MCB QUANTICO, Va. -- Nearly 50 coaches from across the United States attended Marine Corps Recruiting Command’s 2018 Coaches Workshop aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, from May 16-19.
The workshop is designed to teach coaches and key influencers from diverse backgrounds about leadership styles and characteristics, and career opportunities as a Marine officer. In turn, the attendees take this information back with them to better educate and train their athletes while serving as advocates for the Corps.
“Coaches have a specific set of problems they face, and the Coaches Workshop addresses those problems, so they can take back what Marines and coaches from varying athletic levels teach them through sharing ideologies and philosophies on those specific issues,” said Capt. Valarie Krygier, an officer selection officer (OSO) for Officer Selection Station South Florida. “The generations that coaches have under their wings are the same generations Marines often work with or recruit. Their issues are our issues as well, so how do we handle that? It’s on a parallel track, so in all reality, Marines and coaches face these problems together."
During the workshop, coaches learned about Officer Candidates School and participated in a series of simulated experiences, such as the Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer, MRAP Rollover Egress Trainer and a Virtual Combat Convoy Trainer. Attendees also had the opportunity to practice martial arts techniques, work out with Marines and speak to Marine officers attending The Basic School about their training during lunch. Additionally, they witnessed the precision performances of the Silent Drill Platoon, the President’s Own Marine Corps Band and the Commandant’s Own Drum and Bugle Corps at an Evening Parade. They concluded their journey at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, decorated with the history of the Corps, including the three new Battles Won sculptures.
Stephanie Dalmacio, the head coach of women’s tennis for Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, said she had no idea what to expect from the workshop other than learning Marine Corps leadership prior to her attendance.
“Just knowing where it would be and having that closeness with the Marines was, to me, a no-brainer to sign up,” she said. She continued to explain the rest of her experiences and why she signed up. “There are coaches from power-five conferences here, and so how did they get there? For me, it’s to learn that and learn from the Marines while trying to become an overall better version of myself for my family, friends, and for my team ... This opportunity is just so incredible.”
The workshop is the first exposure of the military for several coaches, but their mission on and off the field resemble that of the Marine Corps’: make Marines, win battles and return quality citizens to society; coaches’ missions are to make better athletes, win matches and games, and return exceptional individuals back into the civilian workforce.
“One thing we wanted to do for the coaches, as Marines, is to be part of their community and show them how we return quality citizens and our leadership package,” Krygier explained.
She also said it was interesting to see that the coaches’ issues they have with their players stemmed from character faintness more so than physical performance, such as confidence or personal accountability.
“For the Marines, holding confidence and themselves accountable is what we do day-in and day-out, so we were able to give them some steps on how to develop a resolution.”
The coaches, equipped with knowledge based on first-hand experiences, can apply what they learned to their athletic teams while dispelling myths and informing them of the several opportunities within the Marine Corps.
“It was awesome getting an inside look into the Marines,” said Willie Delk, the assistant wrestling coach at Piedmont High School, Piedmont, Oklahoma. “The Marines are one branch that you don’t hear about a lot, and I respect that. This workshop is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I honestly believe that. If any coach has this opportunity, they would be a fool to turn it down.”
Krygier also expressed the importance of coaches and educators reaching out to their local OSOs to attend future workshops.
“If any coach or educator is interested in learning more about what the Marine Corps has to offer, reach out to your local OSO, because we would be more than happy to get you on next year’s roster,” she iterated. “If you cannot make it to the workshop next year, any OSO would be more than happy to provide a leadership talk to your student athletes, to your athletic department or even to you. I think once you meet your OSO, you’ll see that we want what’s best for you and your student athletes – we don’t have to pitch recruiting or the Marine Corps as a career option, we can just talk about leadership.”
Teachers, coaches, counselors, deans or equivalent who want to attend a workshop next year, email mcrcpa@marines.usmc.mil for more information. For more information about becoming a Marine officer, visit Marines.com.