Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer breaks a bone in left arm

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Hall of Fame Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer jumped into a drill and took a charge in practice last week, and now she has a broken bone in her arm.

VanDerveer sustained a fracture on her lower left forearm near where it meets the wrist, and it happened in a practice session on New Year's Eve with the 15th-ranked Cardinal.

She stepped in front of 6-foot-5 Tess Picknell and fell backward, landing on the hand. The 61-year-old VanDerveer is furious at herself now, wearing a black splint all day that's getting in the way of her regular workouts and swimming sessions.

"I knew right away something was wrong," she said. "I'm so mad at myself and I feel so embarrassed. It happened. I'm competitive is what it is. I'm stupid."

VanDerveer waited to go to the emergency room until Thursday and quickly learned the fracture is non-displaced, meaning she won't need surgery or a pin inserted. She spoke of the injury to The Associated Press after Monday night's 55-44 win against Utah.

She called it a "60-year-old type of injury."

VanDerveer said the arm is swollen and still black and blue. She will wear the brace for 4 to 6 weeks at all times except when in the shower, with hopes of quick healing. She has another one to use for exercise.

"I'm being really disciplined about it. I don't want a cast. I want it to heal as fast as it can because it interferes with what I like to do," she said. "Tess apologized. I did it, I purposely took a charge. It was stupid."

Senior forward Bonnie Samuelson doesn't expect VanDerveer to be slowed for long.

"I doubt it," Samuelson said. "She'll be ready to go."

VanDerveer, in her 29th season on The Farm, said she once jammed a finger when Candice Wiggins grabbed the ball from her, said she knows better but her competitive fire gets in the way.

"I'm too old to be doing this," she said. "I don't need to be doing this. Sometimes I just do it, and I'm like, 'What am I thinking?'"