NCAA trip brings familiarity for ESU program

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly

By Jesse Newell

Friday, March 14, 2008

CANYON, Texas — For one, it was a brief stop. For the other, it was a boyhood home.

For both Ida Edwards and Brandon Schneider, the return to the city of Canyon, Texas, brought about different emotions after the two arrived here for Emporia State’s first shoot-around on Thursday afternoon.

“To tell you the truth,” Edwards said, “I really thought I’d never come back here again.”

The junior forward enrolled at West Texas A&M two years ago out of junior college after being recruited by former WTAMU assistant Brett Schneider — ESU coach Brandon Schneider’s brother.

When Brett didn’t get the coaching job after his father, Bob, retired, Edwards asked for a release.

Brett gave her Brandon’s phone number, and Edwards transferred to ESU the second semester of last year.

“The girls on the team were pretty cool (at WTAMU),” Edwards recalled with a smile. “I don’t think they hate me.”

Though she never practiced with the team, Edwards still was familiar with the First United Bank Center on the WTAMU campus before stepping on the court Thursday.

Edwards had played pick-up games and also shot around some at the arena during her short time in Canyon.

“The gym’s pretty nice,” Edwards said, “so I’m ready to play in it.”

Edwards said that, familiar or not, her goal in Canyon would be to play well to help ESU advance.

“(West Texas) won the conference, they’re hosting the Regional,” Edwards said. “We’re just prepared to win anywhere, whether we’re here or not.”

As for Schneider, he grew up in Canyon while his father, Bob, coached at WTAMU from 1981-2006.

“We don’t have to ask anybody for directions (on the bus),” Brandon said, “because I know where we’re going.”

Though he has family and friends in the area, Schneider said that his main focus would remain with his team.

“I honestly haven’t thought about it one bit,” Schneider said of returning to his hometown. “I’m so concerned about Southwest Baptist that I really haven’t given any thought to it.”

Both Brandon’s parents — Bob and Barbara — will be at the games on Friday. The two also had lunch with Brandon after the shoot-around on Thursday.

“My family came to Kansas City (for the MIAA Tournament) and got to stay for about two hours,” Schneider said, “so I’m hoping we’ll maybe have an opportunity to stay here a little bit longer and actually spend some time together.”