A Pen And A Napkin Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode #322 Dawn Thornton

A Pen And A Napkin Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode #322 Dawn Thornton

Author: Martin Plum April 16, 2026 Duration: 1:00:52

Some people call her "The Diva Coach", but I think it's safe to say that we should just call Dawn Thornton a winner! Coach Thornton has led Alabama A&M's women's program to multiple 20 win seasons and is our guest for episode #322. We discuss a variety of topics, including her growth as a coach and as a person, the recruiting landscape and how her program is adjusting to it, offensive transition, gap defense, and her connections to the HBCU universe. A really fun conversation with a terrific basketball coach!


Imagine a whiteboard session after a big game, the kind where strategy gets scribbled on whatever's handy. That's the spirit of A Pen And A Napkin. This weekly conversation lives at the crossroads of sport and creative thinking, diving deep into the art of coaching basketball. Each episode feels like pulling up a chair in a gym office, listening to the nuanced discussions about player development, offensive sets, defensive adjustments, and the philosophy behind building a team. It’s less about Xs and Os in a vacuum and more about the why-the human elements and the creative problem-solving that define the craft. You’ll hear authentic breakdowns of game situations, reflections on leadership, and practical ideas that often start with a simple sketch. Think of it as a portable mentors’ roundtable, a clinic distilled into conversation, offering perspectives that resonate whether you’re on the sidelines or just appreciate the deeper layers of the game. Tune in for a podcast that captures the ongoing, ever-evolving dialogue at the heart of coaching.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

A Pen And A Napkin
Podcast Episodes
A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #290 John Thompson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:37
John Thompson, the longtime men's HC at North Carolina Wesleyan, comes on the pod this week to discuss a variety of topics! Coach talks about his career, his influences, the importance of basketball to his state of North…
A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #289 Brandon Henderson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:46
Really excited to have on the "Guru of the Post", Coach Brandon Henderson from Riverside Prep (CA) high school! Coach Henderson goes through alot of stuff in this podcast, including his journey as a coach, taking over th…
A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #288 Matt Thomas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:05
Really excited to have Matt Thomas, the new boys HC at Highland (MO) high school! Coach Thomas is a veteran coach who is looking to get the Highland program back to where it was in the recent past, so we will discuss tha…
A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #287 Derek Keizer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:22
I'm really excited to bring to the world episode #288, which features Derek Keizer, the head boys basketball coach at perhaps Iowa's most storied boys program, Western Christian (Hull). In this episode, Keizer details hi…
Episode #286-Summer Roundtable [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:24
It was a great night at Wine 121 with new Ralston boys HC Tom Krehbiel, Omaha Roncalli boys HC Chad Mustard and Elkhorn boys HC Nick Thompson to chat about a bunch of different topics, including summer goals, things that…