College Coaches Part Two

College coaches have a lot to deal with on their plates: meetings, publicity, practices, games, meets, and so on. Many people are aware that they are busy; however, some coaches have a little more to add on to their list such as family time. LaKita Gantz, the head women’s basketball coach at Oakland Community College has a nine-year-old son with whom she makes plenty of time for and even schedules special things on the weekends, she said. Gantz said she brings her son to work with her so she does not spend too much time apart from him. “I’m happy to have a job where I can bring him; he’s with me the majority of the time,” she said. Some athletes may learn something from having their coach's family around at practices and games.  DanielleCrandall, a senior on the GVSU women’s basketball team, said via email, “Seeing her (the coach's)  family helps me personally to feel more comfortable. She(the coach) trusts her kids with us and that’s huge.” Crandall said she enjoys when her coach brings her family to practices. “I feel comfortable in this family and I would think that her immediate family feels comfortable with us,” she said. Follow the story on this Twitter page for more information.

College Coaches Part One

Student athletes are not the only ones on campus who have to worry about balancing their social lives, work, and sports. College coaches also have to find time in their schedules for families. Specifically coaches who have children at home. Grand Valley State University head women’s basketball Coach Janel Burgess said she has a 10-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl at home. Fifteen years ago she started coaching right out of college and has been learning how to balance time ever since, Burgess said. “As a student-athlete and a coach you always have to learn how to time-balance,” she said. MSU Director of Coaching Education Larry Lauer, an expert on coaching development said via email “(As a coach) you're not going to have as much time for family unfortunately so if the family is prepared it makes it easier. Also, the more you can involve the family in your team environment it helps them feel connected to what mom or dad is doing.” Follow more on this story on this Twitter page.