# Sophie Cunningham Calls for Tougher Coaching in Women's Basketball

> Sophie Cunningham demands rigorous coaching for female athletes to reach full potential.
- Title: Sophie Cunningham Calls for Tougher Coaching in Women's…
- Summary: Sophie Cunningham demands rigorous coaching for female athletes to reach full potential.
- Keywords: sophie cunningham, women's basketball, wnba, coaching, athletes, accountability, ARY News
- Source: ARY News — https://arynews.tv/sophie-cunningham-calls-for-tougher-coaching-in-womens-basketball
- Author: Sher Muhammad
- Published: 2026-11-07T20:15:19+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: sophie cunningham, women's basketball, wnba, coaching, athletes, accountability, news
## Sophie Cunningham's Coaching View
Sophie Cunningham calls for tougher coaching in women's basketball to ensure athletes develop fully through accountability and critical feedback.

> Bring back hard coaching. I promise you, that is why all of us pros are where we are because we had coaches who truly cared about us, and loved us, and saw our full potential.
## Drew Hanlen's Coaching Approach
Drew Hanlen trains elite female athletes with the same intensity as male clients, stating they must be pushed to their fullest capabilities.

> You’re still a hooper. I don’t care if you’re a guy or a girl. I’m going to train you to my fullest capabilities.
## Reciprocity in Coaching
Effective coaching requires athletes to listen to criticism and take ownership of their development to reach full potential.

> But also, as athletes, you’ve got to take ownership of it, too. Like you can’t expect to be great and reach your fullest potential if you can’t handle someone correcting you…
## Robin Pingeton's Impact
Robin Pingeton, Sophie Cunningham's college coach, enforced accountability by making her work out on a stair climber for forty-five minutes despite a game the next day.

> I didn’t understand the situation. I thought I had done something good, only to receive this punishment. I worked out my anger on that machine. She was holding me accountable.
## Key takeaway

Sophie Cunningham urges tougher coaching in women's basketball to ensure athletes develop fully through accountability and critical feedback.