When Becky arrived at practice, the team had already begun warm up laps. Then came calisthenics. She had not instructed them to do this. The team knew that practice started in this fashion and that coach expects this of them.
This year, Becky Manson, senior sociology major, is that coach. She will graduate from USM in May and has already completed the coaching certificate program.
“I was thinking about teaching, because I want to work with kids, “Manson said.
Becky was the captain of the USM field hockey team last season. Now she coaches the Gorham High JV field hockey team. She is Coach Manson now and is using the education that she received at USM.
The coaching certificate is awarded after completion of an 18-credit program. There are four required classes and six credits of electives. A class on the Philosophy of Coaching, one on Coaching Administration and one on First Aid are required.
Manson recalled her experience with USM Baseball Coach Ed Flaherty in her Coaching Fundamentals and Philosophy class.
“Coach Flaherty is a tremendous motivational speaker,” she said, and his in-class tutelage helped her to motivate her own team.
The coaching certificate program was initiated at USM in the 1970s when the Gorham campus graduated mostly teachers. Now that fewer students go on to teach, it is almost essential for the aspiring coaches to participate in the program. All of the graduates that want to coach are no longer trained in education. The coaching certificate program is an important piece of their training if they are looking to instruct others.
In Field Hockey class Manson learned specifics on drills and had to instruct the class on how to perform them. In Coaching Administration, she learned the basics on how to put together a practice schedule and organize her team. With these two skills covered, Coach Manson can more effectively put together a weekly practice schedule and efficiently drill her team into shape.
“It helped a lot, to actually have to get up in front of class and teach,” Manson said.
She also knows how to check players for a concussion, when they have been struck in the face by a 70 mile per hour, high-flying ball. She has to be able to assess their injuries and make crucial decisions.
“Last week I had to make sure a girl’s pupils were dilating . and that she could tell how many fingers I was holding up,” Manson said.
The players also have to respect their coach and to be motivated by her. Becky knows that she has the respect of her players and says that it is not really something you learn in the certificate program. She said that it was something that she acquired through many years of experience with different coaches and teams.
All of the basic grounds for being a successful coach were covered in the certificate program and without the certificate it would have been difficult for Manson to have landed a job. She has the credentials and from here, with experience, her coaching will only get better. The jumpstart she got from USM.