From Laser Tag Marshal to Dawn Staley’s Bench: The Inspiring Journey of Coach Wendale Farrow
Wendale Farrow’s rise through the coaching ranks wasn’t traditional—it was tenacious. After graduating from Eastern Michigan University in 2009 with a communications degree but no set direction, Farrow returned home to Sacramento and took a $6.75/hour job at Country Club Lanes bowling alley. “I didn’t know you had to prepare to get a job after college,” Farrow joked. “I thought you just got one because you got a degree.”
From hosting laser tag games to making pizzas and scrubbing bowling shoes, Farrow did it all—while helping care for his mother. But after she passed away in early 2010, Farrow felt adrift. That changed thanks to a conversation with his former EMU coach, Charles Ramsey.
“He wasn’t my best player,” Ramsey said, “but he was my most reliable. He understood our philosophy, led the team, and had a knack for teaching—even as a player.”
That reliability and leadership opened the door to Farrow’s new chapter: coaching. Ramsey offered him a spot as a graduate assistant, saying, “We’re gonna kill two birds with one stone. You’ll get your master’s and see how much you like coaching.”
From EMU to the SEC: A Coaching Career Takes Flight
Coaching “chose” Farrow, he admits. “I wasn’t productive stat-wise. I wasn’t going pro. But I loved the game, I had a mind for it, and I stayed in the coaches’ offices learning every day.”
That passion carried him from EMU to UCLA, where he served as video coordinator under Cori Close. When Close called Ramsey for a reference, he didn’t hesitate:
“I told her, ‘You should’ve hired him yesterday.’”
From there, Farrow’s journey took him to Vanderbilt, Cal, and USC—working with players like Destiny Littleton, a former Gamecock. “He puts players in the best positions to shine,” said Littleton. “He pushes you without burning you out. He’s the coach you want in your corner.”
And now, at age 37, Farrow is the newest assistant coach on Dawn Staley’s legendary South Carolina staff, replacing Winston Gandy, who took a head coaching job at Grand Canyon.
Perfect Fit in Columbia
“Off the court, he’ll dance with you, do TikToks with you,” Littleton said. “But when it’s time to work, he’ll push you to be your best.”
Farrow agrees:
“I try to be the coach I wanted when I was 18 to 22. I like music, food, dancing—but when we step between those lines, it’s all business.”
Looking Ahead—But Focused on the Now
Though many believe Farrow is destined for a head coaching role, he’s not in a rush. “Whatever soil I’m in, I want to grow from it,” he said. “Coach Staley is going to water me in ways that prepare me for that next call. If I do my job here, I’ll be ready.”
With Staley’s track record of grooming elite assistants, it’s likely only a matter of time before Wendale Farrow’s name is etched onto his own program’s door. Until then, he’s focused on helping South Carolina chase more championships—and helping shape the next generation of stars.
Not bad for a guy who used to run the laser tag booth.
