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FGCU basketball player spends time off court in middle school classrooms

Jen Conely has been a student-teacher at Bonita Springs Middle School since January

By KEVIN JOHNSON (Contact)

Sunday, April 8, 2007

It’s 2:20 p.m. on Tuesday.

In Room 15 at Bonita Springs Middle School, 19 pairs of adolescent eyes will be moving to their sixth period class in a moment, but for now all are fixed on Jen Conely.

The Florida Gulf Coast University senior who has spent the past two years playing a shooting guard and forward role on the women’s basketball team — one that went a remarkable 63-3 in that span — is now the center of attention as she stands in front of the room. Conely provides homework instructions about Civil War power point presentations that the students will be responsible for the next day.

Her final advice before dismissing the Advanced U.S. History class: "Have a good day, and no MySpace."

Photo by KEVIN JOHNSON / Banner

Florida Gulf Coast University senior Jen Conely instructs students in Mrs. Gordon’s grade eight history class Tuesday afternoon at Bonita Springs Middle School. Conely, a secondary education major and member of the Eagles women’s basketball team that reached the NCAA Division II championship game, has been a student-teacher at BSMS since January.

Since January, Conely has been a student-teacher at Bonita Springs Middle, serving under the guidance of eighth-grade instructor Liz Gordon.

As most of Southwest Florida became infatuated with the Eagles during their unblemished trek to the NCAA Division II championship game, Bonita Springs Middle adopted Conely as sort of a celebrity.

"After a game, they’d be like, ‘oh, you scored two points.’ They were keeping track," said Conely.

Faculty and students were glued to television sets for the final few games.

"When they’d show her on the news shooting a 3-pointer the kids would come back the next day talking about it," said Principal Joe Williams.

During the school’s daily announcements, updates were provided on the Eagles.

Jen Conely became a topic of hallway chatter, right up there with Xbox 360 and iPods.

"Did Miss Conely get any good shots in?,’ they’d ask," said Gordon. "She’s got a big fan club here."

So popular, in fact, that when Conely returned to Bonita Springs Middle following the tournament, she was presented with a basketball signed by her 155 students. Seeing all those young autographs proved to be the perfect remedy to sooth the pain incurred by the championship game loss to Southern Connecticut.

"It was awesome," said Conely. "It was a wonderful idea."

Conely teaches six history classes. For someone who fell in love with American history thanks to two grandfathers who served in World War II and a trip to Boston at age 13, every moment at Bonita Springs Middle is being cherished.

"At first I was nervous about coming to middle school, but I’ve been impressed with the kids. It’s been a lot of fun," she said. "I look forward to this every day."

So do her students.

"Even though we’re out of hand sometimes, she shows patience and still helps us with everything," said eighth grader Savina Custodio. "She’s a really hard-working teacher."

Which mirrors Conely’s two-year playing career at FGCU. After transferring from Lake Region State College in North Dakota, Conely quickly established herself as a scoring threat, especially beyond the arc. She averaged 10.1 points per game in 2005-06 and set the team’s single game scoring record - which still holds - when she poured in 36 points against Puerto Rico Cayey in just her third game in an FGCU uniform.

It’s a mark Conely is proud of, but would gladly exchange it for a national title.

"I’d rather trade that in for a championship," she said.

After graduating from FGCU later this month, the native of Warren, Minn., plans to return to her homestate and begin work on her master’s degree with a goal of becoming a middle or high school history teacher.

She won’t be making those famous high-arching 3s that seemed to nearly nudge the rafters of Alico Arena before slithering through the net. But Conely wants to stay involved in the game; she hopes as a high school basketball coach in Minnesota. Ice hockey and aquatics are definitely out.

"I’m one of the few people in the state who can’t skate or swim," said Conely.

Playing two years for Eagles coach Karl Smesko left quite an impression, one that figures to extend beyond her playing days.

"I learned so much from coach Smesko. He’s the best coach I’ve ever played for. He’s a genius. He knows the game better than (basketball inventor Dr. James) Naismith," said Conely.

Conely’s 133rd and final 3-pointer as an Eagle trimmed Southern Connecticut’s lead to three midway through the second half, but FGCU failed to forge ahead and lost its only game in 2006-07.

"It’s tough to look back. To lose that last game was really difficult. We had a great season, but it’s still fresh in our minds that we lost our last game," said Conely, who is second all-time in 3-pointers at FGCU. "A lot of the people were hyping our (quarterfinal) game against (North Dakota), saying that would be the championship game. Once we beat them, people looked at us as the favorites."

Including the students in Room 15.

"I thought they were going to win," said Custodio. "They tried their best. We’re all proud of the team and Miss Conely."