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September 28, 2000Former Basketball Star Bachis Now Academy AD
By Dan McKay
Journal Staff Writer
For the first time in about 25 years, Taryn Bachis is expecting to spend October off the basketball court.
The former Eldorado High basketball star and longtime Albuquerque Academy coach has a different challenge awaiting her this fall: She is the academy's new athletics director, a job that will focus her attention on administration, not jump shots.
"How I deal with it I don't know," said Bachis, 40. "I'm going to have mixed feelings. When I sit and watch the first basketball practice or game, I'm sure I'll take it pretty hard."
Basketball has been a huge part of Bachis' life since she was 15. She played on Eldorado High School's first girls basketball team in 1974 and was later named a Parade All-American. The team had a 74-4 record during her playing days.
Bachis also starred at the University of New Mexico and Kansas State University in the early 1980s, excelling in both basketball and softball.
She has a bachelor's degree from Kansas State and a master's in sports administration from UNM.
"I would do everything all over again," said Bachis, who spent about 14 years as a girls basketball coach at Albuquerque Academy. "Being involved with basketball has made me who I am today."
Female athletes today have more opportunities, especially with the rise of women's professional basketball, Bachis said.
"It's exciting to me to see that more and more young girls are getting involved in basketball," Bachis said. "The level of talent has really increased tremendously since 1974."
If there's a former newsmaker you would like us to track down, contact Ellen Marks at 823-3842 or emarks@abqjournal.com