New Hires Untested on College Level

Freshmen aren’t the only rookies on the varsity fields this year.

Four new head coaches have been hired to lead Harvard teams­—in men’s soccer, water polo, men’s lacrosse, and squash respectively. Although their achievements make up an impressive list of qualifications, there is one thing they all lack: prolonged time as a head coach at the collegiate level.

But is previous college coaching experience necessary to be successful?

At the helm of men’s soccer, Carl Junot is already showing results.

After last season’s head coach Jamie Clark, the 2009 NSCAA Northeast Region Coach of the Year, resigned, Junot was chosen to fill his shoes. Junot served as a Harvard assistant coach for the last two seasons and as the Tufts head coach for three months before returning to lead the Crimson program.

Already he’s led tenth-ranked Harvard to victories over No. 13 Stanford and UMass, and the squad shows no signs of slowing down.

Crimson players feel that Junot’s personality and familiarity with the Harvard program outweigh any lack of head coaching experience.

“All the players thought it would be a good idea to have someone who was close to the program and had an idea what the players were like,” said sophomore forward Brian Rogers over the summer. “[Junot] definitely has an enthusiasm about the game that’s contagious [and] that everyone seems to respond to really well.”

New water polo coach Ted Minnis similarly inspires his players. Minnis has experience at the youth, club, and high school levels, but he is getting his feet wet for the first time at the college ranks with the Crimson.

Although the men’s team has started off with a 1-2 record after last weekend’s MIT Invitational, responses from his players have been enthusiastic about Minnis’ coaching style.

“Ted has brought a new energy to the team that I think all the returning players and new players have responded to really well,” co-captain Bret Voith said. “Ted has been able to come in and get everyone excited to play this year...Even though he hasn’t coached at the college level, at the club level he has coached with some of the best coaches in the country, and he is fully ready to lead our team.”

“He is one of those people who has a natural charisma,” sophomore center Elise Molnar added. “A lot of those close games really come down to having someone who can motivate you to that next level. I think Ted will be able to do that for us.”

On the lacrosse field, Chris Wojcik hopes to bring his knowledge of the game to motivate the players of his alma mater. The former Harvard captain went on to serve as an assistant coach for the Crimson and Bowdoin before joining Penn as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. His new position allows him to return to Harvard Stadium once again, but this time, at the top of the staff.

“It’s been a dream come true,” said Wojcik shortly after receiving the position. “I hoped at some point down the road that I was going to be the head coach at Harvard.”

He already has plans to speed up the squad’s style of play and is enthusiastic about continuing to improve the program.

Rounding out the fresh faces is Mike Way, the new head coach of the men’s and women’s squash teams. With over 25 years of professional coaching experience, including time at the National Squash Training Center in Canada and at the Oakville Club, Way has trained and developed over 50 world and national champions, including Crimson sophomore Laura Gemmell. Although he has never coached an American college team, Way is definitely not lacking in experience.

“He is world-renowned and is very knowledgeable about the game,” Gemmell said. “I don’t know anyone who knows strategy and tactics better than him.”

Way’s strengths are not only limited to his knowledge of the game.

“He is super inspiring,” Gemmell continued. “He brings a lot of passion and enthusiasm. He has already brought a lot of new energy to the team.”

These four men may not have experience as head coaches at the college level. But will this make a difference? They are experts in their respective sports. They have trained competitive athletes at high levels. They are passionate and inspiring. Only time will tell, but with these coaches in the lead, the future seems bright for these Harvard programs.

—Staff writer Stephanie E. Herwatt can be reached at sherwatt@college.harvard.edu.