Amber Branson is one tough basketball coach.
Shortly after coaching Lipan to a regional semifinal victory last Friday, Branson gave birth to daughter Leslie. And about 15 hours later, she was back on the bench guiding the Lady Indians to another win and the school's first berth in the Texas state tournament since 2003.
"I was pretty tired," Branson said Friday, a few hours before Lipan (27-9) played Neches (35-4) in the Class 1A Division II state semifinals, the division for the state's smallest schools. "I never felt like I couldn't do it. God's been good to me this week."
Branson knew such a scenario was possible if her team went deep into the playoffs. After her team won its regional semifinal, she went back to her hotel room to rest.
Having two children already, it wasn't long before Branson realized her third was rapidly on her way.
Branson made it to the hospital in Abilene shortly after 9 p.m. and gave birth about an hour later. Leslie came so fast she didn't give her mom time to get an epidural for pain.
"That was all part of God's plan. If I had the epidural, I might not have been able to make it" to the game, she said.
The hardest part was leaving baby Leslie at the hospital. But there was no way Branson was going to let her team play such a big game without her.
"I would have taken her with me if I could have," Branson said.
After the game, Branson went back to the hospital "to be a mom for a few hours" and rest. The Lady Eagles went to the hospital and took a team photo surrounding Leslie.
"They've been excited. They're just a great group of girls," Branson said.
Coincidentally, the team motto this season is, "If it's easy, I don't want it."
While still just a week old, Leslie made it to the state tournament. Branson plans to put a basketball in Leslie's hands at an early age and hopes to someday return to Austin to watch her win a state championship.
At the very least, Leslie is already part of Lipan lore.
"I guess she's making her own history," Branson said. "I hope we'll be back in 15 years to watch her play."
