i COLLEGE NOTEBOOK Irvine enjoying coaching
Morning Sentinel
COLLEGE NOTEBOOK Irvine enjoying coaching
BY MATT DIFILIPPO
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 03/23/2009

BY MATT DIFILIPPO

Staff Writer

Troy Irvine was a standout track and field athlete at Waterville Senior High School and the University of Maine. Now, he's finding out that competing is sometimes easier than coaching.

"I actually put a lot more stress on myself as a coach," Irvine said.

"The butterflies are churning more. You hope that you prepared an athlete for what they need to do. You're sitting there watching, but you have no control over it."

Irvine is in his first season as an assistant men's track and field coach at Central Michigan University, handling pole vaulters, jumpers and multi-event athletes.

Irvine was actually prepared to spend another year as a volunteer assistant at UMaine to build up his experience. Then one day, while barbecuing with a friend, he got a call from Michigan.

"I had actually assumed that they had gone with someone else," Irvine said.

Soon after, Irvine was thrown right into the fire.

When Irvine arrived on campus, head coach Jim Knapp was out while recovering from knee surgery, and the first assistant was also the head cross country coach.

"I love it," Irvine said. "Pretty much from the moment I got here, I was given a lot of responsibility. It was a good experience. I like the idea of getting thrown into it."

In coaching, Irvine says he uses things he learned from Waterville coach Ian Wilson about getting mentally ready for a big meet.

He holds a bachelor's in kinesiology and a master's in exercise science from UMaine, and relies on his knowledge of the human body and communication to know when and how to push his athletes.

Knapp is retiring after this season, and the school is hoping in the next month to have a new coach who will head up the men's and women's track teams.

Irvine knows that often, new coaches like to have their own assistants, but he'd like to stick around.

"My athletes ask me (about next season) every day," Irvine said. "I always tell them, 'Guys, I don't know. Let's focus on this season.' I'll apply."

• • •

The Husson women's lacrosse team will played its first-ever varsity game Sunday at home against Becker.

The Eagles lost 20-15. Sophomore Nicole Cyr, a Monmouth Academy grad, plays defense for the Eagles.

Men's lacrosse is also a new sport at Husson, and that team has seven players from the central Maine area. Zachary Williams (Maranacook), Chris Smedberg (Lawrence), Jesse Cullivan (Winslow) and Nick Brown (Oak Hill) are midfielders. Michael Labrie (Messalonskee) and Brandon Galouch (Maranacook) are defenders, and Matt Linnell (Lawrence) is the only goalkeeper on the roster. The Eagles have 21 players, and 16 are freshmen.

• • •

Bob Holmes, the "one-man volleyball team" will be appearing at Larry Mahaney Gymnasium at Thomas College at 7:30 tonight. Holmes will also give a motivational speech on "beating the odds."

Holmes claims he has won more than 16,400 matches in his career and lost less than 400.

According to Holmes' Web site

(http://www.beatbob.com), he has beaten several NFL teams, including the New England Patriots.

At Thomas, Holmes will take on male and female student-athlete teams, and a staff team.

Thomas assistant athletic director Andrea.

Thebarge said the cost is free, but the school is asking spectators to bring non-perishable items, which will be donated to the Salvation Army in Waterville.

Matt DiFilippo -- 861-9243

mdifilippo@centralmaine.com

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