Q&A With Women's Golf Coach Sara Doell
12/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
1. Why did you decide to take the Head Coaching Job at Seton Hall?
When I came to Seton Hall for my interview, I felt welcomed right away. While walking around campus and meeting with different individuals, I knew that I could call this place home. Also, the chance to start a Division I collegiate program was such a great opportunity for me. It has given me a chance to start a tradition, culture and program that I believe can be successful. I love coaching and having the chance to be a positive role model for these players is such a great experience for me.
2. You came to Seton Hall after a five-year assistant coaching stint at Penn State. What are the main differences in coaching for a large state university to coaching for a smaller private Catholic school?
After playing for and coaching at Penn State, I had a lot of knowledge of how a large scale school and program works. I wasn't sure if I would have trouble transitioning to a school that was one fourth the size and an athletic department that is half the size but honestly it was an easy transition. I love being at a smaller school as it is a more personal and intimate setting. All of the coaches, administrators, trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, athletic-academic advisors and sports information directors are all housed in the same building. I like that as it aids in more face to face contact and meetings. I also love the small school setting near a large city. Having the opportunity to hop on the train and be in the heart of New York City in 30 minutes is so much fun and is a great draw for recruiting.
3. What are your goals for the program this year?
My main goal from the beginning was to start this program off on the right foot. As a team, we have worked to start traditions for the women's golf program. It is important to have a system in place to run this program from recruiting to team travel to practices and team training sessions. I did not set any score or results-oriented goals as this was the first year of the program and I was unsure of what to expect. In the future we will concentrate more on results, scores and rankings.
4. Where do you see this program in 5 years?
I believe that this team can be in the top 100 in rankings by the 2015 season and can work its way to the top half of the BIG EAST. The talent that we have in this freshman class paired with the talent that signed for next fall certainly lends to that potential success. I will continue to recruit the best talent that I can into this program and work to help the current team members improve their game.
I also see this team producing several Academic All-Americans and winning the Seton Hall Academic Team GPA Award. We have great students on this squad and I expect that they will do a great job in the classroom as well as on the golf course.
5. Now that you have been here for a little over six months, what have your three favorite experiences been so far?
The first week of classes was something that I will not forget as it was a chance for me to get to know the team face to face. From the first team meeting to the first practice to the first round of qualifying, I enjoyed that week so much. It was great for me to express to the team what I expected from them, what they should expect from me and what I value that will guide me in leading this team.
I would have to say that Sam's pair of hole-in-ones (one in practice and one in competition) paired with Nicole's first hole-in-one was awesome. In my five years of coaching, I only had two players have a hole in one and we had three in the first fall season of the program!
Finally, the first day that the team competed and represented Seton Hall in the Bucknell Invitational will always remain in my mind as one of my favorite days of coaching. It was symbolic that we began our season on September 11th and I made sure that I put it all in perspective for them. They represented very well and I was so proud of them.
6. What challenges do you see for the program here at Seton Hall and how do you plan to overcome them?
One challenge that we do have is that our home golf course is a 30 minute drive from campus. In combating that, I have worked to utilize Maplewood Country club on Tuesdays and some Thursdays so we cut down on some travel time during the week. It is nice that we have a team van that I can transport the team to the golf course- this gives the team a chance to do school work if needed. Several of them have actually expressed that they enjoy the half hour drive because it helps them to unwind from class and refocus on practice. We also use that time for team bonding- it is not rare to have a team dance party in the van or a "would you rather..." game going on. The half hour drive is a truth for the program so we try to make it as positive experience as we can!
7. What is your favorite "coaching moment" of the fall?
I would have to say our first team meeting on the road was one of the moments that I will most remember. It was in the hotel the night before our first day of competition in program history and we had a great team talk. I spoke to the fact that we were beginning the golf program on September 11th- that we should keep it all in perspective, have a great time and go out and represent.
8. In regards to your playing career, what are you most proud of?
I have a few accomplishments that I am proud of. In 1998, I both won the New York State Women's Amateur and played in the LPGA- Rochester Invitational as an amateur. I was very proud of my overall playing career at Penn State and when I graduated, I held three school records for the women's golf program. (I only hold one record to date!)
9. What do you like to do in your free time away from golf?
I love spending time in New York City and experiencing the city life without having to live it on a daily basis as I live in New Jersey. I love good food and I love going out to dinner in the city with friends and family and experimenting with different types of foods (Sushi and Mexican are my favorites!) I absolutely love going to the beach in the summer. I also spend a lot of time running, working out and doing anything outdoors as I crave the sun! Finally I enjoy reading murder mysteries, especially James Patterson's Women's Murder Club Series.
