It’s fair to say that no great athlete ever got to the top of his or her field without a few coaches helping along the way. Often a coach or a PE teacher is the first person to help athletes discover their skills and develop them to their full potential. Even if a player doesn’t become a professional athlete, that person can thank a coach for teaching important life lessons. Do you have what it takes to become a coach or a PE teacher?
ONE JOB, MANY RESPONSIBILITIES
Coaches work with a team or with individuals. Your job is to teach athletes the skills they need to succeed. In the case of a team coach, you are also responsible for getting the players to work together as a unit. Coaches work with players regularly, sometimes every day in the case of those on a school team during the season. You are also present during competitions, guiding players.
Many coaches work for schools. In addition to coaching a sport after school, most school coaches also work as teachers. While some teach subjects such as social studies or math, others make sports part of the teaching job as well. A PE teacher spends the day introducing children to games and sports. The goal is to teach children healthy habits and get them to become active. Working as a PE teacher and a coach is a perfect blend.
Coaches are also responsible for safety. Coaches and teachers need to make sure students have the right equipment and know how to use it correctly. Coaches also stress safety by teaching students how to play confidently, follow the rules, and use the correct techniques when playing a sport.
Motivation is another big part of coaching and teaching. Some students may enjoy playing but not be willing to put in the hard work they need to do to succeed. A good coach or teacher motivates students to go beyond what they expected in order to achieve their best. As most coaches say, physical training isn’t the only part of being an athlete; psychological training is important too. With motivation comes discipline. Coaches have the tough but rewarding job of instilling discipline in students. Why else would athletes do drills and exercises over and over again, even in bad weather or when they’re already exhausted after a long day at school?
Name: Kristof Schroeder
Age: 21
Job (when not studying!): Football player, recent graduate of the University of Puget Sound, Washington
Dream Job: Future coach
What sports have you participated in and when?
When I was in the fifth grade, I began playing organized basketball at my middle school. We played against the other Catholic schools’ teams in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. The teams I played on were successful, for the most part. However, I really wanted to play football. My parents didn’t let me play until high school. I started playing my freshman year. Because I was busy juggling football and my musical endeavors, I stopped playing basketball. In the spring, I started track and field. I ran the 400 meter dash, but I wasn’t very good, and I wasn’t enjoying it, so I started throwing the javelin. I improved greatly at the event, and I continued to throw until my senior year. I also continued with football, and I lettered twice, in my junior and senior years. I was also a member of my conference’s all-conference team my senior year as a first-team member. I continued playing football at the collegiate level. I have also played one season in Austria, with the Salzburg Bulls, and I will play this summer in Finland for the Kouvola Indians.
Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.
Dan Gable
AMATEUR WRESTLER AND COACH
What are you doing now in terms of education/sports participation?
I just finished my collegiate career. At the moment, I am training and getting ready for my season abroad in Finland.
How did you get started in sports?
I got started in sports when I was very young. My father always taught me about football, basketball, and baseball. I guess you could say I was bound to start playing at some point.
What do you like best about sports?
I am a huge fan of the competitive nature of sports. There’s nothing better than watching a football team march down the field to avoid going to overtime and scoring the game-winning touchdown or watching two great basketball teams duking it out until the final buzzer. In terms of actually playing, it’s great when, no matter the result of the contest, I can look my teammates and coaches right in the eye and be able to say I gave my all for them. Competition is great.
Do you plan to stay in sports for a long time?
I am very sure that sports will always be a part of my life. This coming football season in Finland will most likely be my last season as a player, as I feel there’s not a whole lot more I can do on the field as a player. I can do a lot as a coach however. I will always want to coach, whether it is at the high school, college, or professional level.
What are your career goals and dreams?
Assuming I am able to coach, I want to give my players the same feeling I got when I stepped on the field, especially when I was part of a winning program. There’s no greater feeling than knowing you are completely prepared to play against an opponent. I want that feeling to drive my players and get them to a championship level. Through their hard work that I will push them to do, I want them to feel as if they are unstoppable. But being unstoppable means that the players have to have a humble attitude. A team can’t be cocky. It’s kind of like the Teddy Roosevelt quote: “Speak softly, and carry a big stick.”
What advice or tips can you give young people thinking of a career in sports?
