Tara VanDerveer is ready to enjoy her life beyond basketball and is excited about where the sport is now

STANFORD, Calif. –

Tara VanDerveer almost quit coaching 10 years ago when longtime Stanford fan John Arrillaga urged her to seriously reconsider and insisted she take the summer off.

What did the Hall of Fame coach do? She listened. She stuck with it. And she enjoyed a much-needed break, a basketball-free period in July and August that she spent sailing and water skiing.

That gave VanDerveer so much motivation to keep going that she never expected the day would come when she would truly be ready to escape the stresses of recruiting, film studying and strategizing.

“I never really thought it would be,” she said Wednesday as the winningest women's basketball coach of all time discussed her decision to retire following an announcement from the school Tuesday night. “I thought I might pass out on the bench because I love it, I love it, I love it.”

At 70 years old and with 1,216 career wins at stops at Idaho, Ohio State and Stanford – 45 years in all, including the last 38 at The Farm – VanDerveer will remain committed in some capacity; Her top assistant coach and former player Kate Paye is ready to take over the program. An introductory press conference for Paye is expected next week once her contract is finalized.

VanDerveer plays bridge on the computer every day with her 96-year-old mother, Rita, and plans to “start learning so I can be better” to be more competitive.

“I think I just want to do things that you want to do in your life and realize that this isn't a dress rehearsal, this is real life,” VanDerveer shared of her thought process when making the decision. “…I don't feel like I want to become a hermit or run away. Coaching is hard work, but it is incredibly rewarding.

“There is no better job. I’ve just had a charmed life and I’m so happy.”

And she made it clear that she won't be leaving now because of the dissolution of the Pac-12 Conference and Stanford's move to the ACC. VanDerveer can't wait to sit with fans next season — she also gave them a shoutout — and see whatever her Stanford team will be.

She was emotional, reflecting on all of her talented teams and outstanding players over the decades, taking time to thank everyone from her parents – her father, Dunbar, didn't see a successful coaching path for his daughter – to coaches overall Statewide and domestically, the Pac-12 and its staff, to former stars like Jennifer Azzi, who was willing to take a chance on schools across the country even though she could have stayed home and played for Tennessee.

Azzi helped lead the Cardinals to their first of three NCAA championships in 1990, and VanDerveer's teams also won in 1992 and 2021.

But VanDerveer made sure to mention many other special moments throughout the season that didn't involve cutting down the nets at the end, and how her student-athletes stayed together and played for each other.

“I have so many stories about how the people I have coached have motivated, influenced and inspired me,” she said. “I learned so much from every player. I am eternally grateful to have her in my life. I am incredibly proud of the Stanford sorority. … In tough games, sisterhood is a key to victory.”

VanDerveer couldn't be happier with the state of women's basketball, with interest now at an all-time high following this year's NCAA Tournament.

“It’s so exciting to see the support for women’s basketball,” she said, “we’re just scratching the surface.”

And that moment a decade ago when she was thinking about pursuing a career? VanDerveer said she has thought about it a total of about 20 times since she arrived at Stanford in 1985.

Instead, she made lifelong friends here. VanDerveer continued to adapt along the way, appreciating “the journey,” as she always called it, and remaining “a lifelong learner” who loved watching and even copying how others achieved success.

And she always had one thing in mind when it came to how she cared for those around her:

“I wanted to be a coach I wanted to play for,” she said. “Someone who works very hard to give our team the best chance to succeed and a person who shows empathy and compassion in the game of basketball.”

There is no doubt that she did all of these things, and did so with her heart and soul.

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