OCR Text |
Show 1SPOFTS the prefers Maggio line coach The BY DAVID COOPER You wont find Knute Rocknes Gipper speech hanging on his wall. And dont count on reading Vince Lombardis biography on his desk, either. Chances are assistant football coach Paul Maggio wont even be in his office. Better look in the weight room or the film room. He doesnt waste his time or his players time with artificial hype or speeches about Maslows theories just football basics: strength, speed, and intelligence. But for those principles to succeed, he has learned to emphasize Im just a poor spectator , SUSCs new defensive line coach. Maybe why coaching is so THE THUNDERBIRD TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1990 PAGE 31 to jerking facemasks clean-and-jer- k prefers to motivate players by respect and by discipline in the weight room than by intimidation new SU defensive says Paul Maggio & OUTDOORS T thats frustrating. more important traits building trust and respect. Maggio, a graduate of Southern Utah State, was hired in July as the defensive line coach and head track coach. Born and raised in southern Utah, he attended East Carbon High School, where he wrestled, ran track, and played linebacker. Maggio came to SUSC in 1978 to play football for first-yeHead Coach Jack Bishop. Most athletes trace the inspiration of their sport back to some type of influence from their past. For Maggio it was his older brother returning from Vietnam who taught him the lineman stances and the tackling skills of football. But like most the addicting aura of football could not be satisfied simply by playing. After graduating in 1982 with a major in biology and physical education, Maggio entered the coaching ranks at Union High School and soon became the head football and cross country coach. I pretty much hated to leave the game as a player, says Maggio. I always had a love for it. My interest went beyond simply watching; I wanted to stay closer to it. Im just a poor spectator, maybe thats why coaching is so frustrating. But frustration is one emotipn he has had to cope with since days at the smallest 3A high school in the state. One of the most important lessons he learned was dealing with limited talent. Some coaches in football act vicariously trying to make men out of boys, he says, especially at lower levels of the game. Though he has never viewed that as his role, he says, "I just feel lucky to be coaching. Woody Hayes, the ltgendary Ohio State coach, gained a notorious reputation for viciously tugging his players facemasks. But Maggio feels relationships between player and coach are much different now. The coaching style has changed. You sometimes see that were pretty vocal, but our relationships with players are much closer. One way he strengthens those bonds is with his dedication to the players in the weight room. Maggio is an avid weight lifter and a certified strength &. condition specialist This past summer Maggio competed in weightlifting in the Utah Summer Games and was a winner d in the class. A memory Maggio reflects on is of his parents coming to his games each weekend, and his father always being the loudest fan, regardless of the coachs decisions. Its an example Maggio thinks he should follow if his son should ever play football. I would let the coach be for football, and I would be the support, he explains. If not, it causes the player to doubt whether the scheme of the coach is right. Especially young high school or junior high players. But for the meantime, since his son is only nine months old, coaching is still the primary role. And when it comes to the game pressures on defense, Maggio weighs each situation differently, but always with his no-fril- style. Whether its three plays, five plays, or 10 plays, we can find different levels of success. You can call that the Knute Rockne method if you like. Lombardi may have even considered coaching that way. But to this new SUSC football coach, its just his job. And he wouldnt have it any other way. f t - gold-med- 220-poun- Defensive line coach Paul Maggio spends a lot of time on weight training with his players. Softball fans get look at new team as fall season begins Oct. 6 BY DEANNA HYMAS It may not seem as though softball season is just around the corner it hasnt even snowed yet, but the SUSC womens softball team begins practicing today and opens its eight-gam- e fall season Oct. 6. The idea behind the fall games is to allow coaches an opportunity to look at and evaluate new and less experienced players, said Joy Petersen, SUs veteran head coach. The NCAA allows the fall games, but they are treated purely as exhibitions and in no way count on the teams record. Tryouts for the SU squad will begin tomorrow (Wednesday). Anyone who is interested in being on the softball team is more than welcome to attend a team meeting today at 3:30 p.m. in room 201 of the physical education building to find out eligibility requirements, said Peterson. Practices will be held daily from 5 p.m. The Lady Thunderbirds kick things off by hosting Utah State in a doubleheader on the field just east of 3-- the Coliseum of Southern Utah (formerly Thunderbird Stadium). SUSC travels to the University of Utah Oct. 18 and then to Utah State the following afternoon. e The Lady Utes will return the close 27 Oct. on the to Thunderbird fall arrangement home-and-hom- games. All six players returning from last seasons 22-1- 6 team This fall marks the entrance of the SUSC softball team into the WAC. were regulars, giving Peterson a strong nucleus of proven players. Lorrie Muir is expected to be the mainstay of the pitching staff, having accumulated a 10-- 5 record and a 0.92 earned run average as a freshman last year. The only other returning underclassman is outfielder Joni Reynolds, the team RBI leader who also hit .236. Returning seniors include Kelli Groomer (.311) at third base, Trina Packard (.333) last years starting catcher, Cindy Ropelato (.220) the starting second baseman, and Heather Hobbs (.292) in left field. New players entering the program from junior colleges include Heather Miles, a catcher from Salt Lake City, and Tina Sperryof Nephi, who, according to Peterson, does a little of everything. Both are transfering from the College of Eastern Utah. Audrey Richards, an infielderoutfielder from Salt Lake City, hails from Western Wyoming JC. Freshmen include Stephanie James, a second baseman and outfielder, from Salt Lake, and Darian Knoblock, an outfielder from Cedar City. We are still working with a couple of pitchers from Canada and infielders from the Midwest and Northwest, said Peterson. We are especially happy to get an early look at our kids this year because of our new alignment in the Western Athletic Conference, she said. Our schedule this spring will include some good competiton. We will be playing two WAC opponents here New Mexico and San Diego State. We will also meet Utah State and UNLV (a perennial top-2- 0 team) from the Big West Conference. |