I would tell young people to listen to their coaches. No matter how respected or hated a coach might be, that person is always providing some sort of learning experiences. Some of the best lessons and motivation came from the worst coaches I ever had. A good coach sets a great foundation for a future coach (or person in another athletic-related career). Then one can build on that foundation. Lessons learned indirectly from a bad or less-respected coach can be used in order to determine what not to do in the future. It’s really important to pay attention to your coaches.
Please describe your experiences playing and coaching in Europe. How is the sports scene there different than it is in the United States?
Playing in Europe was definitely one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. I made many new friends along the way. Playing there is definitely completely different than it is here. There isn’t as much of an emphasis on sports in Europe as there is here in America. Still, those who are involved are very passionate about what they do, especially the die-hard American-football guys. The speed of the game is a lot slower than in America, and at times, it was hard to get all the guys at practice, even though practice was only twice a week. Football is a club sport over there. That means the guys have to pay for their own equipment, which is expensive. They don’t get paid anything, and teams rely heavily on commercial sponsors. Still, the players are passionate about the game, and they probably love it more than we do over here. There’s a great environment for football over there, and it’s slowly starting to build. There is great potential for football to become a major sport in the European athletic scene.
Training to Coach and Teach
People who want to coach, especially in a school environment, need to follow a specific area of study. Most school coaches have at least a bachelor’s degree, usually in education or in the specific subject you want to teach. In addition, many coaches and teachers have master’s degrees in coaching, counseling, education, or psychology. Teachers need to be certified, and many places require coaches to be certified too. Each state has different certification requirements. You can get information from your guidance counselor or career counselor or from the teachers you have when you go to college.
To prepare for college and a coaching or teaching career, high school students should take health courses as well as science courses, such as biology and anatomy, in order to learn about the human body. English and speech courses are also important, since a big part of coaching and teaching is communicating with students. Participation in gym class and after-school sports is a huge plus. Along with studying, you can gain valuable coaching experience by volunteering or helping out local teams.
The Green off the Field
There is a wide variety of salaries in the coaching and teaching professions. Someone who is coaching an Olympic athlete or a major league team is making a lot more money than someone coaching a youth league basketball team or a swimming class at the YMCA. Many teachers receive a salary for teaching along with extra pay for coaching at the school. As one of our profiled teacher-coaches, Tony Mellino, whom you’ll hear more from soon, said, his annual salary “sounds good per hour, but for all the time I put in, it probably amounts to about fifty-eight cents per hour!”
Name: Joseph Lofberg
Job: PE teacher, R. P. Connor Elementary School, Suffern, New York
Why do you love sports?
I love sports for many reasons. It has provided me many opportunities and life lessons. Here are just a few things I love about sports:
2. Leadership
3. Hard work/the payoff
4. Disappointment/leaving you wanting more
5. Sports allows me to dream big
6. Pride/ownership in something
7. Accountability
Why do you think it’s important for young people to get involved in sports?
I feel it’s important for children to get involved in sports for the exercise as well as for the competition itself. It’s important for children to learn how to win and to lose. Sports provide young people the importance of teamwork, leadership, and how to work hard. In sports, you are accountable for your mistakes.
What is a typical day like for you?
I wake up about 6:00 AM and help my wife get our kids ready for the day. My wife is a teacher as well, so we have to drop the kids off at day care before we go off to work. I teach morning gym class for an hour before school starts, and then I work my normal class schedule throughout the day. After school I go off to coach ice hockey at night. I typically get home about 6:30 PM.
What education did you pursue to get a job in this career?
At the State University of New York at Oswego, communications with a minor in coaching. At Montclair State University in New Jersey, master’s in education.
What work or volunteer experiences helped you gain experience and contacts as you moved up in your career?
I’m a big believer in giving back. I’ve done volunteer work with the Reach Foundation of Suffern, which provides educational funding for schools, as well as for the Suffern Ice Hockey Program and the Christmas toy drive sponsored by the local police department’s DARE unit. These experiences helped me to give back to the town and to work with people who have a passion for what they do. I really believe that the pleasure of volunteering and helping others and meeting such wonderful people helped me to move up in my career.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Kids always come into school or my class with a smile, which in return makes me smile.
What’s the most challenging thing about your job?
The most challenging thing about my job is making sure that each kid is engaged. Each lesson needs to be geared toward all the kids in the hopes that they take something away from the lesson.
