Tuttle’s Carla Ballard & Jett Jobe
By Bryce McKinnis
VYPE: How many years have you coached?
Jett Jobe: This is my seventh year in coaching.
Carla Ballard: I have been teaching for 24 years, 16 of those I was coaching. Ketchum three years, Miami two years, Lincoln Christian eight years, Tuttle three years.
VYPE: How many years at Tuttle?
JJ: This is my third year at Tuttle.
CB: When we first moved to Tuttle my husband was taking the head football job and there weren’t any girls basketball openings at that time, so I just taught for eight years. In 2022-23, I took an assistant coaching spot for three years and this will be my first year stepping back into the head coaching role.
VYPE: Do you teach? If so, what subject?
JJ: Algebra I.
CB: I teach High School weightlifting and High School PE.
VYPE: As you approach opening night, how is your team shaping up?
JJ: We’re starting to figure out what our style is going to be and playing together. We don’t get our entire team until football is done, so we’re approaching it as one game at a time and playing hard for the guy next to us.
CB: We are still waiting to have our full squad in the gym. Our volleyball and softball teams had successful seasons, so those girls are just now transitioning back to basketball. We are looking forward to putting all of the pieces together as we will have a couple weeks of practices before our scrimmages start up! We return three starters off of last year’s team and we will look for them to fill big roles for us. We had a handful of players get valuable time this summer at camp. It will be important for us to continue to get them experience with our scrimmage schedule and we believe they will be ready to fill roles and contribute.
VYPE: What can we expect to see from the Tuttle Tigers/Lady Tigers this season?
JJ: We’re going to play fast, play extremely hard on defense and be the most physical team on the floor.
CB: Our team will look to play tough, stingy defense, win the rebounding battles and push the ball in transition trying to put pressure on the opposing defense.
VYPE: What’s unique or special about the community of Tuttle?
JJ: Sports at Tuttle are very important. People come to support the kids. Kids watch at a very young age and grow up and know how important it is.
CB: Tuttle is a very special community to be a part of. The people here love to get out and support these kids in whatever they are doing. We are blessed with great resources from our school and administration, as well as booster clubs and parents willing to help our programs with whatever we need to be successful.
VYPE: What do you hope your student-athletes learn from you?
JJ: I hope they learn that whatever they face in life they are able to handle any situation. Then to have fun and approach everything matters!
CB: I hope the student athletes I’m around learn to give their absolute best every day for the good of the team; to have a true WE over ME attitude.
VYPE: What is the greatest lesson your student-athletes have taught you?
JJ: I think to have fun! Basketball was created to create relationships and to have fun.
CB: The greatest lesson I have learned over the years from student athletes is that “‘they don’t care how much I know until they know how much I care!
VYPE: What components/values are necessary to a successful coaching staff?
JJ: Togetherness is a big one. Aligning ourselves to make sure we’re on the same page.
CB: I think it’s important to provide each coach a lane to run in where they can contribute, thrive and grow! This brings a sense of value and unity. As a staff, it is our goal to coach our kids every day with the same energy, enthusiasm and attitude that we want back from them.
VYPE: What advice would you give to a young coach?
JJ: Have a growth mindset. Never settle for thinking you know everything.
CB: Be willing to invest: in your players inside and outside of basketball, your school, make connections across the district and draw people towards your program and your community. Find ways to connect your players with the people who support them.
