Bowling Green Women's Tennis
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Doubles
Legend
The new coach came in and kicked two girls off of the team for excessive partying. Then, she recruited two girls off of the club team who had no business playing varsity. As far as we speculate (my teammates and I, one of whom is close friends with a girl that starts for them) the coach is trying to bring in a foreign recruiting class, as that's what she did at her previous school.
Is it true that the other players have quit?
My daughter and I have visited there looking at different schools. If that many players have quit, that throws up a red flag about the coach.
Would not be so quick, it could be a cultural change that was needed when a new coach comes in, would not be so quick to judge a coach by an inherited team.
I partially agree with that. A relationship takes both parties to make it work. However, my daughter and I have attended several matches over the past two years. The former coach seemed to have a much better relationship with the players - more coaching during the matches and seemed more positive. This past year, the new coach did very minimal coaching during the matches - maybe that is her style. When she did interact with the players it usually wasn't pretty.
I think there is something definitely wrong. Under the former coach, BG always had very competitive teams. The coach and players always seemed to handle themselves with class. This year they weren't even competitive in most matches.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Did BGSU qualify for the MAC championships?
I’m a little familiar with the situation and there is something definitely wrong. I know a couple of the players and their families pretty well. Both are very nice young ladies - hard workers and very respectful. I’ve been around them enough and watched them play junior tournaments that I know their character.
According to them, there is lots of bullying and verbal abuse from the coach. It started early in the fall season when one player wasn’t moving her feet to suit the coach so she made that player drop her racquet and run around the court the rest of practice to humiliate her. She had to run for 2 hours. That seems excessive to me.
I think all the players and some parents have met with the AD to discuss the situation. I think most of the team has complained about the bullying and verbal abuse but the coach has denied everything. The AD’s position is that none of the allegations can be proven so the coach is staying. He appears to be taking the word of the coach above the word of all the players and parents.
I know that one girl transferred at the end of the first semester and 4 more have recently asked for their releases. I think they all were tired of the abuse.
I think Doubles' post is right. At her last coaching job (Murray St.), they went from having one international player on the team when she arrived to having an almost all international team when she left after 2 years. It appears the same thing is going to happen at Bowling Green.
Doubles
Legend
You guys missed the part where I said that they brought in two girls from their club team to fill in. That means that they were starting every match down 2-0 essentially because these girls were 4.0's realistically. There were also a lot of injuries to players on their team. It's not that they threw matches, they just did not have enough healthy players.
Doubles is correct. They didn't purposely try and lose matches - they just didn't have the team to win. At one point in the season, they had 3 club players and a walk-on starting. Also, I think it was hard for the girls to be really motivated because they knew they were going to be criticized for their play.
I totally agree - constuctive criticism can be good and is welcomed by players. Players at this level have worked hard and have been pushed by their coaches. They know that has made them improve. The best coaches I had did two things well. When I failed, they didn't condemn me but instead showed me how to succeed. When I succeeded, they used that to motivate me to achieve more.
I don't think this is going on at BGSU. When the players fail, they are personally attacked for their lack of tennis ability and punished. Instead of coaching and showing the players how to succeed, I am told the coach verbally abuses the players and punishes them by making them run excessively in practice. Tough coaches can be good but this appears to be way over the line.
floridatennisdude
Hall of Fame
I know nothing about this situation. It sounds like the sort of thing where the coach tells the AD upon their hiring that they will completely revamp the roster, so bear with the blows that come to the administration if you want the coach.
It is very hard to non-renew a scholarship at a school like BG. Kid will almost always win an appeal and you're stuck eating a scholarship for a kid you don't want. The alternative is to make it an unpleasant environment so the kids you don't want to be there just quit.
Debate the ethics of that, but this is D1 sports. Coaches don't get paid to have crappy teams of nice kids. They're expected to get results. This would be one way to go about it, agree with it or not.
It is very hard to non-renew a scholarship at a school like BG. Kid will almost always win an appeal and you're stuck eating a scholarship for a kid you don't want. The alternative is to make it an unpleasant environment so the kids you don't want to be there just quit.
Debate the ethics of that, but this is D1 sports. Coaches don't get paid to have crappy teams of nice kids. They're expected to get results. This would be one way to go about it, agree with it or not.
I think this is exactly what is going on. I think the coach has convinced the AD that she can't win with the current roster of players and has promised that, if she can get her players, she will win. The fallacy with that logic is that the former coach did win and win a lot. They never were a top 25 team or won a national championship but I'm not sure that is a realistic goal for a school like BG.
And pertaining to the ethics of it - when is it ever ethical to bully and abuse people? Even if they truly believe that they can't win with the roster the coach has inherited, are the AD and coach so callous that they don't care what happens to the current players as long as they get what they want? I think a coach and AD who have at least some moral principles would put the student-athletes first over their own selfish ambitions. They would realize that the current players would be graduating in a year or two and then the coach could start bringing in the players she wants. Not the case at BG.
Bottom line for me - if I had a athlete considering BGSU there is no way I would allow them to go there to play. I'm sure there may be good coaches there but I don't feel that the AD cares about the student-athletes at all. IMO if you're a junior tennis player reading this and considering BGSU - STAY AWAY!
I think the two players I know got their releases. I'm not sure about the others.
I agree with that. But I guess what surprises me in this situation is that this is a new coach with very little track record. I can actually understand (even though I don't agree) why a school would want to keep a successful coach even though they bully players (Bobby Knight at Indiana Univ. and Mike Rice at Rutgers). When the evidence came out on these two, they were dismissed of their duties.
