AU Coaches Present 'Coaching 101' to Campus Community and Fans
Feb. 7, 2008
WASHINGTON - American University Head Men's Basketball Coach Jeff Jones, Head Women's Basketball Coach Melissa McFerrin, Head Field Hockey Coach Steve Jennings and Head Volleyball Coach Barry Goldberg held a panel presentation Thursday morning in Bender Arena's Kettler Palmer Lounge as part of President's Inauguration Week. The presentation, entitled Coaching 101, was put on to educate members of the AU community about the intricacies of coaching at the collegiate level.
"Today was an amazing opportunity for the university community to get a snapshot of all the strategy that goes into putting a Div. I team together," Athena Argyropoulos, AU Associate Athletics Director and Coaching 101's creator, said. "Those who were able to attend today now have a better idea of the technology, strategic planning and decision making that goes into coaching and molding young people's lives. We also wanted to bring to light how we educate our student-athletes while trying to build leaders and competitors to enhance their overall experience at American University."
Keith Gill, AU's Director of Athletics and Recreation, kicked off Tuesday's program with an introduction of each of the coaches before handing the microphone off to Goldberg who lectured the audience on the financial considerations of coaching at the Div. I level.
"One of the important pieces of this coaching job that I have and take very seriously is the money that I get to do this," Goldberg said. "The money that is involved in the university bringing a player here, the money it takes to travel across the country to play teams and all the money that is spent on all the things that we do is a serious part of my job and in fact I consider it the most important part of my job."
 Athletics Director Keith Gill, Volleyball Coach Barry Goldberg, Field Hockey Coach Steve Jennings, Men's Basketball Coach Jeff Jones and Women's Basketball Coach Melissa McFerrin  |
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McFerrin took the microphone next and detailed her team's weekly preparation for games. McFerrin highlighted the fact that during a normal week her basketball team plays twice and really only has two days to prepare for an opponent. To compensate, McFerrin's coaching staff begins scouting an opponent a week in advance and as soon as one game is over the entire coaching staff is handed a comprehensive report on their next opponent. McFerrin has also created a unique way in which her team prepares with video, splitting the squad into three separate scouting teams and holding each team responsible for breaking down tape of one opponent.
Jones wrapped up Coaching 101 with a detailed explanation of the recruiting process for his men's basketball team. Jones explained the many pitfalls and intricacies of recruiting and told the crowd not to worry if the process sounded complicated to them because, well, it is.
"Recruiting is about getting an advantage within the rules," Jones said. "It's about finding out how the decision is going to be made and who is going to be of influence. Is it going to the high school coach, is it going to be the AAU coach, is it going to be the mom, the dad, that's what is important for us. The decisions on where a student-athlete will go to college are made very early on in their career and if they haven't committed by the end of their junior year then there is something wrong."
Coaching 101 was broadcast live on Eagles Vision All*Access and is still available in the Eagles Vision archives. To view Coaching 101 or to sign up for All*Access, click here. Coaching 101 can be found under the heading T.V./Radio Shows in the General Videos section.
A photogallery from Coaching 101 is also available by clicking here.
