Robyn Fralick begins building process as she settles in as MSU women's basketball coach

The last few months have been a whirlwind for Robyn Fralick since being hired to lead the Michigan State women’s basketball program.

The former Okemos standout is beginning to settle in as the leader of the Spartans. The relocation for her family from Bowling Green, Ohio, to the Lansing area should be complete by the end of July.

Here’s an excerpt of Fralick’s one-on-one sit-down interview with the State Journal from inside her office at Breslin Center.

Question: You mentioned that it has been a whirlwind these last few months and you've done a lot of things, including throwing out a few first pitches (at baseball games). What have all those things been like for you as you've made the rounds.

Fralick: I feel grateful about it. I felt relieved when the first pitches were done. That is actually fairly stressful getting yourself ready for that. But, yeah, I feel grateful for it. Michigan State just offers so many opportunities with connections and it's such a big network. I actually played in the Shawn Respert golf outing on Monday. I feel amazed at all the ways Michigan State gives back to each other and the community feel when you get to be part of it.

Q: What has it been like for you working right down the hall from Tom Izzo and being able to pick the brain of someone that was around coaching here when you were in high school at Okemos?

Fralick: He's a Hall of Famer and the thing that I think has stood out to me the most from my time getting to work alongside with him is he's the ultimate teammate. He really will do anything to help us, to help Michigan State, to help other athletic programs. Of all the amazing things he's done in the coaching world,  I think what has stood out the most to me is how wonderful of a teammates he is.

Q: One of the things a lot of people talk about when it comes to Michigan State athletics is the family atmosphere from coaches.You just talked about Izzo, but have you felt that vibe from others as well.

Fralick: We had a head coaches' retreat a few weeks ago where we went up to Traverse City. We got a lot of time together and we were able to do a workshop. It's a wonderful group of people who are in it for all the right reasons. For me it was a great time and experience just to really get to know them better. I know I'm excited as the seasons get going to be able to go out and support all the different teams.

Q: Obviously you are from around here, but how much family do you have in the area right now?

Fralick: I still have a lot of aunts, uncles, cousins, friends. I laugh because my 20th-year high school reunion was canceled because of COVID, but I feel like I get it now. I've gotten it all back. When you move back, I'm like I kind of feel like I've been able to have a piece of that.

Q: Speaking of high school, what has coach Christine Sermak, who coached you when you were at Okemos, meant to your basketball journey?

Fralick: She was a wonderful coach and more than that she was an amazing role model and has stayed a good friend through all these years. When I was playing at Davidson she came down and supported. Through my coaching journey, she was at our national championship game when I was coaching at Ashland. She came down to our NIT games at Bowling Green. I didn't even know she was coming. She sent me pictures from the crowd. She's always been so supportive (and) a phone call away and somebody to bounce things off of. Now it's been fun. I've been able to see her. We both like to work out at Orangetheory so now we've been running next to each other on the treadmill talking through life.

Q: How unique is it that you are able to do that with someone who coached you in high school and have her see you go from that high school athlete who went to play at Davidson to now doing the things you are in coaching and being back in your home area with Michigan State.

Fralick: The thing that I remember that stood out the most that I learned from her is she made basketball really fun. The gym was really fun. We were always in there playing and she just made it a place that everyone wanted to be.  As you move on through a career in basketball it can get a little more serious. I think that a lot. You've got to find a way to keep the joy of the game in the gym.

Q: You mentioned you are just finishing up with youth camp. How much is that something you've tried to stress to those attending camp here or those you've worked prior?

Fralick: What we talk a lot about is great teams have great teammates.  The kids camp that we (had), what an opportunity we have to be great teammates in the community right now. I shared with our team as we go into the week they are going to get to coach kids and these kids are going to be in the stands and cheering for them and want their autograph. I always tell them to be somebody worth looking up to. We have a real platform and obligation in that to be somebody worth looking up to.

Q: I know summer workouts started. What has that been like actually getting to start the process of building what you want to build with this program?

Fralick: It's been fun. Having everybody back and getting into a routine and rhythm has been invigorating. They've been eager, they've been enthusiastic. It's new for everybody. They've really embraced it. I know we've got work to do. I always say you have building every day. People, when they ask you about culture, it's like culture isn't built in a day, it's built every day, right? Trust isn't built in a day, it's built every day. Just having an intentionality around that — it's like OK, are we building into those things, truly building into those things — each day and understanding that it does take time?

Q: What has it been like getting to work with a lot of the returners as they have gotten to know you and your philosophies and your system?

Fralick: I have a lot of respect for them. They've been willing to learn. I'm aware when you come in new — I always say new is exciting, it's scary, it's frustrating, it's challenging. It has all the elements, right? We're all learning in that. I've had a lot of respect for them because they come in and they've been eager and they've been willing to learn and they've been really receptive to it.

Q: You've talked about it's going to be a process and building with the way you have done things in the past. How unique is it for you to have someone like Jocelyn (Tate), who was with you at Bowling Green for a couple years and understands the ways you go about doing things?

Fralick: Jocelyn is a wonderful person. I think that's the most important part. She's great to coach and she's a great teammate. There's a piece to it where she has been able to be a bridge. She understands us because she's played with us for a long time and how we play and what we do. On the other side of that, her teammates have really embraced her. It's been cool to see them really embrace her and she's also been able to give a little bit of perspective of having played with us for a few years.

Q: You mention bridges, another one of those you have is Dean Lockwood, who finished last season as MSU's interim head coach. I believe your husband also played for him in college. What's it like to have someone like him around?

Fralick: He's been a great bridge. The things that stands about Coach Lockwood — he's a Hall of Famer. He's won two national championship, coached at all levels and on the men's side and women's side. I think what stands out the most is he has such a passion for serving. He wants to help people. He wants to help us, he wants to help the kids. We teach him — Coach (Maria) Kasza refers to him as LegenDeany. He has been a great teammate to us and the team.

Q: You mention Coach Kasza. You've had some continuity with a number of the coaches you brought with you here. How important is that continuity for you to have as you look to build something here with them?

Fralick: That's probably been the biggest difference I've seen from when we took over at Bowling Green to when we took over here.  When we took over at Bowling Green, we were all new to working together. Coming into Michigan State, we have a lot of experience together. That piece of the transition has been more seamless. I'm really grateful for that. There's a lot of things we need to do and we need to be able to move quickly in it and because there is such a good familiarity, that has been helpful in the transition.

Q: These days when you are out in gyms recruiting, you are wearing that Spartan logo. What's that been like for you?

Fralick: I just feel really honored. The Spartan head means something and I feel really honored to have this responsibility.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Robyn Fralick settling in as Michigan State women's basketball coach