By Craig Morgan, thesundevils.com Writer
Courtney Martinez Connor has an impressive lacrosse resume. She played on NCAA championship teams from 1998-2001 at Maryland, she was named NCAA Tournament most valuable player and national Defender of the Year in 2001 and she was part of the USA Lacrosse National team program from 2001-05.
In her first year coaching at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Martinez Connor led the Retrievers to the program's first America East regular-season title with a 5-1 conference mark in 2006. For her efforts, she was named the America East Coach of the Year in 2006.
Before coaching at UMBC, she became the all-time winningest coach in Mount St. Mary's University women's lacrosse history by posting 43 victories. She led Mount St. Mary's to the Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament title game in her final three seasons and back-to-back NEC Championships and NCAA tournament bids in 2004 and 2005.
Most recently, she served as a lacrosse analyst for ESPN, Big Ten Network and Inside Lacrosse. We caught up with Martinez Connor this week for a quick Q&A on the value of her experiences, her coaching philosophy and the state of the program, which begins play in 2017-18.
What convinced you to leave the broadcast booth and take the Arizona State job?
"I will certainly miss the broadcasting booth as well as all of the wonderful people who were involved in the productions. It was a very tough decision but one that I felt needed to happen, as ASU is one of a kind. I strongly felt that there would not be another opportunity to lead a brand-new program, in a power conference, located in a wonderful locale with the amount of support from the administration. When you are in the sports world, you see a lot of places and meet a lot of people. You certainly develop a strong sense of what it would take to bring you back to the sidelines, and Arizona State met every single one of them."
What impressed you about ASU's facilities, philosophy and message?
"ASU is always striving to improve every aspect of the athletics department. Whether it's building a brand new facility or renovating an existing structure, it is done with the student-athletes' needs in mind. Comfort, accessibility and aesthetics are taken into account not just for the competition facilities, but also for the support services provided for the student-athletes.
"The Sun Devils Athletics community is one that builds character, competes to win, connects with the community but most importantly, is a family for one another. You can't really go wrong when your message resonates the same points."
How would you characterize your coaching philosophy, and who or what shaped that philosophy?
"I've had many coaches from the youth level to the U.S. team and pulled bits and pieces from each of their philosophies. Certainly, my college coaches had some of the biggest influences on me. A supportive environment that has attainable goals is a must. Holding one another accountable while competing and having trust will help you succeed as well. There is so much more to being a coach than just Xs and Os. Inspiring and preparing young women with the skills to excel in life are just as important."
Which experiences in your playing days helped you become a better coach?
"As a player you learn what does and does not motivate you, as well as your teammates. Everyone is different and to have a one-size-fits-all approach generally does not work.
Some ex-players say watching the game as a media analyst helped them gain another perspective. Did that happen to you, and if so, how did broadcasting broaden your lacrosse perspective?
"It is certainly opened up my eyes to a lot of different programs for both men's and women's teams and to see that there are multiple routes to success. What may work for one coach at one university may not work at another. It definitely has a lot more to do with the full picture of players, coaches, school and support system."
What did you like or dislike about broadcasting?
"The best part about being a sports analyst is that the losses do not stick with you. I am a very competitive person by nature and I absolutely loathe losses. Even being in the booth, I would leave a game and really feel for the losing team because I know it is not easy to walk away from a close game and think about all of the what-ifs. There really wasn't anything that I disliked about announcing. It was a lot of fun to visit different cities, meet great coaches and be around the sport that I love."
What adjustments did you make to coach, and how did you grow as a coach at Mount St. Mary's and UMBC?
"Every job that you have, you need to learn how to grow as an individual, a coach, a leader, as well as a co-worker. I was fortunate enough to be hired right out of college as a head coach. Most people would have found it difficult being so young, however the separation from player to coach was quite easy for me. The toughest part of coaching in the beginning was learning how to lose. I lost six total games in my nine years from being a high school to college player. I had to teach myself that there were takeaways from every game and how to build a better team from mistakes. It was humbling for sure."
