Seton Catholic's Karen Self records 500th coaching victory

Karen Self had a 50-50 chance of getting her first basketball coaching job in 1992. Pretty good odds. And a pretty good hire by Seton Catholic in 1992.

"I was one of two people that applied," Self said.  "I was really stunned I got it."

Self had just finished a degree and a basketball career at Arizona State, where she was a very good player from 1988-91 and better known on that point as Karen O'Connor.

Twenty years later -- five state championships, three runners-up and 17 region titles later -- Self has reached another milestone. This past Friday night the 2011-2012 edition of the Lady Sentinels secured victory No. 500 for Self to go with all those other lofty accomplishments with a 68-30 win over Higley. Seton is headed to its Divsion II sectional this week as -- you guessed it -- the No. 1 seed. Self's record is 500 wins and 112 losses (.817 winning percentage).

Self is now one of only four girls basketball coaches in state history to win 500 games or more. She joins Don Petranovich (Winslow), Miner Webster (Highland and Gilbert), and Tom Bunger (Prescott, Mesa Mountain View and Gilbert) at that level. Petranovich and Bunger are retired. Webster and Self coach on.

"I've been very lucky to have a lot of great players come through Seton," Self said. "When I had Rosa (Bernasconi) I thought this is a once-in-a-lifetime player. Then there were the Wirths. There have been other players that aren't the marquee names. Like a Kayla Bustos or a Mary Placido. You can't win (titles) without them."

Webster, who has coached girls just a few years longer than Self, can't say enough about what she brings to the sport and kids.

"She is just great," Webster said. "She does things the right way. She has triplets and a family, has put  a lot of time into putting together a girls basketball record book for Arizona. I always see her at clinics..... She's always trying to better herself."

"She's great with kids. You watch her interact with her teams and you know her players love her. You have to admire her for all she's done."