Not surprisingly, it is impossible to slide, push or even pound Christy Henderson into a niche. The multi-faceted Blessed Sacrament Huguenot girl’s basketball coach is also the school’s assistant athletic director, Physical Education instructor, the mother of three very young children and the wife of the Knights’ head football coach, athletic director and math instructor, Mike Henderson.

But accept the one fact that she has chiseled into the granite of her psyche and it is then possible to peel back the layers of her personality and begin to understand what makes Christy Henderson tick. Every thing in her life starts and ends with Katie, Faith, Matt and Mike.

“I can’t imagine not having my family. I don’t know what I would do with out them. A woman changes her role as she gets older and it’s amazing how great it is. My family is my most prized possession.”

Considering this passionate commitment, it is truly fascinating what else she has been able to cram into her life.

Kristy is funny, a trifle shy, a fierce competitor, compassionate, a perfectionist, modest and a pragmatist all rolled into one 36-year-old, six-foot-tall package. Answers for her don’t come in one-idea statements.

Life offers too many choices for her to even come up with one favorite food.

“I really like to eat pizza, but I love ice cream, no particular flavor, but you know what is really great? Italian Ice. I grew up on those. Did you know you could get them here now? ”

What will she be 20 years from now? “I’ll still be six foot tall,” she laughed. “I’ll still be married, with three kids and still coaching basketball. I love it. All of it.”

What would she like to be 20 years from now?

“One proud Momma,” was her instant reply.

Kristy grew up in Aston Pennsylvania, a West Philadelphia suburb. As a senior at Sun Valley High she was named a Parade All-American and was awarded a full basketball scholarship to the University of Richmond.

“Those are my two proudest achievements, other than Mike and my children,” she said. She also holds a Masters Degree in Sports Management.

Her philosophy of management, at all levels, has changed over the years. The juggling act of time management has forced this revision in her thought processes.

“I used to think about the future all of the time. Now for me, the future is the next day. When it’s over, it’s over. I didn’t use to be that way.” But still she wrestles with her desire for perfectionism. “I like to be good at what ever I do and my real strength in coaching is as a stickler for the little things, the basics. There are times when I wish I had just another ten minutes to commit to correcting one of the girl’s problems or teaching a new skill.”

Her senior captain, Devon Batterson, disagrees.

“She makes the best out of any situation. She is the best coach this school has ever had.” Her personality on the sidelines has also changed or has been changed by the type of team she can put together each year.

“I’m a very caring person but I’m also highly competitive. I have always been able to relate to my girls, now I’m learning how to be patient”

This emotional balancing act has been a difficult process for this fired-up competitor although she admitted “we played board games, Connect Four and others during the Christmas holidays and I was really quite civil.” She laughed. “Christmas was very peaceful. Come to think of it Christmas was awesome!”

Kristy doesn’t necessarily evaluate her nine years at the helm of the girl’s program in terms of wins and losses.

To put things in perspective, BSH has the smallest enrollment and, consequently, talent pool in the Virginia Commonwealth Conference.

“It’s the simple things, teaching and learning the basics that have been so satisfying and we’ve had a lot of success for such a small school.”

The reward is the greatest when “the girls are happy to win and when my kids come back to see me and keep in touch after they graduate.”

How do these thoughts translate into a personal philosophy of life?

“Be the best person, parent and role model you can. Every day is part of the journey. You don’t want to look back one day and say ‘I wish I had done that.’”