What were some of the keys to building successful programs in your previous two stops?
"Finding the right type of athlete who fits well into your program is a big key to building successful team chemistry. Empowering the players to take risks and instilling a strong sense of confidence in each player are two important keys when building successful programs."
What are the challenges of starting a new program in a non-traditional market?
"One of the biggest challenges about building a new program in a non-traditional market will be about teaching many of the locals about the sport of lacrosse. This is important since lacrosse is not as well known in Arizona as it is out east. Gaining and keeping our fan base will certainly be a priority of our program. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in America and one of the fastest sports on two feet. There is nonstop action throughout the entire game, which makes it very exciting to watch for fans."
What will be your recruiting strategy to attract student-athletes to ASU?
"The University and athletics department really speak for themselves to recruits and their families. Who wouldn't want to play lacrosse in a place that has wonderful weather year round, strong academics, top-notch facilities as well as phenomenal support for its student-athletes? There is a strong sense of pride for Sun Devil Athletics and there is a big loyalty among past and present graduates. This big engagement opens the door in the future for a lot of opportunities. Once a prospective student visits campus, all is said and done. ASU is the No. 1 school for innovation, according to US News and World Report, among so many other accolades. The sky is the limit."
Can you give us a general update on where things stand with the various aspects of the program (staff, recruits, facilities, scheduling)?
"Meghan Keelan, a former player of mine, long-time friend and former Division II head coach has been on staff for about half of a year. We are in the process of hiring another assistant coach at this time.
"As soon as I took the job, my feet hit the ground running. I was on the hunt for my first recruiting class, which consists of the 2017 grad year. However, during that time I came across some great student-athletes who had yet to find a home. I quickly decided that it would be wise to have a year of training, to build skill on the field and most importantly help them become leaders.
"The players who will be on campus for the 2016-17 year are going to grow as lacrosse players as well as individuals. They are going to become the foundation of this program. That way, when the new class arrives in the fall of 2017, we will be better prepared for what lies ahead during our first season in 2018."
Courtney Martinez Connor has an impressive lacrosse resume. She played on NCAA championship teams from 1998-2001 at Maryland, she was named NCAA Tournament most valuable player and national Defender of the Year in 2001 and she was part of the USA Lacrosse National team program from 2001-05.
In her first year coaching at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Martinez Connor led the Retrievers to the program's first America East regular-season title with a 5-1 conference mark in 2006. For her efforts, she was named the America East Coach of the Year in 2006.
Before coaching at UMBC, she became the all-time winningest coach in Mount St. Mary's University women's lacrosse history by posting 43 victories. She led Mount St. Mary's to the Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament title game in her final three seasons and back-to-back NEC Championships and NCAA tournament bids in 2004 and 2005.
Most recently, she served as a lacrosse analyst for ESPN, Big Ten Network and Inside Lacrosse. We caught up with Martinez Connor this week for a quick Q&A on the value of her experiences, her coaching philosophy and the state of the program, which begins play in 2017-18.
What convinced you to leave the broadcast booth and take the Arizona State job?
"I will certainly miss the broadcasting booth as well as all of the wonderful people who were involved in the productions. It was a very tough decision but one that I felt needed to happen, as ASU is one of a kind. I strongly felt that there would not be another opportunity to lead a brand-new program, in a power conference, located in a wonderful locale with the amount of support from the administration. When you are in the sports world, you see a lot of places and meet a lot of people. You certainly develop a strong sense of what it would take to bring you back to the sidelines, and Arizona State met every single one of them."
What impressed you about ASU's facilities, philosophy and message?
"ASU is always striving to improve every aspect of the athletics department. Whether it's building a brand new facility or renovating an existing structure, it is done with the student-athletes' needs in mind. Comfort, accessibility and aesthetics are taken into account not just for the competition facilities, but also for the support services provided for the student-athletes.
"The Sun Devils Athletics community is one that builds character, competes to win, connects with the community but most importantly, is a family for one another. You can't really go wrong when your message resonates the same points."
