By Andy Matarrese
Many coaches at the University of Portland have a distinct advantage over their competition - the connection to the school and sport they gained as former student athletes at UP.
The experience coaches have as students and athletes creates a stronger bond between them and the programs they coach and lets them relate better to the athletes who participate in them.
Men's cross country Head Coach Rob Conner said his experience as a runner at UP gives him extra motivation to see the program he knew become better than it was.
"We were average when I was a runner here, and that motivates me to push the guys to be better now," Conner said. The men's cross country team has won the WCC Championship for 29 consecutive years, the majority under Conner's tutelage.
"I don't feel like I contributed as an athlete to making us better," Conner said. "(Coaching is) my long term effort to make up for my lack of training - my lack of discipline as an athlete."
In the soccer program, a lot of emphasis goes into continuing the tradition of the former soccer director, the late Clive Charles.
Bill Irwin, head coach for the men's team, did not play for the Pilots, but earned his degree in secondary education at Portland.
"All the coaches love the game and they know the philosophy led by Clive," said Irwin, who played professionally with Charles and came on to coach with him in 1987.
According to women's soccer Assistant Coach Lauren Hanson, an important part of Charles' coaching style centered not just on soccer, but life.
"I think those are the most important lessons Clive taught me," Hanson said, adding that one of her goals and the goals of the coaching staff is to continue that legacy.
Many of the current soccer coaches played under and were hired by Charles, who headed the men's and women's soccer programs from 1986 to 2003. Charles led both programs to 18 NCAA Tournament berths and to the women's soccer team's NCAA Championship win in 2002.
Hanson was a standout player during her four years at Portland, playing center back and helping lead the team to the championship in 2002.
After graduating, she was hired on to coach. Hanson, along with women's soccer Head Coach Garrett Smith and assistants Lisa Sari and Bob Baarts, played for the Pilots.
"When I was playing here, I always thought about coaching," she said. "I mentioned to Garrett that I wanted to somehow still be involved with the program."
Matthew Hollod, who played baseball for the Pilots and now is an assistant coach with the baseball program, has found that his knowledge of the school and the team has helped him in his recruiting.
"There's a right fit for everybody," Hollod said. He also played at the much larger University of Washington during his college career, and says that his perspective helps him guide potential prospects with their decisions.
"It just helps to know what the environment is like," said women's cross country Head Coach and 1995 Portland graduate Ian Solof.
According to Solof, recruits and parents appreciate his intimate knowledge of the school and cross country program.
"It gives you a little more credibility," he said.
Baseball Head Coach Chris Sperry came to the University of Portland in 1984 and played shortstop, second base, third base and catcher for the Pilots before graduating in 1989 with a business degree.
Sperry came to Portland interested in the school's academic pedigree and with the hope that he'd have a better chance to play here than at a larger school.
He was inspired to become a coach while playing under Carl Daniels, his coach when he played for an American Legion team in his teens.
"I knew at an early age I'd like to try to coach someday," Sperry said.
In 1998, after other stints coaching at other schools, Sperry was hired on the Portland staff, eager about the opportunity to coach a team at the Division I level and to get to coach at his alma mater.
Sperry said his experience as a player and student at UP helps him as a coach.
"I went through the successes and the difficulties that student athletes face here at the University of Portland," he said.
Many players appreciate the connection their coaches have with the school and athletic programs.
"It helps out a lot because he (Sperry) can give us advice on what we need," said freshman middle infielder and shortstop Riley Henricks, adding that the coaches know all the services for helping students and can tell their players where to go if they need help.
"I think it gives them somewhat of an edge and an advantage because they've been through the program," said redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Kelsey Davis.
The fact that much of the coaching staff knows the ins and outs of the school enables it to adapt and empathize more with its players, increasing the quality of support on and off the field.
"They just know the rhythm of the year," Davis said.
