Rosseau Grows Up at Washington

Julie Rosseau acknowledges she was a bit wide-eyed and naive when she was selected as girls’ basketball coach at Washington High four years ago.

Taking over the top program in the inner-city at the age of 27, Rosseau said she was young enough to believe she could be a role model and a savior to every girl on the team.

It took her a while to realize she couldn’t.

Rosseau learned that the hard way in September when three of her top players abruptly transferred to neighboring Crenshaw, which had defeated Washington in the City Section Division 4-A championship game in March.

She was given no explanation for their open-enrollment transfers, and only one of the players even bothered to call. The players--junior Bobbie Mullins and seniors Larisha Findley and Shimika Stringer--were a big reason Washington finished last season with an 18-7 record, its best mark under Rosseau.

Their transfers came as a surprise because the three girls had played with Washington in several summer leagues and tournaments.

“I keep thinking I’m figuring this whole coaching thing out, but those transfers really hurt me a lot,” said Rosseau, who graduated from Dorsey in 1983. “But I woke up and realized kids are kids, and sometimes the grass looks greener to them on the other side.”

Rosseau didn’t let the setback get her down. She gathered her remaining players and gave them reasons to be motivated about the coming season. She reminded them that the team was coming off its first title-game appearance since 1992, and it had one of the area’s top guards in senior Tina Greer.

The Generals responded. They finished the regular season last week with a record of 19-4 that included victories over such top teams as Chino and Lynwood.

Washington split two Southern League games with Crenshaw. The Generals’ 78-56 victory on Feb. 2 ended Crenshaw’s 33-game winning streak against City Section teams.

Crenshaw, the three-time defending 4-A champion, opens the playoffs Friday as the top-seeded team. Washington is seeded third, meaning a title-game rematch is a strong possibility.

Before taking over as coach, Rosseau was an assistant at Washington for three years. Her mentor, Phil Chase, built one of the area’s most successful programs, compiling a 180-57 mark and winning four 4-A titles in 10 seasons.

Washington was on a record 65-game winning streak against City Section opponents when Chase stepped down in 1992. The streak was broken the next season, Rosseau’s first, in a nonleague game against North Hollywood.

“Julie was perfect for the job. She is so full of emotion, where I was considered more cerebral,” said Chase, who teaches at Marshall but doesn’t coach.

The players have noticed the change in energy level. Greer, a four-year starter, has set a school career record with 1,222 points. The 5-foot-2 guard is entertaining several scholarship offers.

“I owe everything to Coach Rosseau,” Greer said. “She has kept this team together and never gave up on us.”

Rosseau often finds herself explaining some of her strict policies, which include being on time for school and maintaining a 2.5 grade-point average, which is higher than the required 2.0 needed for eligibility.

“I know I can’t show every kid that there’s something better out there for them and that basketball can be a positive path,” Rosseau said. “But I can help a lot of the girls, and aiming for higher standards is all part of what I try to instill.”