COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Melanie Balcomb discovered quickly after her tenure as Vanderbilts womens basketball coach ended that she needed to get back into the game -- and fast.I found out early in the process that Im not a stay-at-home mom, said Balcomb, the 53-year-old mother of two preschoolers. I started thinking about what I could do, what I should do to stay relevant.Three months since her dismissal after 14 seasons at Vanderbilt, Balcomb joined coach Dawn Staleys program at South Carolina as an offensive, analytics consultant. The position, director of coaching offensive analytics, is for one season.Well see how it goes after that, Balcomb said Monday.Balcomb felt her relationship with Vanderbilt fading the past couple of seasons. She had led the Commodores to 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances since taking that job in 2002-03 before missing the field the past two years. Her only three losing marks in the Southeastern Conference came the past three seasons. Balcomb did not want to get into details about her dismissal, saying only: It was time.She wasnt sure what direction to take. She wanted to be home more for 5-year-old son Quincy and 4-year-old daughter Aleya and did not want the traveling another coaching position, head or assistant, might mean with recruiting.She considered TV -- Im pretty candid about stuff, she said -- with some colleagues and friends telling Balcomb she could be the Charles Barkley of the womens game if she stepped in as a game or studio analyst.Balcomb believes there will be time for that later.Almost as soon as she lost her job, Balcomb got offers to join programs as a consultant. Minnesota asked if shed consider consulting on defense, but that side of the game didnt excite her. It was offense where she wanted to impact the game and found a like-minded coach in Staley, who remodeled the point guard position during her Hall-of-Fame playing career.For Staley, hiring Balcomb was a no-brainer after competing against her as coaching rivals both in the Atlantic 10 coaching rivals for two years (Balcomb at Xavier, Staley at Temple) and then for the last eight seasons in the SEC.There is always room to grow professionally, Staley said.Balcomb believes that, too. She expects to grow from her time around Staley, assistants Lisa Boyer, Nikki McCray-Penson and Fred Chmiel.Balcombs new job will keep her at home during the season, something she wanted.What wont change is Balcombs instincts. She said she wont step on any toes, yet understands there will be moments shell want to frantically blow a whistle to stop practice or shout out instructions during a game when something breaks down -- and must restrain herself.Balcomb wont coach on the floor during games and is unsure if shes allowed a spot on the bench this fall. Still, shes is excited about whats ahead and seeing if her time at South Carolina can be a templet for other long-term coaches seeking to stay in the game.Everybody said `Whats next? Whats your next chapter? said Balcomb, whod like to be a head coach again. I dont think I couldve planned this better. Authentic Warriors Jerseys China .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Cheap Warriors Jerseys . Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. That means that Marc Bartra will probably start again in the centre of the defence alongside Gerard Pique. http://www.cheapwarriorsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=cheap-demarcus-cousins-jersey . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Jacob Evans Jersey . Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 15 race in an area packed with fans cheering the passing runners. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured, including at least 16 who lost limbs. Golden State Warriors Jerseys . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. LAS VEGAS -- Houston wide receiver Chance Allen has been suspended for Saturdays Las Vegas Bowl against San Diego State for a violation of team rules.Allen, a senior who started his college career at Oregon, leads the Cougars with six touchdown receptions this season. Allen ranks second on the team with 56 receptions for 815 yards.ddddddddddddSophomore Isaiah Johnson is expected to start in place of Allen.The Houston Chronicle was first to report Allens suspension. ' ' '