2008 Woodie Awards
Former Athletes Gain Experience as Student Coaches
William Allison
Issue date: 5/6/08 Section: Sports
For some student-athletes, the end of a playing career doesn't always mean leaving the team. For three former players at Ottawa University, that chance to stay with their team was kept alive through coaching.
Anni Quarando finished her playing career in 2006 for the Lady Brave's soccer team where she was a conference champion and team Co-MVP. Quarando said she went to head coach Craig Shaw because she knew he was looking for an assistant and was already in Texas helping with the recruiting process.
For Iris Elfink and Brandon Smith, they also took the opportunity to approach their coaches in offering their help for the team. Elfink finished her softball career in the spring of 2007 with a conference championship and all-conference honors; Smith finished his football career in the fall of 2007 as both an all-conference player and an All-American and both wanted to remain with their teams.
Although all three had the passion to be a student coach, they have had different experiences with making the transition from being a teammate to a coach.
"On a personal level, being away from home, girls would come to me, asking questions on how I dealt with things. I really appreciate the fact that I was the one they would come to," Quarando said.
Quarando said that because the team was so young a lot of the players weren't her former teammates and the she could build on her own experience and learn about the new player's playing abilities.
Elfink has found the process of moving between the two roles to be a little more difficult.
"It is hard. I know I'm still a student. I can't be around them when they're doing certain things. It's a personal choice. It's hard to differentiate between the coach side and the friend side," Elfrink said.
Smith has taken the approach of using his friendship with his former teammates to teach them as a coach.
"Most people respect me because I have been there. I treat them as friend. They see what I have accomplished and they want to accomplish more," Smith said.
Anni Quarando finished her playing career in 2006 for the Lady Brave's soccer team where she was a conference champion and team Co-MVP. Quarando said she went to head coach Craig Shaw because she knew he was looking for an assistant and was already in Texas helping with the recruiting process.
For Iris Elfink and Brandon Smith, they also took the opportunity to approach their coaches in offering their help for the team. Elfink finished her softball career in the spring of 2007 with a conference championship and all-conference honors; Smith finished his football career in the fall of 2007 as both an all-conference player and an All-American and both wanted to remain with their teams.
Although all three had the passion to be a student coach, they have had different experiences with making the transition from being a teammate to a coach.
"On a personal level, being away from home, girls would come to me, asking questions on how I dealt with things. I really appreciate the fact that I was the one they would come to," Quarando said.
Quarando said that because the team was so young a lot of the players weren't her former teammates and the she could build on her own experience and learn about the new player's playing abilities.
Elfink has found the process of moving between the two roles to be a little more difficult.
"It is hard. I know I'm still a student. I can't be around them when they're doing certain things. It's a personal choice. It's hard to differentiate between the coach side and the friend side," Elfrink said.
Smith has taken the approach of using his friendship with his former teammates to teach them as a coach.
"Most people respect me because I have been there. I treat them as friend. They see what I have accomplished and they want to accomplish more," Smith said.
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