How would you characterize your coaching philosophy, and who or what shaped that philosophy?
"I've had many coaches from the youth level to the U.S. team and pulled bits and pieces from each of their philosophies. Certainly, my college coaches had some of the biggest influences on me. A supportive environment that has attainable goals is a must. Holding one another accountable while competing and having trust will help you succeed as well. There is so much more to being a coach than just Xs and Os. Inspiring and preparing young women with the skills to excel in life are just as important."
Which experiences in your playing days helped you become a better coach?
"As a player you learn what does and does not motivate you, as well as your teammates. Everyone is different and to have a one-size-fits-all approach generally does not work.
Some ex-players say watching the game as a media analyst helped them gain another perspective. Did that happen to you, and if so, how did broadcasting broaden your lacrosse perspective?
"It is certainly opened up my eyes to a lot of different programs for both men's and women's teams and to see that there are multiple routes to success. What may work for one coach at one university may not work at another. It definitely has a lot more to do with the full picture of players, coaches, school and support system."
What did you like or dislike about broadcasting?
"The best part about being a sports analyst is that the losses do not stick with you. I am a very competitive person by nature and I absolutely loathe losses. Even being in the booth, I would leave a game and really feel for the losing team because I know it is not easy to walk away from a close game and think about all of the what-ifs. There really wasn't anything that I disliked about announcing. It was a lot of fun to visit different cities, meet great coaches and be around the sport that I love."
What adjustments did you make to coach, and how did you grow as a coach at Mount St. Mary's and UMBC?
"Every job that you have, you need to learn how to grow as an individual, a coach, a leader, as well as a co-worker. I was fortunate enough to be hired right out of college as a head coach. Most people would have found it difficult being so young, however the separation from player to coach was quite easy for me. The toughest part of coaching in the beginning was learning how to lose. I lost six total games in my nine years from being a high school to college player. I had to teach myself that there were takeaways from every game and how to build a better team from mistakes. It was humbling for sure."
What were some of the keys to building successful programs in your previous two stops?
"Finding the right type of athlete who fits well into your program is a big key to building successful team chemistry. Empowering the players to take risks and instilling a strong sense of confidence in each player are two important keys when building successful programs."
What are the challenges of starting a new program in a non-traditional market?
"One of the biggest challenges about building a new program in a non-traditional market will be about teaching many of the locals about the sport of lacrosse. This is important since lacrosse is not as well known in Arizona as it is out east. Gaining and keeping our fan base will certainly be a priority of our program. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in America and one of the fastest sports on two feet. There is nonstop action throughout the entire game, which makes it very exciting to watch for fans."
What will be your recruiting strategy to attract student-athletes to ASU?
"The University and athletics department really speak for themselves to recruits and their families. Who wouldn't want to play lacrosse in a place that has wonderful weather year round, strong academics, top-notch facilities as well as phenomenal support for its student-athletes? There is a strong sense of pride for Sun Devil Athletics and there is a big loyalty among past and present graduates. This big engagement opens the door in the future for a lot of opportunities. Once a prospective student visits campus, all is said and done. ASU is the No. 1 school for innovation, according to US News and World Report, among so many other accolades. The sky is the limit."
Can you give us a general update on where things stand with the various aspects of the program (staff, recruits, facilities, scheduling)?
"Meghan Keelan, a former player of mine, long-time friend and former Division II head coach has been on staff for about half of a year. We are in the process of hiring another assistant coach at this time.
"As soon as I took the job, my feet hit the ground running. I was on the hunt for my first recruiting class, which consists of the 2017 grad year. However, during that time I came across some great student-athletes who had yet to find a home. I quickly decided that it would be wise to have a year of training, to build skill on the field and most importantly help them become leaders.
"The players who will be on campus for the 2016-17 year are going to grow as lacrosse players as well as individuals. They are going to become the foundation of this program. That way, when the new class arrives in the fall of 2017, we will be better prepared for what lies ahead during our first season in 2018."