Guardian Sports Editor Andrew Smith sat down with Wright State volleyball coach Susan Clements for a 1-on-1 discussion about herself, her team, her musical interests, whether student-athletes should be paid, and more.
Guardian Sports (GS): How would you define yourself? Who is Susan Clements?
Susan Clements (SC): “I think I am an ambitious person. When I see something or set a goal, that is my main focus. I think I am ambitious, optimistic and competitive. I think I would pick those words to describe myself.”
GS: “How do you think your players would describe you?”
SC: (Laughs) “I think they would say I’m tough, sarcastic, demanding and competitive as well.”
GS: “Tough, but fair?”
SC: “Tough, but fair, and caring. I would hope they would say that.”
GS: “Maybe not in that order?”
SC: (Laughs) “Not in that order, no.”
GS: “Why did you want to become a coach?”
SC: “Well, my mother was a coach, her brother was a coach. They were actually basketball coaches. My mom did all three women’s sports in high school: volleyball, basketball and soccer, but basketball was her passion for sure. When I got involved in sports, became successful as a player and it got later in my life, it was just what I loved to do. It’s not a job for me, I love it every day.”
GS: “Did you want to get into coaching because you like leading others?”
SC: “I definitely don’t mind the pressure. I’ll get it done. I think that’s the kind of leader I was. I don’t think I was always a compromising leader. I think my former teammates would describe me as a win-at-all-costs kind of competitor. When I look at leadership, I think I look at it as someone who is organized and can hopefully get everyone to be on the same page for the greater good of the team.”
GS: “What aspect of coaching gives you biggest sense of fulfillment?”
SC: “I love the relationships I build with my players. When they’ve graduated and they come back and we talk about what’s next in their lives, they ask for my guidance. I think those are big moments for me because we’ve built those relationships and I feel like I’m helping them with what’s really important.”
GS: “Is it important for you to distinguish between coach and friend?”
SC: “I think it is. I think they know when we are friendly and when we are down to business, and I think it’s important that they know the difference between the two. If there isn’t a line between coach and work and friend and work, then it gets all muddled up and they (the players) get confused.”
GS: “Other than when your team loses a match, when are some of your more frustrating moments as a coach?”
SC: “Oh man. I think when…kids are irresponsible, when they’re late, or forget things. Or if they don’t understand the importance of keeping up with their classwork. Things that shouldn’t be an issue when you think of day-to-day activities. A lot of people just think of sports as practice and play, but there’s so much more as far as how to be on time and how to manage their day.”
GS: “You appear fairly calm on the sidelines, during practice and during matches. How would you characterize your coaching style?”
SC: “I try to appear calm, especially when [the players] are young because we don’t want them to feel frazzled. Now, on the inside, I’m definitely not calm, but sometimes I don’t feel like it’s helpful if you’re just crazy and going nuts on the sidelines.”
GS: “Does yelling and screaming have its place in college athletics?”
SC: “Absolutely. You have to be able to demand, and every coach has their way of doing it. Some are loud, some have a tone and some have phrases of the way they say things. I think it’s important that you are honest with the kid in the beginning. You have to be yourself if you’re trying to become the coach you want to be.”
GS: “When you leave Wright State, how do you want to be remembered, both as a coach and as a person?”
SC: “I definitely want to be remembered as a coach who built the program into success.”
GS: “What does that ultimately look like?”
SC: “The kids are graduating, we’re winning and we’re at the top of the league. Hopefully a championship is in there. We’re competing nationally and not just in the conference. We have a great reputation in the state with kids from the areas, where, if this an option, this is a great option to play volleyball.”
GS: “Who is the biggest comedian on your team?”
SC: “I believe they (the players) would say Haley Garr. She’s funny, she does not hold back and she definitely has a big personality. She’s just a happy person.”
GS: “Who is the most serious player on the team?”
SC: “I would say…it’s gotta be a tie between Ellen (Senf) and Heidi (Splinter). They’re serious people. I just think they’re driven people and in their focus in life.”
GS: “Who is the quietest?”
SC: “I don’t know if we have a quiet person on this team. When I look at this group, there is no one that is not talkative.”
GS: “Who has the best fashion sense?”
SC: “Probably Marisa (Aiello). She has modeled before and I think she always looks nice.”
GS: “Do you think student-athletes should be paid?”
SC: “I struggle with this one because I look at it in two areas. They are getting their education paid for and that is a lot of money. Then I look at it as some athletes are getting exposed for their publicity and other people are making millions off of them. I don’t think that is really fair for those kids.”
GS: “Is someone like Johnny Manziel being exploited?”
SC: “Yeah, and I think those kids look at it as, ‘soon I will be making millions and you took some of my money,’ whereas my kids look [at it as] they’re going to get a job. I think there is a disconnect between certain sports with that aspect of it.”
GS: “If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you bought for yourself and the first thing you bought for someone else?”
SC: “You talk about this all the time with your friends, too. The first thing I would buy for myself would be a vacation home. That would be, probably, down in the islands, somewhere. I would also pay off my sister’s medical school loans.”
GS: “If I were to dig through your ipod or iphone, what kind of music would I find in there?”
SC: “(Laughs) You would find…Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson…you would also find Chicago and CCR. Some old classic rock. You would also find probably every Michael Jackson song in there too. I grew up on that.”
