The physical plant is much different from when you were in school and when you were coaching here. Have you had any time to assess the favilities and what you might like to see?
There was a several-phase study done on improvements to the College, and part of that was on improvements to the Athletic
Department. [Professor of Physical Education] Dave Thompson has already passed that on to me. My quick assessment is that there are some needs. There are three or four facets to your question, John. One is the ability of coaches and staff to do their jobs as efficiently as possible—the office/classroom/meeting space needs.We are more spread out here than at any school I’ve ever worked at.
No. 2 is the ability to meet and interact among coaches, staff and teams. If I have 45 lacrosse players and the only place we can meet is in our locker room, I have kids sitting up and down benches between lockers. I can’t be eye-to-eye with every one of them, and they can’t be eye-to-eye with me. That creates a very different dynamic in a meeting. And I think the same thing holds true with the staff.
No. 3 is the recruiting environment.We need an environment where a coach can feel comfortable having parents and their son or daughter visiting the campus.We need to have a place that’s not sitting out in the open foyer between the Alumni Gym and the hockey rink. There has to be a better setting.
And to take it a step further, eventually, if those recruits come here, they end up alums.We need a central location for celebration,
for gathering, for camaraderie, for commiserating — for whatever you want to term it that day.We need a central focal point for alums, parents, guests of the Athletic Department and friends
to gather. And currently I don’t see a viable location for that, either.
I’ve addressed all those issues, and we haven’t even gotten to a single playing surface. I don’t think it would be fair for me to address that at this point.
[ TAYLOR ]
Hamilton has a long and rich tradition in lacrosse that you have been a part of. Is there any chance we may see you on the sideline as an assistant coach?
Isn’t this one of those questions that people always try to dodge? Would I love to do it? Yes. Do I think that I’ll have the time to devote to it and do it justice? Probably not.