In the situation at Bowling Green, this first-year coach inherited a good team and they finished the season 0-17. How is that for a track record? It's bad enough what the coach has done but the Athletic Director has repeatedly been told about the coach's behavior has refused to do anything. IMO he is as much to blame as the coach since he knows about it. He has the authority to stop it but won't.
Reread Lam's posts. The AD is a man.
Looks like they had 9 players on the roster to start the 2014-15 year. No seniors. 4 are returning next year according to their 2015-16 roster.
Tenniscoach85
New User
The girl who played #1 for most of the year has left the program judging by their roster. Local girl who was very excited about going to BG and a very strong player. Great family from just up the road, too bad it did not work out for her.
Doubles
Legend
She left to go to a better program and better school (biased, of course).
Tenniscoach85
New User
Much better program from what I hear as well. I attempted to recruit her out of high school to a smaller college, very happy for her to move on and get away from BG situation.
Good for her. I hope all the girls that left find somewhere to go and play tennis. It sounds like it was just a very bad environment around the Bowling Green tennis program.
Oddyssey
Rookie
Because BG obviously couldn't care less about their women's program. Still mind boggling team goes 0-17 and HC keeps job. Strong statement there.
Bet she's on a short leash. We'll see how it goes next year.
Couldn't agree with that more. Both the Athletic Director and the BGSU President know what is going on but have chosen to look the other way. Multiple players and their parents have spoken with them about the bullying but their allegations have apparently fallen on deaf ears. IMO I think the AD doesn't want to admit he made a mistake in hiring this new coach so he has dug in his heels to support her in spite of all the bullying allegations. I think the President just wants the problem to go away and hopes it will by having the current players transfer. SHAME ON THEM. The players aren't the problem.
I agree with that. Poor example of how college athletics should be. Seems like AD is much more interested in making himself look good than the welfare of the student-athletes.
I think this is exactly what is going on. I looked at the 2015-16 roster and the new freshman the coach has brought in are all foreign - 2 from Spain and 1 from Bulgaria.
Team doesn't look as strong as last year. Top 6 girls left from last year's team and the new recruits don't look any better. Since they were winless last year, coach has scheduled weaker teams in an effort to win some matches and make everyone think they have improved. They may do better than 0-17 (it would be hard not to with their schedule} but, overall, I don't think they will be as good as last year. If the coach wouldn't have run her 6 best players off, they probably would do pretty well this year.
I think you were correct on your prediction. Season is over and they finished with a record of 2-19. The girl that played #1 had a pretty solid year but they didn't have the players from top to bottom. Like you said, if the coach wouldn't have run their 6 best players off, they would have done pretty well.
I'm interested to see what the AD will do about the coach. 0-17 last year. 2-19 this year with the recruits the coach wanted and they weren't even competitive in most matches. Two-year record of 2-36! Need I say more?
Doubles
Legend
They only graduated one, the two walk-ons from the last two seasons likely won't play next year. My guess is that the lineup will be almost entirely international next season. It also amazes me how the girl that played one was so successful given that she looks like she's never played a sport in her life. Just goes to show how talent can make up for what appears to be some lacking athleticism.
Just out of curiosity, I followed up on the girls that left and/or were forced out by the coach last year. All went to good D-1 schools and all had pretty good seasons. All are solid players and one even got to play and beat her opponent from BG in a match. I bet that felt pretty good. All the players that left would have helped the team this year. The team would have been good from top to bottom.
You're right - trend is heading up! And in 2019-20 NCAA champions!
I'd say you're right about the team being mostly international next season. The two walk-ons most likely won't play next year and probably will be replaced by international players. It appears that the coach's MO is to recruit international players - she did previously at Murray State and now she appears to be doing the same at BG with her first recruiting class being 3 international players.
As far as the girl who plays one - never judge a book by its cover.
Tenniscoach85
New User
Anyone close to the situation know how the program is funded with scholarships?
Doubles
Legend
She was apparently terrible to play for, so maybe thats not a bad thing.
Despite her dismal record, I don't think that was the main reason she "resigned". The AD, who was her biggest advocate, announced his "resignation" in April and that his last day would be May 10. Interesting.
I know last year there were accusations of bullying and verbal abuse by the coach to the point that 7 girls left the team. The AD and BG president knew what was going on but chose to look the other way. I knew some of the players on last year's team and had actually spoken with their parents about what was going on. It was very disturbing how the coach was treating the players and the fact that the AD seemed to condone it.
I can't really comment on what was going on with the tennis team this past season since the players I knew left the team. One would assume that nothing had changed with the coaching since everything that went on last year was "swept under the rug". Maybe someone in a position of authority with some decency found out what was actually going on and called out the AD and coach. Really don't know the details - I bet there is a lot more to it than we'll ever know.
I know last year there were accusations of bullying and verbal abuse by the coach to the point that 7 girls left the team. The AD and BG president knew what was going on but chose to look the other way. I knew some of the players on last year's team and had actually spoken with their parents about what was going on. It was very disturbing how the coach was treating the players and the fact that the AD seemed to condone it.
I can't really comment on what was going on with the tennis team this past season since the players I knew left the team. One would assume that nothing had changed with the coaching since everything that went on last year was "swept under the rug". Maybe someone in a position of authority with some decency found out what was actually going on and called out the AD and coach. Really don't know the details - I bet there is a lot more to it than we'll ever know.
She had a bad plan from the start. Run off most of the existing players, zero wins the first year, 2 wins in year two. Taking a decent team down to the basement when it didn't have to be that way. Her wake she left behind and kids negatively impacted was terrible to say the least.
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