What sports did you play as a kid?
Many sports, including ice hockey, baseball, lacrosse, and soccer.
What advice or tips can you give young people thinking of a career in your field?
Do what you love and don’t settle. I love kids and sports, and as a PE teacher I get to work with kids and teach what I love. Also, it’s important to educate yourself not only in the classroom but through real-life experiences.
This ability to conquer oneself is no doubt the most precious of all things sports bestows.
Olga Korbut
GYMNAST
Do you plan to stay in your career for a long time? If not, what do you think you will do after your career is over?
I plan on being a PE teacher for my whole career. I have a love for it and don’t see myself doing any other job.
What demands does your job put on your personal life? How do you deal with them?
There isn’t enough time to fit everything I have to do into one day, and my job also takes away time I can be with my family.
FROM PLAYER TO COACH
Even major league ballplayers want to be coaches. For twenty-three years, Omar Vizquel played shortstop in the major leagues. He was a terrific player, racking up eleven Gold Gloves (a prestigious fielding award) and earning a .985 fielding percentage—the best fielding percentage by a shortstop in major league history. When Vizquel retired in October 2012, many people expected him to go home to Seattle and spend time enjoying his hobbies, which include painting, sculpting, and photography. Instead, Vizquel became a minor league infield instructor for the California Angels. His job: to teach the fine points of fielding to new players.
We’re prepared, and we’ve done everything we can to prepare for this moment in time. That’s what confidence is all about.
Lisa Fernandez
SOFTBALL PLAYER AND COACH
Vizquel relishes his new role. He sees it as a stepping stone on his way to possibly managing a team someday. Most of all, Vizquel enjoys helping younger players and being around his beloved game of baseball. “The baseball world is the best work that a man can have,” he said. As for being a coach, “I think it’s awesome. I think it’s just like going back to high school, when you had to be a teacher or a leader and a good role model for them. You are there for them to help them out. I love to teach. I love to pass my knowledge to other people, so maybe they can be a solid major league player someday. I think that would be the greatest satisfaction.”1
Name: Tony Mellino
Job: Varsity wrestling coach, Clarkstown High School North, New City, New York
Why do you love sports?
I love the duality of both the internal drive athletes possess individually and how this personal goal setting needs to meld within a team framework in order for all to find success. A team is only as strong as its weakest link. We always preach to our team that you don’t deserve anything from sports, but you get what you earn. We also tell them that sports does not build character but rather reveals character.
Why do you think it’s important for young people to get involved in sports?
Goal setting and what it will take to achieve this goal; facing adversity and learning from it; dealing with setbacks that should make you stronger rather than knock you down; handling success with humility and defeat with pride; perseverance when you want to quit; and refocusing your goals once they are met. These are not sports lessons but life lessons, and that is why it is so important for young people to get involved in sports today. My father uses a funny analogy with our athletes. He tells them competing in sports is like taking a trip to Oz. Some will need to find courage in order to compete, some will need brains and have to better use their intelligence, and others will need heart, so when the time comes, they don’t wither under the intensity. If each athlete can figure out what is missing, it will be a life lesson as well as a sports lesson.
What was your professional journey? How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up around sports all my life. My father taught high school social studies for forty years and was a high school wrestling coach for forty years, a freshman/JV [junior varsity] soccer coach for thirty-eight years, and a lacrosse/baseball coach for thirty-six years. My mother was also the secretary to our district’s athletic director, so my earliest memories are of many days spent around athletic facilities. When it was time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life after receiving a bachelor’s degree in history from Binghamton University, I decided to pursue education and got my master’s degree in elementary education from Hofstra University. Two months later, I was hired to teach in the Clarsktown Central School District. The very day I was hired, I stopped by the athletic office to let them know of my interest in coaching, and as fate would have it, their assistant wrestling coach had resigned that morning. That was twenty-one years ago, and I have been coaching wrestling here ever since, the past seventeen as a varsity coach. I also have coached modified soccer for seventeen seasons and coached four seasons of modified baseball as well.
What is a typical day like for you?
During wrestling season, it is extraordinarily busy! I usually get to the school two hours before the opening bell, when I first check my email to see what communications I have received from my athletic director, the Section I wrestling chairman, and colleagues asking me questions about the NWCA Database for which I have become an unofficial expert on using. [This database is a computer system for inputting results and record keeping, and it is mandatory for all New York State wrestling coaches.]
