When former VSU assistant coach Chandler Merkerson was packing up her office to follow Carly Kuhns to Samford, she had a hunch that she would one day return to Valdosta as head coach of the Lady Blazer basketball team. "I knew I wasn't ready to be a head coach when Carly left, but I also knew that when the time came when I was ready, that Valdosta State was going to be where I wanted to be". That hunch turned out to be accurate as Merkerson was named head coach of the Lady Blazers in April, replacing Deandra Schirmer who had left Titletown to take the head job at Tennessee-Chattanooga. Merkerson comes to Valdosta State after spending a year as associate head coach at her alma mater, the University of North Florida. Prior to that she spent four years at Samford and was a part of a program that won two Southern Conference titles.
Merkerson almost didn't make it to Valdosta State for the assistant job as she was set to take a position at Florida International when VSU called at the last minute. "I had interviewed at VSU and FIU and really wanted the Valdosta State job under Carly. The FIU search was further along, and they offered me the job. I was on the Florida International campus to sign my contract when Carly called to offer me the VSU position," explains Chandler. "The conversation I had to have with the FIU coach to explain that I was not going to join their staff was one of the toughest talks I have ever had but it certainly ended up being the right decision for me", she adds.
Chandler grew up playing basketball with friends in her neighborhood as well as in recreation leagues, but it wasn't until high school that she had any thoughts of being able to play in college. "One of my friends had a basketball goal before my mom bought one for me, so we would play every afternoon. Having two goals just provided more opportunity for us to play. I was taller than everyone else and my game started improving the more we played but it was high school before I realized that I might be able to play college ball", says Chandler. Her Hialeah HS (FL) coaches moved her from center to point guard and Chandler led her team to a state playoff final four appearance her sophomore year. After high school, she signed with North Florida and unfortunately, that is when the injury bug bit. Three knee surgeries in four years limited her playing time but planted the coaching seed. "I really was only able to play my senior year due to my injuries but the time I had on the bench watching and studying the game and talking to my coaches opened my eyes to the possibility of coaching," says Merkerson.
Chandler says her time at VSU as an assistant was an invaluable experience for her. "VSU was the first time I had experienced a championship program and culture not only from a talent perspective but how you recruit, how you practice, what you do daily—it was just a real education. It was my first time seeing success and the amount of work it takes to have success. I learned how important relationships were both within the athletic department and the community," says Chandler.
Relationships and the opportunity to help young people figure out who they are, where they want to go and what they want to do are Chandler's favorite things about coaching. "I obviously love the basketball part of coaching but being able to help our players build their confidence and see them accomplish their goals is really special".
When asked about what has surprised her the most as a first-time head coach, Chandler says it is the number of decisions she must make daily and how tired she is after practices. "There is nothing that can prepare you for the number of decisions that have to be made daily. I thought I understood all that head coaches are responsible for, but boy was I wrong. I have also been surprised by how exhausted I am after practice. As an assistant, you are maybe only concentrating on one aspect of the practice schedule but as the head coach your focus is on everything. I love it though. It's great fun to work on putting the pieces of the puzzle together."
Chandler counts that first Southern Conference championship at Samford as her favorite athletic moment. Her family is extremely important to her, and she is excited to now have her older sister and niece living in Valdosta. The people and the local restaurants are part of what makes Valdosta special to her.
Her hobbies include pickleball and building Lego sets. "Doing the Lego sets is soothing and gets my mind off of basketball," says Chandler. Several of her Lego projects have exceeded 2,000 pieces. Some of the projects she keeps and some she gives away. Her current Lego project is a bird.
Merkerson is excited about her first Lady Blazer team. "I'm really excited about this team. They are a fun group with lots of different personalities. I really think our fans are going to enjoy getting to know them". According to Chandler, Lady Blazer fans can look for a team that will push the ball when the opportunity presents itself and pound the paint in the half court set throwing the ball out for open three's when the defense collapses. On defense she says VSU will be disruptive but disciplined. "This team is going to work hard, play hard and our goal is to continue the Lady Blazer's tradition of success," says Chandler.
The Lady Blazers will open the season on November 8th against Palm Beach Atlantic. That game was to be played at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg as part of a crossover tournament with the Sunshine State Conference. However, the game location is to be determined due to hurricane damage on the Eckerd Campus.
