Oct. 8, 2007
By: Jen Diefenderfer, Penn State Athletic Communications
They started out as teammates, vying for the same position at William & Mary. Today, they stand side-by-side on the field to coach. Nearly 14 years ago, Penn State women's soccer coach Erica Walsh met assistant women's soccer coach Ann Cook. From teammates on the field to best friends off the field, these two women have grown into spectacular role models for their athletes. It isn't often that two former teammates join forces on the field in a coaching role but that's exactly what Penn State got when Walsh joined Penn State in February as only the third coach in the history of a highly successful women's soccer program.
Curious minds must wonder what it is like to coach alongside your best friend. Both may have been nervous in the beginning but it didn't take long for the duo to transition their friendship onto the field as coaches. For Walsh, it was an easy choice to recruit Cook to Penn State.
"It's something that has been in the making for the past 5-8 years," said Walsh. "When we both started getting into coaching, it was something that we joked about but as time passed it became our mission to find a place where we would feel comfortable both professionally and personally."
The two couldn't be happier with their new home. Walsh couldn't have been surer that Penn State was the right place for the two to begin their career coaching side-by-side. For Cook, Walsh was one of the main reasons she got into coaching. Though she was overwhelmed by the opportunity to join Walsh at Penn State, she is thrilled to be joining her best friend as an assistant coach so early in her coaching career.
Though they were cut from the same mold at William & Mary, these two can be just as different as they are similar. This couldn't have been more apparent then on the day Walsh and Cook first met. Walsh was the shy, quiet girl in the corner while Cook was much more outgoing or "obnoxious" as she likes to joke. The duo's relationship was action packed from the start with both women being recruited for the same position. Cook was assigned to midfielder, which was originally intended for Walsh. Before arriving to William & Mary, Walsh made the decision to commit as a defender. It was years before Cook found out that her position was originally intended for Walsh. Walsh wasn't upset and after playing alongside Cook for four years, believes she was the better center midfielder anyway.
"It took about two weeks before we realized that our personalities, especially our sarcastic sense of humor, were pretty much the same," said Walsh. "It amazes me that we had the opportunity to be in the same freshmen class in college because we have such similar personalities that compliment the other so well."
When it comes to coaching, the two have very similar coaching philosophies and values. They both felt strongly about the environment that they could create in a partnership.
"Our specific coaching styles may differ slightly when it comes to on the field and specific soccer techniques," said Cook. "But we get into good, healthy arguments about them."
Both agree that if their ideas were more similar their partnership wouldn't work.
"A big reason that it does work is because we do see the game a little bit differently although we do have very similar philosophies," said Walsh. The duo's coaching philosophy centers around the student-athlete. They pride themselves on being a player's coach. Their philosophy centers first and foremost on academics with the idea that soccer doesn't need to be sacrificed either. The entire coaching staff works to push them to do their best in both arenas. One of the thing's Cook likes most about coaching under Walsh is her dedication to creating a well-rounded student-athlete.
"What I like best about Erica [Walsh] is her belief in the whole person and developing these student-athletes not just as soccer players but as people," said Cook. "This philosophy is frankly becoming harder and harder to find in the soccer world."
For Cook, working under a former teammate has been wonderful. They were able to rely on one another for support during their ups and downs in college and now they are doing it as coaches. For Cook, seeing Walsh in this environment is a blessing. She has been able to watch her grow as a coach through the years. After college, the duo headed in different directions. Cook threw herself into professional soccer whereas Walsh dived right into coaching.
"Erica's [Walsh] passion for the game and to her players made it easy to slide into the role of assistant coach," said Cook. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for her and what she has accomplished."
Throughout the duo's entire friendship, these two never went more than five days without checking in with one another. A friendship as strong as this one speaks volumes about the type of coaches these two will be for Penn State. These two women understand the importance of a strong character in the development of a successful student-athlete. Walsh watched with pride as Cook played for the Bay Area CyberRays, becoming a part of a team that won the WUSA's inaugural season championship in 2001. Cook followed Walsh's coaching career with a tremendous amount of respect for what she was accomplishing in such a short amount of time.
On the field, the duo's relationship isn't much different from off the field. The two share a mutual respect for one another, allowing them to experiment with their coaching styles. When one of them tries something that doesn't work out so well, they both can laugh it off and discuss ways of improving upon the original idea or just throw it out all together. This is what makes it so easy for the friends to coach alongside one another. "We have the ability to laugh about our mistakes off the field because of the mutual respect we have for each other," said Walsh.
With almost an entirely new coaching staff, both Walsh and Cook couldn't be happier to hold onto assistant coach Michael Coll. The duo is thrilled to have volunteer assistant coach Mariel Wilner with them as well.
"We are so fortunate to have been able to hold onto Michael [Coll] and all of his Penn State experience," said Cook. "Mariel's [Wilner] passion and work ethic is phenomenal and we are so happy to have her on board as well."
Walsh is thrilled that her players have been able to transition so well after a very challenging off season. Coll has been a key component in the success of this transition. The players respect him and trust him. Walsh understands it can be difficult to ask the players to buy into a slightly different coaching philosophy but both she and Cook feel as though the players have jumped right on board. With an off season filled with challenges, Walsh admits it was more challenging than she had originally expected. Three of her biggest players were abroad, making it difficult to transition the entire team at one time. Walsh is proud of the way the team has welcomed her and her coaching philosophies.
For Walsh, it has always been one of her dreams to coach at Penn State. Since the day this program started, Penn State was one of the places Walsh wanted to end up at in her career. Cook's friendship with Walsh was one of the main reasons she became interested in Penn State. Cook had the opportunity to visit Penn State with Walsh and competed at Penn State in the NCAA tournament.
"I used to see Penn State on the road and say you tell me when that program is going to open up again," said Walsh, "Because I'll be interested." Not much has changed between the two friends since they first met. "We are still the same goofy freshmen," said Walsh.
Though they have grown as leaders, the two have shown their players their goofy side as well. Walsh and Cook believe their personalities give their players a real sense of who they are as coaches and mentors. The players enjoy the laughing and joking between the two and the rest of staff. Both women try to remember not to take life too seriously. In addition, the duo understands that women's college soccer is not the "be all, end all." Walsh hopes that the relationship among the coaching staff gives their athletes a better perspective of what is important. Cook says that the two are like sisters and know everything you could possibly know about the other one and have still managed to like one another.
"We want to create an environment where our athletes develop the same type of friendships that we experienced as student-athletes," said Cook. "We might not have matured much, but we have grown together as leaders and friends."
Walsh (at left) and Cook watch the action |
Both women attribute much of their success to their coach at William & Mary. Cook believed John Daly created a family atmosphere that made it easy to feel a part of the team. To this day, both women remain close to Daly, considering him a part of their family. He will be a guiding light as they continue to understand and learn more about their players. Walsh attributes much of the current atmosphere to previous head coach Paula Wilkins. Now, Walsh hopes to take that even further by creating the same type of atmosphere she experienced under Daly.
Cook's enthusiasm for her new team and new home couldn't be more apparent. Both Walsh and Cook want their players to know they can be assured that they are intending to stay and continue to bolster a program that continues to defy expectations. Walsh is thrilled to be able to share the team's victories with her best friend right by her side.
"It's thrilling to be at a place where the sport is supported so well and we are supported so well," said Cook. "It's a place where we can settle down and raise our families together."
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