I then plan out my practice for the day. The time that remains is for prepping for my day’s social studies lessons and giving extra help to my students. I then teach grade six social studies throughout the day. During off periods, I may peruse results, update records, and if I have time, grab a quick lunch. After I am done there, I get to the high school by 2:50 PM or so for practice, which goes until about 5:30 PM. After practice, I mop/disinfect the wrestling mats, clean the locker room, inventory my medical kit, and then finally get home about twelve to thirteen hours after I left.
On nine consecutive Saturdays this season, we had wrestling tournaments. This involves getting on a bus in the early hours, as early as 5:30 AM but never later than 6:30. We then get to the site, have weigh-ins, and then the tournament begins. This tournament will take all day, and I usually do not return back to the high school until well after 9:00 at night—I have gotten home past midnight.
What education did you pursue to get a job in this career? What classes were particularly helpful?
Along with the bachelor’s degree in history from Binghamton University, a master’s in elementary education from Hofstra University and sixty postgraduate credits in education, I have also taken some coaching courses on philosophy of coaching, theory and technique of coaching, and coaching practicums, which were mandated by New York State. Since I began coaching, I’ve also had to take a biyearly CPR/AED [cardiopulmonary resuscitation/automated external defibrillator] course, a first aid course and update, and a heat clinic course [which helps train coaches in how to avoid illness when practicing in hot temperatures].
As a new coach, I was fortunate to take some of my earliest courses with an athletic director from another school. This was a fantastic opportunity to learn the ins and outs of coaching, from the simplest and most mundane tasks to the more complicated coach-player and coach-parent relationships. His insight was invaluable.
What work or volunteer experiences helped you gain experience and contacts as you moved up in your career?
I got to know my fellow coaches, built a strong relationship with our Section I chairman, and am now the vice president of wrestling for Rockland County as well as a member of the Section I Wrestling Committee.
What is the best thing about your job?
Easy question: working with my students and student athletes. Everyone is so unique, and as a coach, I have to know what works and what doesn’t work for each individual one. Some need a proverbial kick in the pants to motivate them while others need a pat on the back. Finding out what makes each one tick is a challenge but is absolutely necessary for them to achieve their goals. In wrestling, it is even more vital because team chemistry is not relevant; each individual athlete needs to work on their own skills so that when those are accomplished, the team will be successful. In wrestling, you are on the mat alone, and it is up to you, not a teammate, when the time comes to compete.
What is the most challenging thing about your job?
Over the years, it is the volume of paperwork that has greatly increased. It seems as if each year there is another form or another database that just adds more time to an already busy and hectic job.
Dealing with parents is also a challenge because they are often shocked at the time commitment required for interscholastic sports in high school. This also applies to the athletes once they get to the high school. There are two reasons for this, in my opinion. I went to a junior high school on Long Island. We practiced a solid two and a half hours every day, including holidays and Saturdays, and there were cuts and extreme competition to get playing time. But in the modified programs, we don’t practice on holidays or on weekends, and playing time is somewhat given out to the players. Moving from the junior high to high school was a small step up the ladder, but moving from the modified to high school is a huge leap many are not prepared for. Another reason is that many kids have been given so many things (trophies for participating!) that they expect immediate gratification, and if they do not find success, they are not willing to put forth the long-term effort needed.
Who helped you the most in furthering your career and how?
My parents, for sure. My father was inducted into the National Wrestling and New York State Wrestling Hall of Fames, and so it was easy to admire what he had done. He was also my junior high lacrosse coach, my freshman soccer coach, and my high school wrestling coach. My mother came to every athletic event I participated in, and so I felt a great deal of support all the time. Now that he is retired, my father has become a volunteer assistant coach on my staff, which is quite awesome. Not only did I learn firsthand as an athlete what a great coach is, but with him on my staff, I often confer with him on ways to improve and how to handle certain situations. This is invaluable!
As a kid, did you think you would have this career when you grew up? Why or why not? What were your expectations?
I knew deep down that I enjoyed working with kids. I was the oldest grandchild on both sides of my family and had many younger cousins who I loved to teach things to. I also had a deep admiration for my father and some incredible teachers and coaches I met along the way and realized this was my calling. I love doing what I am doing and cannot imagine doing anything else in life.
