What are the challenges assistant coaches face that not many people realize?
It is the balancing act of being a head coach for the JV team, but also an assistant coach for the varsity team. As an assistant coach for multiple sports, I go from volleyball, straight into soccer. So it is definitely a little more challenging, leaving one sport and finishing up a season while preparing to get to know the girls for my next sport.
How would you describe the difference between your role and the head coach’s role?
I’m there to support the head coach in any way, whether that be equipment needs, sending emails, paperwork or driving the bus.
What’s the most underrated part of being an assistant coach?
Being a JV head coach, they are not as talked about. They aren’t in the spotlight. My teams have done great on the JV levels, but they do not get the recognition like a varsity team does. The past season for volleyball the JV team were district champions and two seasons ago the JV soccer team went undefeated. However, not many people know that because it is a subvarsity.
How do you complement the head coach’s style, decisions and workflow?
I listen and I’m there. For example, if [coach Craig Able] is picking up cones for a drill to set up, I would say ‘Hey, how can I help you? Do I need to mirror this on the other side or let me take those cones and I’ll set up this drill for you?’ I’m just there, anytime he turns around or he is looking for something. So it is about always being ready to help out wherever that is.
What is one moment you wish you would never forget?
I never want to forget winning state last year with the varsity soccer team because that was something that these girls have worked so hard for. You could just see it every day in practice; that was their goal from the very start.
What are your coaching strengths?
Being a JV coach, I focus more on fundamentals. The head coaches set the tone for what type of offense they want to run, how they want to run it, the defense, and they see the big picture. Whereas a subvarsity coach we focus more on the technical skills and the fundamentals. So I definitely think that is more of my specialty.
Assistant coaches often do many different things. What is the most unexpected task you have taken on?
You never know what you are going to get pulled to do. I may get called to walk a girl to the car because she got hurt, call a parent, drive a bus at the last minute for something, or coach a different team because another coach can not be there for something. You just never know, there are a lot of unexpected moments.
What have you learned as an assistant coach that you did not expect?
I have been a head coach, an assistant coach, a middle school coordinator for a lot of years. But the best thing I learned is all the different types of coaches and head coaches and their different styles, how they talk to kids, how they interact with kids, how they want to lead their team, the different types of goals that the head coaches set and just their style of play and what their coaching style is.
What are the most essential responsibilities of assistant coaches?
We have to take things off of the head coach’s shoulders. The assistant coach can drive the bus or keep the stats so that the head coach can focus on the game. There are so many behind the scenes things that people do not even think about and take into consideration that assistant coaches do like laundry, organization of the closet for all of our equipment and all of our uniforms. A lot of times, Coach Able and I would go into the office and reflect on practice and how we can improve.
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