FORT WASHINGTON -- Sarah 齐默尔曼’s fourth season as the Head Coach of 十大体育外围平台排名's softball team started in 3月ch 2024. 齐默尔曼, who serves as the 中学 Academic Dean and science teacher, 让我了解了她为什么要执教这项运动.

你是如何开始你的教练生涯的?

我从来没想过要当教练. 当我来GA教书的时候, I was impressed by the thriving athletic programs and saw the chance to get involved in the sports that I have always loved playing. I started out coaching 中学 tennis and softball, and then former Athletic Director Josh MacArthur noticed that I had a background in high school and college softball. When he asked if I might join the 上学校 softball coaching staff, I was excited to increase the intensity and I took the opportunity. Getting to spend my afternoons on a softball field is a serendipitous surprise that I didn’t anticipate as part of my career. 我从来没有过女主教练, but there are several of us at GA and I hope that our female student-athletes can see themselves represented in us.

Did your playing experience influence your coaching style?

Games were important to me as a player, but I mostly remember how much I loved practicing. I derived a lot of joy from trying to get my body to do things that were just at the edge of what I was capable of. I had an outfield coach in high school who used to hit fly balls as high and as far as he could when it was my turn in drills. I loved the thrill of challenging him to hit the ball over my head and running it down anyway. I want my players to find those moments of joy in being pushed a little bit past where they think their edge is and then finding that they are up to the challenge.

作为教练，谁对你影响最大?

我父亲对我的影响最大. He coached my teams for many years and taught me to ‘always catch with two hands.’ While he often meant that literally, it also served a metaphorical purpose. It was a reminder to focus on doing the small stuff well - fundamentals, 步法, 力学, 或者对队友说一句好话. Paying attention to these details and working to improve one percent at a time is what gives us an edge at a high level of competition. He was also great at connecting with people in a way that made them feel important. I am grateful that we had the chance to coach together for a season - that was truly special. 

是什么造就了一个成功的学生运动员?

In softball, being a good teammate is key to being a successful student-athlete. Every single player on the field and in the dugout has a job to do to support the team all the time. Players who are always asking themselves, ‘What’s my job right now? 我怎样才能在这份工作上做到最好?’ - even during routine drills or while waiting to get into the game - those players are letting their teammates know they can be counted on, 在这个过程中，他们也在提高自己的技能.