How Harpeth Hall basketball coach Amy Josephson's chip on shoulder could benefit Honeybears

Nashville Tennessean

COOKEVILLE – Amy Josephson admits she likes to carry a chip on her shoulder. She likes the bulletin board material. Anything the Harpeth Hall girls basketball coach can use to tap into her team's psyche and pull out the intensity she needs, Josephson is willing to go there.

The Honeybears have adopted that stance and used it throughout a season that came up short of a state final appearance after a 56-46 loss to Knoxville Catholic (20-12) in the TSSAA's Division II-AA BlueCross Girls Basketball Championships semifinal Friday at the Eblen Center.

Josephson had the perfect gift just before Christmas when Beech invited the Honeybears to participate in the Beech Holiday Tournament. Josephson noticed Harpeth Hall was listed first and took it personal.

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"I looked at these kids and said 'they don't put you first in their own tournament if they don't think they can beat you," Josephson said. "I said lets just go out and win three straight games. And we did."

Josephson is trying to re-establish Harpeth Hall's program. This marked the Honeybears first state tournament appearance since 2016 and the program hasn't won a state title since 2005. But it's led by a coach that has now taken three different schools to the state tournament.

Jospehson led Moore County to the Class A state tournament in 2018 and guided Riverdale to the 2019 state semifinal in her first of three years with the Lady Warriors. That team was ranked seventh, nationally, by USA TODAY.

Her self-described five-year plan at Harpeth Hall is in its second year and the Honeybears have already turned the corner. Harpeth Hall had win streaks of 11, seven and nine games this season, coming off a 2021-22 season in which it finished 15-14. The 25 wins this season are the most since 2004-05.

Amy Josephson, far right, head couch of the Harpeth Hall Honeybears, shouts plays to her team during the division II semi-finals at the Hooper Eblen Center in Cookeville, Tenn. on Mar. 3, 2023.

"It's completely different," senior guard Anna Echols said about the program, after finishing with eight points and eight rebounds Friday. "It's not the same team and not the same environment. Coach J has built something here that will last. It's unbelievable."

Josephson is confident this season isn't just a one-off.

"It's just growing what we have," she said. "And having the Harpeth Hall community embrace basketball again."

Reach sports writer George Robinson atgrobinson@gannett.com and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.