By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Mia Augustavo-Fisher’s first season leading the Bishop Blanchet girl’s basketball program marked the beginning of a new chapter for the longtime Seattle-area coach. After spending eight years at Lakeside School, including guiding the Lions to a runner-up finish in the 3A girls state tournament last season, Augustavo-Fisher took over the Bears program this year and helped the team compete in one of Washington’s toughest leagues while making a competitive run in the postseason for the first time in many years.
The transition also signaled a fresh start for both the coach and the Bishop Blanchet program as they worked to establish a strong foundation in the Metro League.
Augustavo-Fisher said the decision to leave Lakeside after nearly a decade was not easy, but she felt it was the right time to pursue a new opportunity.
“I just felt like it was time to move to a different place with a different set of opportunities. 8 years is a long time, but I don’t see my move as a negative thing at all. I still talk to the families, kids, and the Lakeside community on a weekly basis and I will continue that,” said Augustavo-Fisher. “But it was a good time to branch off into something different, and I am super appreciative for the family that I gained at Lakeside that I still have to this day.”
While there are a lot of high schools in that area that could have been a good option for Augustavo-Fisher to transition over to, Bishop Blanchet felt like the right next step.
“They have a great sense of community that I really enjoy. Also, my father in-law had passed and he was a former coach,” said Augustavo-Fisher. “We feel closer to him by being there. But I wanted to make sure as a family, but also personally it was the right fit for me too and it just seemed like a lot of things added up and made sense there.”
Once she arrived at Bishop Blanchet, Augustavo-Fisher said her first priority was building relationships with her players and their families.
“To form those relationships. I love coaching and I love getting to know the players that I am going to be with, and their families. Before you even teach you have to understand everyone’s mindset, their goals, and who they are as people,” said Augustavo-Fisher. “A big reason I moved from Division 1 coaching to high school, is the impact aspect. And I am extremely grateful to be their coach.”
Transitioning to a new program also meant navigating unfamiliar territory. Augustavo-Fisher said she approached the move with an open mind as she learned more about the team and the Bishop Blanchet community.
“I was so familiar and accustomed with how things were at Lakeside, but I had to have an open mind and try to figure it out, and the main thing for me is that I want my players to get to know me personally and vice versa,” Augustavo-Fisher said. “They’re both private schools, both in Seattle, so there are major similarities, but I think the people there make it very special.”
When asked to describe her new team’s personality and strengths, Augustavo-Fisher answered with one word: “fearless.”
“We had like five elimination games in a row, so they are a fearless group, and they are willing to put their hearts on the line. When the going gets tough, they are going to fight and I love that about them,” said Augustavo-Fisher. “And of course when we are in a performance base environment its awesome to be like that. It is a great life lesson for them. When diversity hits, they are not quitters, they are fighters.”
Augustavo-Fisher says one of her main goals as a coach is to connect with players while still challenging them to improve.
“I like the players that are ambitious but also like to be challenged. I want to be a player’s coach, and I want to be a coach that can adapt,” said Augustavo-Fisher. “I want to be known for a coach that can meet you where you are at and still make it fun but challenge and push you in a way so at the end of the day you feel like you earned it.”
At this stage in her career, Augustavo-Fisher said that she simply loves coaching and the energy that she gets from youth.
“I love the lessons that they teach me, I really enjoy it. And hopefully in a year or years later they know that they can call me and I will be there. And that piece alone really gets me going [and motivated to continue coaching],” said Augustavo-Fisher. “I think the high school level, especially in this area, is increasing and I want to be utilized as a strong and positive resource that can help them reach their goals.”
Even though their season ended early than expected before reaching the Tacoma Dome, Augustavo-Fisher believes that this first season at Bishop Blanchet was a success.
“Our success was just competing on a regular basis. In the Metro you have the top teams and coaches in our league, and we competed, closed out games and won throughout the year,” said Augustavo-Fisher. “Going to Bellevue College was a huge mark of success because they hadn’t been there in, I think, three years. So, I think we were able to reach that certain level of success this year. But if we don’t make it to the Tacoma Dome, I don’t think anyone could take away our successes this year.”
