Steve Doten, men's water polo coach, teaches the freshman seminar "Sport in American Society." (Jim Von Rummelhoff/UC Davis photo)
At UC Davis, coaches are at home on the field and in the classroom
It's no secret that most coaches also consider themselves teachers, helping their athletes improve skills for the betterment of the team. But UC Davis coaches take that a step further by not only teaching while on the fields of competition but also by teaching off them, delivering hundreds of classes to the general student body.
The philosophy of coaches as teachers has been a tenet of UC Davis for several decades and is so entrenched in the academic community that it was specifically mentioned as a core principle to be maintained during the university's future life as an NCAA Division I institution.
The philosophy will also help make UC Davis a rarity among Division I programs, whose coaches generally focus solely on their teams. At UC Davis, all full-time coaches — whether head coaches or assistants — also have teaching assignments that place them either behind a podium in a classroom or outside at a variety of venues, teaching everything from rock climbing to fly casting to badminton.
‘But the real popular classes here are the lifetime activities like rock climbing, table tennis, martial arts and archery. Our faculty is really good-natured and conscientious about training and learning new sports.’
Sue Williams, UC Davis Physical Education Program Director
Fulfilling the overall academic goal
According to Sue Williams, program director of Physical Education, the coaches are helping fulfill an important part of the university's overall academic goal.
"The campus asks coaches to contribute to the mission of the campus by being teachers in courses offered for units as well as in a competitive sport experience," she said.
And because the campus wants to provide a physical education program that's well-rounded and offers activities that meet student interests, coaches are expected to broaden their expertise. "All coaches can teach conditioning-type classes, such as jogging, exercise walking and weight training. But the real popular classes here are the lifetime activities like rock climbing, table tennis, martial arts and archery," said Williams. "Our faculty is really good-natured and conscientious about training and learning new sports."
For example, assistant head baseball coach Matt Vaughn learned rock climbing and taught three sections this past fall quarter. The new women's volleyball coach, Steve Walker, is learning the basics of fly casting from men's head track coach Jon Vochatzer to help meet a growing interest in the activity.
Freshman seminars and other popular courses
Coaches are teaching in the classroom as well. Men's water polo coach Steve Doten teaches a popular class titled "Sport in American Society." Other coaches teach freshman seminars and similar courses that help support a student's academic goals. And they are evaluated by an academic review for their effectiveness in teaching.
With all of their team responsibilities, it would seem coaches might not be enthusiastic about teaching, but Williams, who was a highly successful cross country coach for nearly 30 years at UC Davis, said it's a duty embraced by the coaches.
"The coaches we have find that an attractive aspect of the job," she said.
Tenth-year women's basketball head coach Sandy Simpson said teaching allows him to stay connected with the general student body.
"The plus side is your interaction with the students who are not student-athletes, and that's a blast," he said.
Head women's water polo coach Jamey Wright, who teaches a freshman seminar on "Sports and Law in America," agrees.
"It keeps your perspective fresh about what students at UC Davis are thinking and feeling and talking about beyond just athletics," he said. "I think it's an awesome opportunity for coaches to put their fingers on the pulse of the student body."