The Saint Mary’s College sports department has undergone significant changes, including the arrival of several new coaches. Rob Hoffman has joined as the new head coach of the Belles basketball team. Hoffman coached at Trine University for nine years before joining Saint Mary’s.
The Observer sat down with Hoffman to learn more his experience with the game.
Q: Do you have any past experience with basketball?
A: “I grew up playing it, it started back in 3rd or 4th grade. You know I think my first goal was to be in the NBA and that obviously did not happen. You know I grew up playing every year until my senior year of high school and I actually stopped playing and I became a swimmer.”
Q: You mentioned being a swimmer, what pushed you to come back and start coaching basketball?
A: “My sophomore year of college, I became a student assistant for basketball and rode it out ever since.”
Q: Have you coached college basketball before and if so did you mainly coach JV or Varsity? Or both?
A: “Yes, definitely have. Yeah, I have done a bit of JV at the college level but majority at the varsity level in college mostly. I think I did one year of JV.”
Q: How are you liking Saint Mary’s so far? Do you feel like it is a good fit?
A: “There [are] some things, it’s so new, trying to catch up is hard. I do like it a lot, it is just hard. Like how do you do this, or where is that, [it’s] kind of like being a freshman ... like being thrown into the fire.”
Q: Are there any challenges that you or the team are facing with having a new coach, while getting ready for the season?
A: “No, I don’t think so at all, for one it is super exciting, they are so eager to learn and are ready. As exciting as it is for them, it is all new. The only challenge is that it's all new and [it will be] harder now then it will be in two years once everyone gets the reps. But at the end of the day basketball is basketball and it is exciting.”
Under the leadership of new head coach Rob Hoffman, the Belles basketball team will continue to prepare for their season with their first game and home opener set on November 8th against North Central at 6pm.
