Assistant coaches make meaningful contributions behind the scenes
Assistant coach Joe Kundsen is making his contribution to the baseball team.
October 17, 2017
While a team’s success is mostly attributed to the head coach and its players, assistant coaches and their contributions are often overlooked.
“Working for Coach Consiglio, he gives me the freedom and says, ‘Hey, I trust your knowledge of the game, fix what you feel is necessary,’” varsity baseball assistant coach Joe Knudsen said. “I have a lot of leeway with using my knowledge of the game with the varsity program.”
Knudsen, along with the many assistant coaches at the Freshman, JV and Varsity level are able to make positive contributions to their team without stepping into the spotlight.
“Coach Joe makes contributions on and off the field in an attempt to make the ETHS baseball program as strong as it can be,” senior baseball player Adam Geibel said. “Most importantly, he is always checking in on us, seeing how are lives are outside of baseball.”
While no two sports are the same, players across a variety of teams often agree on the fact that their assistants have very different relationships with them than the head coaches do.
“I think the bonds with all coaches are strong, but considering our position coaches are the ones that we spend the majority of time with, I’d have to say the relationships are stronger with assistant coaches,” senior football player Andrew Primous said.
Primous adds that while the head coach obviously makes all executive decisions come game time, assistant coaches play a vital role.
“I would say that I have a more laid-back, easy-going attitude, and I’m a bit more offensive-minded because I played more forwardorattackingmidfielderinmyplaying career,” girls soccer assistant Nick Gauna said. “I think that the players, especially at practice, see us as a good balance.”
This effort is definitely noticed by the players.
“I’m very grateful he joined the coaching staff,” senior girls soccer player Avery Ackman said. “While [head coach Stacy Salgado] does an awesome job, I feel as though he should be given a lot of credit as well.”
There are definitely significant contributions that assistant coaches add to their teams, but living in the spotlight isn’t one of them.
“I’m perfectly happy with the team getting credit or another coach getting credit, because I think ultimately it’s a team effort, so I’m perfectly fine with it,” Gauna said.
