I was talking with someone the other day about the coaches at USC Salkehatchie and this person asked me , " Why would a coach want to be at USC Salkehatchie?" I thought about this and without hesitation I said, "Because he has a love for the sport he coaches and for the players he coaches!"
I know that sounds like the perfect response for a sports information director but I truly meant it. I've had the chance to sit down with every coach at USC Salkehatchie and learn things about them personally outside of work.
I have learned about their life experiences before they arrived at USC Salkehatchie and each and every one of them have interesting stories. I have learned that many of them coach at USC Salkehatchie because they love the small school atmosphere. I found out that one of our coaches enjoys being able to learn every players name, something he would have been unable to do at a larger institution.
I told my friend that just because a coach comes to a smaller university, it doesn't make him any less of a coach. In fact it makes him special, our coaches have to deal with their kids everyday, they have to learn everything about them and they have to be more than coaches, they become the kids family away from home.
I watch the coaches as they interact with their players on a daily basis and it astounds me how much they actually care about their players. I have heard coaches ask players, have you had something to eat today, are you studying hard, have you spoke to your family lately? I have gained more respect for EVERY coach we have at USC Salkehatchie than I had even for my own coaches in my playing days and that is saying a lot.
I know that I have several parents read this blog and I want to thank you for your nice emails. It is scary for students when they first journey away from home and it is often scarier for their parents. I wanted to let you the parents know that your child is cared about here at USC Salkehatchie. I wrote in a post recently that I had often heard USC Salkehatchie is a "family", I can attest to it now because I am now part of the "family".
