Supporting the student athlete

Jack Hutchison is the head coach of the women's soccer team.

Playing a sport at the university level requires a tremendous amount of skill, commitment and perseverance. Dal varsity athletes spending hours practicing and performing as well as juggling demanding academic workloads.

For a coach, it can be difficult to find athletes who are willing to commit their time to both their sport and their schoolwork. However, Jack Hutchison seems to have figured it out. The head coach of the women’s soccer team contributes the success of his team in large part to the type of athletes he recruits.

"I think the success comes from two things. One is the quality of player we bring in. I’m talking about the student-athlete along with the soccer player. Fifteen of the players were Academic All-Canadians last year. We bring in a pretty top-level student. When I meet parents and interview recruits I tell them straight up ‘you have to be a good student,’" says Coach Hutchison.

Academics come first, no matter what, says Coach Hutchison. If one of his players has class at the same time as practice, she’s not allowed on the field—classes take priority. Team members learn quickly to balance their schedules so that they do well both on and off the field.

Striving for balance

"You have to be able to go home after you’ve been at practice and you have to be able to organize your life. You can’t be a total person if you can’t balance those things," he says.

The women’s team finished in second place in the AUS standings (10-1-2), one point behind UPEI, and is ranked seventh in the country. The team wrapped up its regular season with a 2-0 win and a 1-0 loss this past weekend against Memorial University.

Coach Hutchison believes the other reason for the team’s success is the players’ dedication and work ethic. They are constantly pushing themselves and each other to improve.

"They set their standards, they know what it is they want and they are prepared to do what’s necessary to get there," says Coach Hutchison. "To use a very old statement: it’s one-for-all and all-for-one. We realize that there are key players, but we also realize that it takes not 11 players but everybody who’s here. This year that means 24 players, giving everything they got, every time they step on the field."

As team members prepare for the AUS Championship at Acadia this weekend, they’re not going to do anything different from what they have done all season. They have the talent to beat any of the teams in the AUS and they know what it takes to win.

"It’s definitely icing on the cake if we win an AUS Championship. It’s what we strive for. But I’m here 34 years after my days of playing and although I remember the silver medal at Nationals, the things that happened in the locker room and other places were definitely highlights too," says Coach Hutchison. "The highlight of my university career was talking about the hardships we overcame, and for some of these girls, I think it will be the same thing. All of these things are what make your career as a student athlete something very special."