From basketball to cross country, coach and player connections are the key to a successful season. Even though FHC has a wide selection of coaching staff, the overall mindset tends to remain the same. A player’s character is the number one priority no matter what.

Girls basketball coach Hayley Leake explains the importance of a coach who genuinely cares about their player.

“I think student-athletes want someone that cares about them as people and is willing to listen,” Coach Leake said. “Not only on the athletic side but just in general and be willing to help them try to find ways to reach those things in their lives.”

Junior Riley Henderson has become very familiar with the coaching style of Coach Leake, as she has been a member of the FHC Girls basketball program for many years.

“Coach Leake is way more than just a basketball coach to me,” Henderson said. “I don’t have one specific thing that has impacted me the most, just her presence in my life in general has shaped me as a person and my high school experience.”

The importance of having a strong relationship between coaches and players is seen throughout the athletic department. Coaches who connect with their players are able to leave a lasting impression, making their team both better players and better people. 

One of the new cross country coaches Ryan McCoy, places importance on forming a connection with his players, as he had a coach while he was in high school who prioritized him as a person first.

“I enjoy the interactions with the students. You get to see them in a different light,” Coach McCoy said. “[Athletic connections] are more of a get to know you as a person.”

Coach McCoy finds the best way to resonate with his players is by getting to know each individual as a person before understanding them as an athlete.

Head wrestling coach Jacob Mattson, shares this sentiment with Coach McCoy, as he also chose to be a coach because of his own experience.

“I had a coach who had an incredible impact on my life,” Coach Mattson said. “I don’t think I would be where I am without Coach [Steve] Cross.”

Coach Mattson advises anyone planning on being a coach to take their role seriously, and to form a genuine connection with their players. 

“You’re not only coaching the sport, you’re also coaching life lessons. You’re coaching athletes to become adults,” Coach Mattson said.

Coaches of all experiences tend to prioritize the connections between players over the capabilities of said players, in order to create a team that can work together outside of the game. A young athlete’s interest in a sport can be ruined by a bad coach; however, a good coach can create an environment that turns their curiosity into a significant part of their life.

“Our athletic department is person over player,” Coach Mattson said.