The coach reinforced that constantly. Donovan's direct, caring style went over well with the team, says Machanguana, who had played under Donovan when she was an assistant coach at Old Dominion. It's a great thing she was a player. She never forgets you're a person. A good example is how Donovan treats players who are injured, Machanguana says.
Some coaches simply check in with the trainer about the player's condition.
Early on, the two key players who bought into Donovan's ideas were co-captains Staley and Stinson. Huge, says Sting assistant coach Cheryl Reeve. They are the personality of this team. Collectively, they have a list of accomplishments that could wallpaper a den. Stinson has been the heart and soul of the Sting since its inception, and Staley has played on two gold-medal winning US Olympic teams.