Behind the scenes of St. Ursula Academy Athletics

By: Hannah Thebeau 

St. Ursula Academy’s athletes are some of the best in the Toledo area, but the work behind the scenes often gets overlooked. There are so many athletic directors, trainers and coaches that do so much in order to highlight these athletes’ successes.

Jim Scott is a soccer and softball coach at St.Ursula and describes his time coaching as one of the most stressful, yet most rewarding experiences.

“Coaching at SUA is a year-round job and it never stops,” said Scott

He states that before competing, there are hours spent in preparation. Things such as setting up score tables, finding ball girls and getting fields prepared are just a few of the many tasks that must be done.

Scott also expressed that the majority of the athlete’s success comes from the hard work that is done in the off-season. Athletes, coaches and trainers start their season months in advance before competitions even start in order to prepare for the months ahead. 

Alongside coaches, athletic directors are required to plan games, meets and other competitions months before teams even start their season. They must also organize transportation if a competition is too far away, which can oftentimes be very costly and stressful to coordinate.

Every sports team needs a place to practice and develop their skill, which at times can be very costly for the athletic department. Getting new wood floors for gyms, purchasing new sports equipment and even buying new uniforms result in a lot of money spent in order to give athletes the tools to succeed.

A depiction of the St.Ursula field house where most students have once practiced or competed 

Photo by Jacob Peters 

Scott said watching his senior class leave after making such an impact on the team every season is definitely one of the hardest parts about being a coach.

“Athletics isn't always about competition, it's about being a part of the sisterhood and how that extends into the community,” said Scott

It's safe to say that no matter what your role may be in the athletic department at St.Ursula, your work is valuable and will always positively impact the end result of our community, school and sisterhood.