Sideline Coaches Program
Sideline Coaches Brochure in PDF Format
One of the special programs that Bucknell offers in order to enhance the student-athlete's overall experience at the university is the Sideline Coaches Program. The program is a truly unique initiative in Division I college athletics, and it includes the invitation of a member of the faculty, administration, staff or community by one of the 27 varsity teams. The participant has the opportunity to discuss the overall program with the respective coaching staff, including practice preparation and strategy for the upcoming contest. The sideline coach will attend a practice session where he/she will be introduced to the team and gain a truly unique insight into the relationships that exist between player-coach and player-player. In addition, the practice session allows the participant to learn coaching techniques, strategy, terminology and the athletes' true enthusiasm for the sport. The participant will then attend the actual intercollegiate contest itself and be a part of the total event from pre-contest to post-contest, through timeout discussions and halftime teaching-learning methodology. The purpose of the Sideline Coaches Program is to foster a better understanding by the faculty and administration of the roles played by coaches and athletes in the university's competitive intercollegiate athletic arena. The program was featured in the Jan. 19, 2004 edition of The NCAA News.
FACULTY SIDELINE COACH TESTIMONIALS "As a staff member that works "up the hill," I am a huge fan of our sideline coaching program at Bucknell. My latest experience as a sideline coach for the men's and women's swim team is a perfect example of why I feel that way. I was a "swimmer" in high school. So, when I went to practice as part of my sideline coaching experience I expected to be reminded of those days through the familiar heat of the pool and the smell of chlorine, but it was much more than that. When I attended practice, there was a sense of teamwork that reminded me of my most poignant student athlete memories. This energy and support was even more apparent at the meet I attended. It was never quiet, the stands were packed but it was the athletes who were constantly cheering for each other in every race, even exhibition races. This energy extended to the coaches, who often walked the length of the pool, stopwatch in hand, to check splits and yell encouragement. I even got an opportunity to pitch in and take some splits, which is not as easy as one would think.
"Swimmers often practice twice a day, the first being at 6 a.m. I didn't attend one of those practices but my sense is that there would be the same energy level that I saw during my time at the pool. We have wonderful student-athletes at Bucknell, and I'm always reminded of that especially when I get a chance to have a closer look."
"The essence of what we faculty at Bucknell do is teaching undergraduate students. Obviously, teaching takes place in and outside the classroom. What better way to get to know our students outside the classroom than to connect with them on their fields of competition, where so much energy, emotion and talent is expended. To have the opportunity to share those experiences with student-athletes is rare for many faculty at other institutions, but I think it is so much a part of the fabric of being a member of the Bucknell community. It is one of those things that distinguish us as faculty and as an institution."
"The most valuable part of the Sideline Coaches Program to me is the ability to experience an aspect of my student's athletic life usually invisible to the casual observer, whether it is a practice session or the coach's huddle. These are the moments that really allow me to understand my students' commitment to the team, and the overall role of athletics in their life at Bucknell."
"I have been a sideline coach for five different teams in the four years that I have been associated with this program. In all of these experiences, one theme remains clear: Bucknell's student-athletes are deeply committed to both their academic studies and their sport. I have seen student-athletes leaving practices not talking about what they just focused on for the past hour or two, but talking about the exam they need to study for or the group project meeting they need to attend. It is refreshing to be part of an athletic program that has its priorities in place." |
