The ONU athletics department is getting some new faces this year in the form of new assistant coaches. The addition of some new coaching to the staff should have a good opportunity to give their teams a leg up on the competition.
One of the new coaches to come to ONU is Katie Robinson, the new assistant coach for the women’s soccer team. I sat down with Coach Batman, head coach for the ONU women’s soccer team, to see how she has become a valuable member to the coaching staff. While she was still an athlete, she played at a high level, which gives her insight into how to place well; she also understands the professional side of coaching so that it all stays organized. Coach Batman told me that so far Ms. Robinson has been a very valuable asset to the team, bringing refreshing new ideas that could bring new opportunities and advantages than prior seasons. According to Coach Batman, having a person who has an outside look towards how the team operates will also give them some insight into how they can improve for each game. Another talent that is essential for any coach to have is a good chemistry with their team, if their season is going to go as smooth as possible. Coach Batman told me that so far that Ms. Robinson has had good chemistry with the team, allowing her to become more effective when coaching them.
An addition to the ONU football coaching staff is Patrick Lambert who hails from St. Cloud, Florida, before going on to the University of Cincinnati to play football, as well as doing an internship in strength coaching. He too is bringing some new ideas to help the team make it big. His plans are to utilize an in season strength program in order to prevent injuries, maintain muscle mass and strength, without generating muscle soreness. He came to ONU because he felt that the football program was very good and the team had a lot of enthusiasm and a willingness to become better, which he is hoping will be enough to achieve his goal of breaking into the top 25 and making in the playoffs.
Finally, we come to Glenn Scheutzow, the new defensive coordinator for the ONU football team who hails from Parma, Ohio. His goals for the team are to get them to become a unit, working towards a common goal while the coaches moderate the team to keep them on the right track. He chose ONU over other schools because he felt that he could have success in coaching here because of his prior affiliation with the school, he could help guide the team to success. Before he was a coach Scheutzow was a scholarship athlete while attending Northeastern University, giving him valuable experience with a successful team which he has used invaluably in his coaching career. Since he has started with the ONU coaching staff, he has seen that the team has some talent in defense, although they are rela- tively young, yet enthusiastic. With his experience, the defense can be improved and guided to make them a force to be reckoned with among the other schools in the conference. His ultimate goal for the season is simple yet very ambitious, being able to win every game. With this years coaching staff, along with this year’s team, that goal may be within reach.
The school year has barely begun however we have seen dome dramatic changes unfold within the realms of ONU athletics, changes that are turning out to be very favorable. ONU has always had an outstanding athletic presence but with the influx of new coaches, new ideas and new players, this year is turning out to be well worth the price of admission. Will the Polar Bears dominate the field this year? It’s going to be an exciting trip to see if they will.