ATHLETICS

Focus on Coaching

It could be just a coincidence that since the opening of Moulton Winder Field on October 9, 2005, the field hockey team has posted the second most wins (11) in school history in 2006 and started the 2007 season by knocking off St. Louis and the nation's No. 17-ranked Providence Friars.

It could also be coincidental that men's lacrosse is on the rise and recently signed a strong incoming recruiting class; or that men's soccer posted its best league mark in 14 years in 2006 and is picked to challenge for the America East title; or that women's soccer has made the America East tourney for two straight years. But it's doubtful.

"Quality facilities are critical to any Division I athletic program," says Director of Athletics Bob Corran. "They impact recruiting, revenue potential, and the ability to host league championships. The new field has made a remarkable difference for lacrosse and field hockey, and we are already seeing significant improvement in their performance. Other teams like soccer have also benefited by having a good, dry surface to use during times of the year that were previously too cold or muddy. These are the kinds of things that put us on a level playing field with our competitors. The gifts we've received to improve existing facilities and add new fields have been critical."

Moulton Winder Field, the state-of-the-art turf field that serves as the new home of the Vermont field hockey and the men's and women's lacrosse teams, was named in honor of Betsy and Stirling Winder and the late Reynolds E. "Rey" Moulton, Jr., of Manchester, Massachusetts, whose $1 million gift financed a major portion of the construction. Funding for the $2.6 million project was provided through private donors to The Campaign for the University of Vermont, including major gifts from an anonymous donor, the McKnight Foundation, the Goldfarb family, and the Reilly family.

"The new field has been a major selling point," says men's lacrosse head coach Ryan Curtis, who took over the program last year after playing seven years of professional lacrosse and winning a national championship as a first-team all-American at the University of Virginia. "It definitely helped us with our most recent recruiting class and allows our guys the ability to compete and train at the level of other programs. We didn't play one game on grass last year, so being able to practice on the same surface that you play helps tremendously."

Betsy Winder, mother of senior field hockey member Stirling Winder and standout in field hockey at Lehigh University, says she wanted to help make a new artificial turf field a reality to bring it up to par with other teams in the league. "You have to have a proper facility if you want to attract and retain the best student athletes," she says.

When Stirling Winder arrived as a freshman, UVM played the few home league games it had at Middlebury College with very few fans in attendance other than parents of players. She says the construction of the new field has given the team a major home field advantage due to the large crowds at Moulton Winder that cheered the team to five home wins in 2006. "We were one of the last Division I teams without a turf field, and now we have one of the nicest ones around," she says. "It has been huge for us in term of home games."

Beyond the benefits to the University, Stirling Winder says her stepfather, Rey, who passed away in 2006, would have been pleased to know that the Vermont High School Field Hockey State Championships are held at Moulton Winder as well as many other events drawing players from across the state.

"My stepdad would have been very pleased if he had known how much the entire state of Vermont has benefited from the field," she says. "I know my mom loves seeing how much use it's getting from everyone."

The push for other improved facilities is in full swing, in part due to the impact of Moulton Winder. Carl Lisman '67, chair of the Board of Trustees and an undergraduate when the new Patrick-Forbush-Gutterson complex was only a few years old, says its time to build a facility worthy of the growing student population (almost three times larger than the 3,400 students that attended in his day) and their seemingly insatiable appetite for recreation based facilities.

"It's pretty clear that UVM has outgrown its physical wellness facilities," says Lisman. "We haven't made any significant upgrades in four decades. It's time to consider what should be done about this. We're far behind our peers and competitor schools who have recognized that students need recreational facilities."

Lisman called for the creation of The Campus Life Task Force II (the first task force investigated the need for a student center) to look into the matter. The task force is chaired by Ian Boyce '89 and includes members of the faculty, staff, and trustees. Its charge: to determine the level of need for an activities center with a focus on the areas of event planning, health and well-being, college athletics, and student activities such as intramurals and exercise space.

Early findings of the Task Force point toward woefully inadequate facilities that are in serious need of an upgrade. A new facility, however, is seen as the best alternative and even a possible revenue generator.

Corran is confident that if the University builds it, students will come.

"We have one of the oldest and smallest arenas in Hockey East and the oldest basketball facility in America East," Corran says. "We believe that we could have sold 2,000 to 2,500 additional tickets for every hockey game last year and 1,000 to 1,500 additional tickets for many basketball games."

 

Focus on Coaching
Without quality recruits and top-notch facilities, the chances of winning championships at the Division I level are pretty slim. Without quality coaches, however, a dramatic domino effect often occurs that starts with a drying up of top-notch recruits, followed by losing seasons and drops in attendance at the facilities built to generate revenue for athletics and the University at large.

Although UVM coaches historically have been paid well below their coaching counterparts at other college programs, the Athletic Department has made great strides over the past five years to close that gap, thanks in large part to the support of private donors. Since the arrival of Athletic Director Bob Corran in 2002, UVM has hired a number of young up-and-coming coaches that the University was able to attract by stressing its many attributes and offering competitive salaries.

"Our two highest priorities are scholarships and staffing," says Corran. "These are two fundamental pieces to being successful. It's very simple. Good, quality people are in demand, and you have to pay them a competitive salary. That's something we weren't doing before and still have a ways to go."

Head coaching positions aren't the only area that has received a major boost from private donors. The addition of a handful of assistant coaches, three full-time staff members in life skills, and two full-time strength and conditioning coaches has also had significant impact — freeing head coaches to hit the recruiting trail while their assistants run practice, for example. The academic support and other forms of counseling provided by life skills staff has helped UVM post the highest overall grade point average in America East. And on-field performance has noticeably improved since the addition of the strength and conditioning coaches, according to a number of players and coaches.

"Without private support a number of these positions wouldn't exist," says Corran. "It's had a significant impact on developing new positions that we were lacking and that put us at a competitive disadvantage."

The support of private donors such as Charlie Zabriskie '53, has had an immediate impact on the entire department. The creation of the Charlie Zabriskie, Jr. Award for Coaching Excellence has proven a unique and dynamic way not only to celebrate the accomplishments of coaches and staff, but also to provide a monetary reward for outstanding coaching and staff support.

Winners at the 2006–2007 awards celebration included Gerry Cournoyer, (swimming); Jesse Cormier (men's soccer); Sharon Dawley (women's basketball); Nicki Houghton (field hockey); and Mike Lonergan (men's basketball). Staff award winners included: Steve Hall (custodial); Tim Lewis (campus recreation); Katherine McGinn (Victory Club); Muff Parsons-Reinhardt (physical education); and Wayne Thompson (equipment room).

"I want to drive the momentum forward for the entire athletic department with this gift," said Zabriskie when he announced his pledge. "I am hopeful that more potential donors might now step up to contribute as well." Zabriskie got his wish as a number of other donors have followed suit and supported the department in a number of ways. "I think one of the things we learned from this Campaign is that there are a lot of people who care deeply about UVM," says Corran.