2008 Woodie Awards
PSUC coaches hit the books
Dan Begnoche
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: Sports
Originally published: 10/9/08 at 5:31 PM EST
Last update: 10/9/08 at 5:50 PM EST
Put down your stat books and pick up your text books - it's time to head into the classroom with our Plattsburgh State head coaches.
PSUC guidelines for head coaches state that coaching responsibilities make up 75 percent of the coaches' workloads, leaving 25 percent to be filled by other tasks or positions related to the college. While some fill positions such as assistant directors, administrators and event coordinators, for many head coaches, this requirement is filled in the classroom.
Of the 12 head coaches at PSUC, six have chosen to teach classes at the college, with most revolving around, yes, sports.
Men's soccer Head Coach Chris Waterbury teaches three classes at PSUC: beginning tennis, theory and technique of coaching soccer and philosophy, principles and origin of athletics in education. As a tennis player in college, he feels that he has the proper background necessary for all three classes and sees a similarity in the two roles.
"Coaching is teaching, and vice versa," Waterbury said. "Both require patience, good communication skills and strive for good progression."
In his coaching class, Waterbury tries to instill the basic background and skills that a coach needs, both on and off the field.
"We try to focus on the general principles of coaching, from youth soccer all the way to the varsity high school level," he said. "We don't get into the complexity of the game that you would see on a college level, but try to touch on all aspects of the game that a coach deals with."
Men's basketball Head Coach Tom Curle, who teaches theory and technique of coaching basketball as well as coaching psychology, shares Waterbury's views on the duality of the two positions.
"The two terms are synonymous," Curle said. "The main objective in both is to improve skill level and achieve a goal."
Curle, like Waterbury, tries to show students the big picture of coaching and touch on all the facets of the position that a coach has to deal with simultaneously.
PSUC guidelines for head coaches state that coaching responsibilities make up 75 percent of the coaches' workloads, leaving 25 percent to be filled by other tasks or positions related to the college. While some fill positions such as assistant directors, administrators and event coordinators, for many head coaches, this requirement is filled in the classroom.
Of the 12 head coaches at PSUC, six have chosen to teach classes at the college, with most revolving around, yes, sports.
Men's soccer Head Coach Chris Waterbury teaches three classes at PSUC: beginning tennis, theory and technique of coaching soccer and philosophy, principles and origin of athletics in education. As a tennis player in college, he feels that he has the proper background necessary for all three classes and sees a similarity in the two roles.
"Coaching is teaching, and vice versa," Waterbury said. "Both require patience, good communication skills and strive for good progression."
In his coaching class, Waterbury tries to instill the basic background and skills that a coach needs, both on and off the field.
"We try to focus on the general principles of coaching, from youth soccer all the way to the varsity high school level," he said. "We don't get into the complexity of the game that you would see on a college level, but try to touch on all aspects of the game that a coach deals with."
Men's basketball Head Coach Tom Curle, who teaches theory and technique of coaching basketball as well as coaching psychology, shares Waterbury's views on the duality of the two positions.
"The two terms are synonymous," Curle said. "The main objective in both is to improve skill level and achieve a goal."
Curle, like Waterbury, tries to show students the big picture of coaching and touch on all the facets of the position that a coach has to deal with simultaneously.
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