides me in everything that I do.”

After reflecting on the challenges and demands of her first two seasons at ASU, Adair felt something was missing — a strong connection to her faith and the local community. To bridge this gap, she assembled clergy members from various churches, parishes, and congregations across metro Phoenix. With their support, Adair aimed to root her coaching in something deeper and more meaningful.

“Going into year three — year one and year two were full of adjustments and transitions — I finally had a moment where we could just take a deep breath,” Adair said. “There are so many different pastors, clergy members, [and] leaders of the community that have been here for so long. In addition to their support, their prayers, their encouragement, they also can guide me in this space.”

Adair hopes that by intertwining faith, love, and community support, she can become a more effective coach, leader, and healer, impacting everyone she encounters both inside and beyond her basketball team.

“It goes back even further for me and my relationship with God, and also what my pastor and first lady told me years ago about how God speaks to you,” Adair said. “They didn't say it was going to be easy. It was understanding what was from God and knowing that I have a spirit of healing on my soul. So, where I go, I know that we're going to heal, we're going to get better.”

Adair centers her players, students, and staff — anyone who looks up to her for guidance and direction.

Pastor Glenn Dennard [seen in red] in attendance at the clergy gathering. | Photo courtesy of Jr De Chavez

“It's young people, it's these young women who, gosh, are going through so many things,” she said. “Young women and men, whoever I come in contact with: the mission is internal healing for external results.”

Some of the clergymen in attendance marveled at Adair's mission and spiritual enlightenment, like Pastor Glenn Dennard of Family of Faith Christian Church in South Phoenix.

“What I'm aware of today is that God’s involved with everything that we do. God’s a part of everything we do. He's moving and working when we don't see Him doing what He's doing. He brings it all together,” Dennard said. “I just think our opportunity to merge and bring families and leaders together to support anything with Sun Devil Athletics, but specifically today the women's basketball program, is awesome. I look forward to watching the growth in support for this organization.”

Pastor Dennard is also an ASU alum who played for the Men’s Sun Devil football team from 1982 to 1987. He was part of teams that went on to play in the Fiesta Bowl, Holiday Bowl, and Rose Bowl.

Members of African American clergies across the Valley are seen praying over Coach A and her staff. | Photo courtesy of Jr De Chavez 

Other clergy members shared the same sentiment — being in awe of the divine and spiritual energies at play — like Reverend Tuwanda Connelly of Wesley United Methodist Church in Phoenix.

“What makes me excited is that all you got to do is trust God even when it looks like you don't have any connections [or] you don't know anybody. Just trust God, keep praying and then boom! There it is!” she said.

Connelly, new to the Valley, found clarity at this event.

“Sometimes, you don't realize that you need the connection until you are in the midst of the connection,” she said. “And then, you realize this is what I've been looking for ... being able to sit in a room with people who look like me, who have the same mission as me — which is to serve each other in our community — is huge.”

Adair closed the gathering with encouraging words and insight regarding how the group can leverage their connection and collective efforts to help move the team and community forward:

“If that's my purpose, to get us to the destination, I want us all to go. And I want us to be in a good space to get there,” she said. “So, [if the past] two years is about building it, it's about healing and structuring it the way that it's supposed to be to now go soar.”

To keep up to date with Adair and the team, follow the Sun Devil Women’s Basketball team on Instagram and bookmark the official ASU WBB webpage.