Coaching today: So much more than winning, losing 

Coaches are often judged by X’s and O’s, W’s and L’s. At Cornell, coaching goes far beyond what many people see on the competition venue. It’s also about recruiting student-athletes and preparing them for life. Recruiting at a Division III institution is a year-round effort that requires a whole lot of time, says Head Volleyball Coach and Interim Athletic Director Jeff Meeker.

“All of our coaches recruit locally and across the country, spending time at tournaments, recruiting showcases, and other events,” Meeker said. “We send thousands of text messages, make so many phone, FaceTime, and Zoom calls, and promote our programs on social media. We bring recruits to campus and go visit them in their homes. Ultimately, with all of the work we do, we are trying to bring student-athletes to campus who will excel in the classroom and in athletics and be engaged citizens on campus and in the community.” 

Once those recruits reach campus, even before they start practice, coaches begin another major role—mentoring.

“It’s a challenging world that we are sending these young people out into,” said Brent Brase ’90, head women’s basketball coach. “The rewards of being a coach are awesome. Part of being a coach is helping our student-athletes be in a better place in life once they leave here.”

How do coaches do that? 

Depending on the team, it can happen through community service, through fundraising, through creating a family atmosphere within the team, and with consistent and open communication.

“We have so many hats we wear as coaches,” said Jerry Frawley, head men’s and women’s cross country coach and assistant track and field coach. “It’s all about building relationships. I like to treat everybody with respect and make sure they know that I appreciate them. Recruiting is all about building a rapport with student-athletes and their parents and coaches.”

For many of the student-athletes, it is their first extended time away from their parents, so coaches step into that void to provide guidance and advice.

Jackie Sernek ’14, who is in her sixth season as head softball coach for the Rams, said coaches often take a parent role for their student-athletes.

“You have to let the student-athletes know you are there for them,” Sernek said. “They can call me anytime, whether they just need someone to talk to or it’s an emergency.”

Similarly, Head Men’s Basketball Coach Dave Schlabaugh tries to create a family atmosphere.

“I am more like the father figure to them and our assistant coaches are like big brothers,” he said. “We check in with them every day to make sure they are having a good day and everything is going well. A big part of the college experience is making connections and forming bonds.”

Schlabaugh also coaches at the Snow Valley Basketball Camp, one of the nation’s top camps, and has presented at the USA Basketball Coach Academy. Events like these can help in recruiting and add prestige to the program.

Coaches look for ways to actively engage their players in the community through service. Prior to the pandemic Cornell student-athletes representing all 19 intercollegiate sports averaged 2,000 hours of community service. Teams incorporate service into spring break competition trips or even international team trips. Some have adopted local families in need or raised money for cancer research. 

Former women’s basketball player Kat Schilling ’13 says Coach Brase gave the team truly remarkable connections with Mount Vernon youth.

“It was through this outreach that I realized how important team chemistry and connections are,” she says. “Seeing the impact our team had in the community empowered me to go into education at Cornell. I am confident in saying that the Cornell athletic experience and the cohesion of our team created from Coach Brase set me up for success in a multitude of ways.”

Recently alumni who played for the Rams were asked to recount their favorite memories. Few of them mentioned games or competitions. Many instead recalled relationships with teammates and coaches.

It’s that family atmosphere that All-American volleyball player Kathleen O’Connor ’13 recalled: “The major difference between Cornell athletics and other schools was that it was a family. Everyone supported each other and their future endeavors.”

So while those wins are important, it is the atmosphere developed by the coaches that forges a new kind of family, the Ramily—and the bonds that Cornell student-athletes may remember most. 

Matthew Levins has been a sportswriter for over 30 years at The Hawk Eye Newspaper in Burlington, Iowa.