What advice or tips can you give young people thinking of a career in your field?
To paraphrase Socrates, those who know they know nothing are truly the wisest. What I mean is be open to ideas, seek out those who have experience, be willing to admit your mistakes, and never stop growing. If you think you know everything, that is the surest sign you are blind to reality. Complacency is the sure path to burnout and failure. And always remember that success or failure is not measured in wins and losses but rather in not doing your best to reach each athlete who joins your team. They are not paid to be there. They are choosing to be there, so never take that for granted. Give them your best because, for you, there is another season and there will be another team but, for them, this is it.
Do you plan to stay in your career for a long time? If not, what do you think you will do after your career is over?
It has been twenty-one years since I began teaching and coaching, and I imagine I will be here until the day I retire.
What demands does your job put on your personal life? How do you deal with them?
There are many, many demands. I live thirty-five minutes away from where I work and teach. During wrestling season, which starts the first week in November and does not end until the very end of February, I am away every single Saturday. I leave my home at 6:15 AM each weekday, and if I don’t have a dual meet that day, I will not get home until close to 7:00 PM. My wife is left to do much of the work while I am gone. It has also resulted in missed meals and missed quality family time together. But I am fortunate to have a great assistant coach, so I can get home for [my own kids’] school concerts and plays. It was hardest when my children were younger and is certainly something every coach needs to take into account when [that person] makes the commitment to coach. I think it is the reason you rarely see the lifers like my father and now like me.
WHO’S THE BOSS?
Coaches who are employed by schools are usually supervised by the athletic director. A large school, such as a college, university, or high school, might have its own athletic director. Other athletic directors are employed by the school district and oversee coaches and sports programs at all the schools, from elementary to high school, in the district.
Anyone who is interested in becoming an athletic director should have a great love of both sports and people. You need to be able to hire the best staff and then manage them so they do the best job coaching their athletes. It’s also important for an athletic director to have a good business sense and be able to balance budgets and raise money.
Accounting, business, social studies, math, and English courses will lay a great foundation for this career for high school students. A bachelor’s degree in sports administration or physical education plus classes in business and management are required to get a job in this field. Once you have your degree, you can look for a position as a coach, physical education teacher, or assistant athletic director in order to gain experience and start your climb up the ladder.
Most athletic director positions pay well and offer benefits such as health insurance and paid vacations.
Name: Edward Benvenuto
Job: Teacher and coach, Clarkstown North High School, New City, New York
Why do you love sports?
I have participated in sports ever since I can remember. They have always served as an outlet for me. I have always enjoyed competing and pushing myself beyond what I thought was possible.
Why do you think it’s important for young people to get involved in sports?
The rates of childhood obesity have been on the rise for far too long. The advances in modern technology make it so easy for a child to become lazy and out of shape. Sports can keep you in better health, help you feel better about yourself, and help you become a better manager of your time.
What was your professional journey? How did you get to where you are today?
I started to coach about twelve years ago as an assistant track coach up in Cornwall, New York. That started my love of coaching and spurred me on to my present positions at Clarkstown North, where I coach football and indoor and outdoor track and field.
What is a typical day like for you?
Since I teach and coach three sports, my regular school day ends around 2:00. Then I have about thirty minutes to myself, and then it’s on to practice or competitions.
What education did you pursue to get a job in this career? What classes were particularly helpful?
My background in sports led me to pursue a career in coaching. My love and appreciation for sports is what keeps me going day after day.
What work or volunteer experiences helped you gain experience and contacts as you moved up in your career?
My timing was good, as there were open coaching positions when I started. Over the years I have coached, I have met many other coaches and observed their techniques and ideas to make myself a better coach.
What is the best thing about your job?
The best part is getting to know a bunch of student athletes who I normally don’t get to see during the school day. Also, when an athlete makes a breakthrough in discipline, that can be the most rewarding thing as a coach. I always hope that the athletes I coach can eclipse what I was able to accomplish.
What is the most challenging thing about your job?
Trying everything in my bag of tricks, drills, and ideas to get athletes over their plateaus. Or athletes just not being able to perform physically. These are the most frustrating parts of my job.
Who helped you the most in furthering your career and how?
