A good coach is remembered by the trophies and banners he leaves behind. But great coaches, those who shape the character of their players, are never forgotten.
Gavilan’s Spencer Gilford, Gilroy’s Julie Berggren and Christopher’s Heather Stewart are the latter. In their own ways they have helped build successful programs and instill values that will remain with their players long after they leave the halls of their respective schools.
On the field and off, these coaches have helped their programs, athletes and communities rise to a higher level.
Julie Berggren, Gilroy softball coach and athletic director
When people ask Julie Berggren about last year’s Central Coast Section championship, she still smiles from ear to ear.
Gilroy High School’s softball coach and athletic director led her team to only the second CCS title in school history.
“Thinking about it brings back intense, amazing feelings,” Berggren said. “It was such a cool feeling to join those ranks of others on this campus that have achieved that.”
Winning is wonderful Berggren said, but it isn’t everything. For her, success is as simple as setting a goal and achieving it – whether it be to not make an error or to be MVP.
“Making it to CCS is the ultimate success, but having a clean game is a success for me,” Berggren said. “Playing the way that we should play is a success for me. Sometimes that means we lose, but we’re still successful because we achieved the goals we set out for ourselves. I don’t think it always has to be a victory to be a success.”
Berggren started her coaching career with Gilroy 13 years ago. Her success has been rooted in those she surrounds herself with – mostly her coaching staff and the Associated Student Body office. They have all been crucial as Berggren balances being AD and softball coach all while getting her master’s degree.
With everything going on in her life, Berggren said one of the biggest challenges is keeping the line of communication open between her coaches, players and parents.
Patience is key, she said, as is consistency, dedication and a willingness to spare your free time for your players.
“I have a Murphy bed hiding in my office,” Berggren quipped.
In the age of insta-everything, it’s sometimes hard for players, parents, coaches, fans and even Berggren herself to remember that success doesn’t happen overnight. The Mustangs will try to repeat as CCS champs this year, but nothing is guaranteed, she said.
“It’s hard for everybody to realize that success is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight,” Berggren said. “You can’t just snap your fingers and say ‘Yup, we’re returning CCS Champions, and we’re going to repeat.’ You have to go through all the different pieces to make it happen again, and you have to be willing to put in a lot of hard work or nothing is going to be achieved.”
Heather Stewart,
Christopher girls basketball
In the past eight years Heather Stewart has hoisted four banners. Three of them adorn the gym at Stevenson, where she coached before joining Christopher High School, but the fourth belongs to the Cougars.
While still a young program, Stewart led the Cougars to their first – and so far only – Monterey Bay League championship. She will move on to be an assistant coach at Gavilan next season, but Stewart wanted to leave much more than a banner behind – and it appears she will.
Since receiving a full ride scholarship to college for basketball, the idea of “paying it forward” has always been close to Stewart’s heart. She took her first coaching job right out of school at her alma mater, Prospect High School, in 1998 and admitted like any young coach ‘Ws’ were her priority.
But Stewart quickly began to realize winning wasn’t what was important. Instead, she wanted to teach her players to win in different ways.
“To know that you had a positive impact on a young person’s life, I think, is paramount,” Stewart said. “My success meter is knowing that in 10 years or even five years from now are they concerned about the win-loss record? Have they learned lessons in this game and what we’ve been able to teach – both on the court and off?”
Stewart works for the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative – or BAWSI – and has tied those values into her coaching. BAWSI’s mission is to empower female athletes to use their position to do something good in the world. She has made sure to involve her players in the work that BAWSI does, and it seems that the ideas have stuck.
The Cougars hosted their inaugural charity game against Monte Vista Christian on Feb. 13. The team was able to raise $1,549 for Rebekah Children’s Services. The event was the brainchild of seniors Cydney Caradonna and Dejah Raoof, and it hit home for Stewart that her message really was getting through. All three hope the game wasn’t a one-time event.
“Truly it’s (success) about understanding that the program and the game is bigger than itself – putting the team before yourself,” Stewart said. “I think if the program continues to do that and (everyone) understands that coaches are trying to get to get the best of them and allow them to succeed beyond the win and lose column, success is going to happen.”
Spencer Gilford, Gavilan football
When Spencer Gilford took over the Gavilan football program in 2011, he put the wheels of change in motion.
Gilford wants to restore the Rams to their glory days – like the 1973 National Championship team – but knows there’s no simple solution.
While there are several premier junior college football programs in the Bay Area, Gilford and his team have been hitting the recruiting trail hard to dress the best in red and blue.
Recruiting is key to the Rams’ success, and the proof is in the pudding. After going 3-7 overall in 2012, Gavilan did one better this year finishing 4-6 – its first four-win season since 2006.
“It’s not like we’ve made a dramatic change (or it’s been) all of a sudden,” Gilford said. “It’s been significant changes that have led to the other changes throughout. It’s constant, getting better all the time. We’re not quite at my expectations yet. I have higher expectations for this program than what we’ve already achieved, but we’re on the right path.”
Gilford has also taught his players to have higher expectations for themselves. Rams quarterback Nate Ellis said he always dreamed of playing at the next level, but had a hard time envisioning it. With the help of Gilford and his coaching staff, Ellis’ dream became a reality when he signed with Chowan University in N.C. on March 6.
“I’ve learned so much from being here the last two years,” Ellis said. “I have to give all the credit to my coach. …He helped mold me into who I am today. I even learned about life — being humble, staying hungry, being a leader.”
Recruiting the talent and getting them on the field is half the battle. Keeping a distraction-free environment – especially in the age of social media – is the other. A common theme at practices has been reminding players to focus on the now – not what happened before or after.
Gilford, who has been coaching since 1997, said a good coach with the right attitude will have the ability to overcome those challenges as long as they exude energy, enthusiasm, passion and strategy.
“(A good coach is) being able to adjust to every situation and being prepared and having a plan,” Gilford said. “If you don’t have a plan, you can’t execute it, and you can’t achieve your goals. That’s probably one of the biggest things.”
Success for the Rams isn’t just the numbers on the scoreboard but the number of players that are helped to reach the next level. As of press time, five Gavilan players had signed letters of intent to play for four-year institutions next year.
“What happened today (Ellis signing) is our success,” Gilford said. “Our job is to get these young men – or these boys most the time – and teach them how to be college level students, college level athletes so they can achieve their goals of playing at a four-year school. I thinking winning is a byproduct.”
• Remember that not all players are the same: Each has a different skill level, different goals and different motivating factors. Coaching requires making adjustments that suit everyone.
• Make a plan: What do you want to achieve with your teams? Whether it’s winning one game or winning a championship, you can’t get there if you don’t have a plan.
• Never stop learning: Whether it’s a new play or new coaching method, there’s always something to learn. Even your players might end up teaching you a thing or two.
• Be patient: Success doesn’t happen overnight. Be patient with your players and yourself, and continue working hard.
• Believe: Put faith in your athletes. They believe in you, so return the favor.
