By Pat Grecco

Before I describe the how to get along with your college coach, first let me tell you a little bit about college coaches in general.

Coach is a very special person. He bets his job on teenage players every season. Coach is usually under 40; if it's a male sport, usually it's a male coach; if it's a female sport, it could be either male or female.

All college coaches have a Bachelors Degree, often in physical education. Some 35 percent have Master Degrees, usually in sports management. Sixty percent are married with two children. Most have an assistant coach, a few have two or three assistants. Football Coaches can have up to 10 assistants.

In the off-season when they are not coaching, they run or work at summer camps where they usually make a substantial amount of money. All attend 4-5 tournaments and college showcases, combines, all-star games where they recruit players. Some of the challenges of being a college coach include NCAA rules and regulations, paperwork, college administrative hassles, under funded programs and meddling parents. Not to mention the pressure of winning and being out of work if you don't win.

Now the getting along part.

It's simple. Always be respectful. In essence, the coach is your boss; there is a chain of command on every team. It starts with coach, assistant coach, team captains, senior leaders, and then there is you and your teammates. If you are not getting playing time don't develop an attitude. Decide to work hard and prove to coach he needs you out there.

While you are at college your coach will act as a surrogate parent. Coach will be interested in your well-being, your grades, and your happiness. Of course, if you are a starter, doing well will usually be very helpful in getting along with coach. I have observed that the usual discontent on the part of the player and the coach is lack of playing time or being unable to make substantial contributions to the team.

Keep in mind that coach would not have recruited you if there was not the potential on your part to be a part of the team. Also remember that coach is not your best friend and sometimes will find it necessary to correct you, just like any authority figure in your life. When problems arise personally or on the team, bring it to the attention of your chain of command and eventually to the coach.

My very best advice is to attend a summer camp where Coach will be working. Go see a game or a meet and observe how coach interacts with the players on the team. When recruiting time comes always be open and honest and if the school is not a good fit either academically, socially, demographically, tell the Coach. Remember, coach has lots of friends and colleagues and would be happy to recommend you.

Twenty years have passed since my daughter played at the University of Connecticut, and on occasions when she meets up with head coach Len Tsantiris, she always greets him with, "Hi coach." A mentor, a father figure, a teacher, a role model and a person she admires, and he will always be her coach.

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