The list is too long. I thank everyone I have had the opportunity to speak to and learn from.
As a kid, did you think you would have this career when you grew up? Why or why not? What were your expectations?
I always saw myself playing sports for life, potentially professionally. However, professional athletics are reserved for a few.
What advice or tips can you give young people thinking of a career in your field?
Become a student of your sport. Learn as much as you can about your sport. Watch coaches and speak to other people who know more than you. Having knowledge in your area can only serve to help you.
Do you plan to stay in your career for a long time? If not, what do you think you will do after your career is over?
I do. I have no plans of stopping my career as a coach. If and when I do stop coaching, I would consider becoming a certified official and try to give back to a sport that I enjoyed for so long.
What demands does your job put on your personal life? How do you deal with them?
As with most things in life, there are trade-offs. I have been keeping a stringent schedule for quite some time now and have become accustomed to it. I live my life around my responsibilities.
INSTRUCTORS—A DIFFERENT KIND OF COACH
Not every athletic teacher is a coach at a school or for a sports team. Thousands of people earn their living teaching individuals about a specific sport on a one-to-one basis.
Certified Ski Instructors
Job Description: Teach everything from basic skills to more advanced techniques. Offer daily group classes or private lessons.
Education: Requires certification. Great for college students.
Job Locations: Approximately thirty-nine states have ski resorts. Most resorts are located in New England, the upper Midwest, California, Colorado, and Canada. Work is usually seasonal.
Lifeguards and Swimming Instructors
Job Description: Watch over swimmers and offer swimming and diving classes that can range from beginner classes to more advanced classes for all ages. Lifeguards have a big responsibility to keep people safe and enforce rules.
What you do with a mistake: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.
Dean Smith
BASKETBALL COACH
Education: Older high school students (age sixteen and up) and college students are ideal for this job. All lifeguards and instructors must be trained and certified. The basic lifeguard course lasts about a week and tests swimming skills as well as the ability to perform CPR and first aid. The American Red Cross offers certification for water safety instructors.
Job Locations: Public and private pools, beaches, camps, and health clubs anywhere in the country. Work is usually seasonal unless you are employed by a health club or other facility with an indoor pool or live in an area that is warm all year round.
SPOTLIGHT
Miranda Leek: Real-life Katniss Everdeen
Born in 1993 in Des Moines, Iowa, Miranda Leek found her athletic passion at age five, when her father, an amateur archer, taught her how to use a recurve bow. A recurve bow’s tips curve away from the archer when the bow is strung. Though she learned archery on a recurve bow, Leek used a compound bow—modern bow that uses cables and pulleys to bend its limbs—until she switched back to recurve at age twelve. Though Leek works with professional coaches for team competitions, her dad remains her personal coach.
Leek was the sole women’s archer at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. And in the same year she started at Texas A&M University, she took silver in the US Nationals and, ranked seventh in the world, qualified for Team USA to attend the 2012 Olympics.
Leek’s artistic passion is the piano and, thanks to the piano at her team training facility, she still plays. It helps her calm her nerves, she says.
Golf or Tennis Instructors
Job Description: Offer basic to advanced instruction to children and adults. Public and private golf courses often have a golf pro on staff to instruct golfers. Tennis and golf academies offer group and individual classes. These instructors may also be employed at resorts, camps, or parks.
Education: No certification required. Instructors should have at least a high school education.
Job Locations: Anywhere in the United States. Work can be seasonal if you are working at a golf course or a summer camp, but indoor instructors at an academy or school can work all year long.
Sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated to exercise. Here are some tips:
1. Learn new exercises in a familiar setting.
2. Remember that you and your friends can do and like different activities. Experiment to discover what you like—and encourage your friends to do the same!
3. Reward yourself when you make progress!
4. Structure your workout so that a difficult activity is followed by an easier, more fun one.
5. Be consistent. When you don’t meet your goals, decide how you can the next time and don’t reward yourself until you do meet them.
Notes:
1. “Omar Vizquel Adjusts to Coaching after Retirment,” USA Today, February 22, 2013, http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2013/02/22/omar-vizquel-adjusts-to-coaching-after-retirement/1940549/
2. “Modified Sports,” Section 3 Athletics, accessed March 18, 2013, www.section3athletics.org/modified_sports.cfm
