The School of Melvin

Chasity Melvin makes no secret about the fact that she likes to take young players under her wing. As she enters her 11th season in the WNBA, Melvin says the youthful enthusiasm of her new students -- Crystal Langhorne, Bernice Mosby and Tasha Humphrey -- has energized her.

"It's been refreshing," Melvin said. "Everybody just automatically listens because they want to learn and that makes my job easier. I feel like they have a high respect for myself and [Nakia Sanford] there's no real intimidation factor. When they're watching it keeps us on track in practice, if we get tired we want to keep going to set a good example for them."

While this has been a competitive training camp with just 11 roster spots up for grabs, Melvin said the environment is not overly hostile. Players "have a healthy respect for each other," she said, and are trying to learn more than backstabbing each other for a potential leg up in a position battle.

When it comes to Crystal Langhorne, who told me yesterday she's constantly receiving advice from Melvin, the veteran wants to help her younger counterpart relax.

"I watched Lang a lot last year," Melvin said. "For all the rookies it's a learning experience coming into the league, especially Lang she was here in D.C. and that's a tough situation. It's not that she went to Phoenix, L.A. or San Antonio where things are pretty set with older players. ...That load of her having to come in and be what she was for Maryland right now was tough, and it doesn't have to happen yet. She can just play her game. ... She's the type that needs to feel loose when she plays and I want her to be. I don't want to put any pressure on her."

Speaking of Sanford, longtime Mystics fans may recall that before Melvin was traded to Chicago at the beginning of the 2007 season she was Melvin's back up. When DeLisha Milton-Jones was injured during Melvin's first stint with Washington from 2004-07, it was Sanford who paired up with Melvin in the paint.

Melvin mentored Sanford back then, but is grateful now to have another seasoned player to help guide the Mystics' younger posts.

"I tried to help Kia out a lot when she was my backup just like Lang now," Melvin said. "She found out it was a little bit different as a starter -- I couldn't teach her everything, she had to learn that by herself -- but now she has that under her belt. We can really say we have two different vets inside and I think that's really going to help the team."

Currie Searches for Consistency
I'm working on a story for tomorrow's paper about Monique Currie, who has impressed the new coaching staff with her dedication in training camp. Currie's Achilles' heel has long been her streaky nature. She'll play well for a few games, then trail off for several, or alternate performances back and forth. And Currie is ready to eliminate that reputation.

"I know in order for the Mystics to be successful I need to be a consistent presence on the court," Currie said. "I want to take responsibility for myself so that they'll know what they're going to get day in and day out from me.

"This is my fourth season. I'm almost a vet, I'm basically a vet on this team," Currie continued. "I have a home here with this team and I know I can really get comfortable and contribute the way I know I'm capable of."

Terps vs Dookies
Of course considering the attention that's been paid to Marissa Coleman's blog about the "Dookies," I had to ask Currie more about what it's like playing with some of the old ACC rivals. There's some good natured ribbing going on most days but everything has been pretty harmless -- so far.

For some background, today was christened 'Terp Day' at Verizon Center as Maryland Coach Brenda Frese and her staff took in the Mystics' practice.

"It's a red invasion in here today," Currie said with a laugh, confirming that fellow former Blue Devil Alana Beard did try to trip up Coleman. "The comments go back and forth about how they shouldn't have won a championship and they did, things like that. ... We haven't done anything much yet but the year's still young. We've got time."

By Katie Carrera  |  May 27, 2009; 2:43 PM ET
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