CLICK HERE to read original article - written by Union Leader Staff Writer Alex Hall
PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC TIRRELL
ALEXIS MICHAL has known for some time that she wanted to join the coaching ranks after her volleyball career concluded. The Windham native just didn't expect to be coaching at the college level months after graduating from Keene State College.
Michal, a two-year captain during her career with the Owls, was named the head volleyball coach at St. Joseph's College of Maine Aug. 22.
"Since I started playing volleyball, I fell in love with the sport," Michal said. "I wanted to always have it and it be part of my life...This was the perfect situation."
When Michal graduated this past May, she expected her first coaching job out of college would be as an assistant for a high school team. That was before Owls coach Bob Weiner told Michal about the opening he heard about at St. Joseph's.
Weiner told Michal that St. Joseph's was offering the job as a graduate position, which led her to believe the school was looking for someone around her age. She interviewed with St. Joseph's Athletics Director Brian Curtin in Portsmouth late this summer.
Michal felt the interview went well but she was still a bit overwhelmed when Curtin offered her the job a few days later.
"It all happened so late in the summer so there was not a lot of time to prepare for it," Michal said. "It was scary but exciting."
Michal will coach the Monks while working towards her master's degree in health care administration.
"This position had everything I wanted," Michal said. "I can pursue my education, I'm coaching at the collegiate level and they're providing me with housing and meals. It's something I couldn't say no to."
While Michal hasn't coached at the collegiate level before, it hasn't been difficult for her to relate to her players. Michal also played at the Division III level and found a way to balance her athletic and academic commitments.
Michal finished her Keene State career with the second-most assists (2,595), fourth-most digs (1,229), and sixth-most aces (176) in program history. She was a setter most of her career with the Owls, occasionally serving as a libero. Michal also graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in health sciences community health.
"It's definitely helpful," Michal said of her experience as a D-III player. "It's a different level than other divisions. It's unique because you're more focusing on students getting a well-rounded education and getting all they can out of college athletics. It's not just volleyball, per se."
Michal said though she is very close in age to her players, they have all shown her respect and helped her transition to a new program. She has borrowed more than a few drills from Weiner to help bolster a Monks program that has qualified for the Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament in five of the past six seasons.
The Monks' biggest strength this year will be defense, Michal said.
"They're one of the best defensive teams I've seen," Michal said. "It would have been frustrating to play against them as a player but I love that as a coach."
As for her goal this year, Michal's is a simple one. She just St. Joseph's to have a successful campaign.
"I'd love to do well in conference and win as many games as possible but we're just taking it one day at a time," Michal said.
Spoken like a seasoned coach.
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
