Women's Basketball Coach Brent Brase '90

By Lisa Gray Giurato | June 15, 2020

In 1979 the Pittsburgh Pirates won the National League East division title, the National League pennant, and the World Series. And through it all, they listened to one song over and over again, Sister Sledges disco hit We Are Family.

When Cornell Report writer Lisa Gray Giurato sat down with Cornells three alumni coachesWomens Basketball Coach Brent Brase 90, Softball Coach Jackie Serneck 14, and Wrestling Coach Brenton Hamm 15she wondered if their idea of a team was a lot like the Pirates or if they had a different perspective.

Gray Giurato: What does team mean to you?

Hamm: The first thing that comes to mind is team family. You care about each other. Its not about yourself, but what can I do to help my teammates perform at their best. I have team dinners at my house; my wifes there and my dogs there and we talk non-wrestling. You develop relationships. Maybe you coach a student for a year and you have them over to your house, and now your relationship is twice as strong. I think team and I think family and that we are all focused on the same goal.

Gray Giurato: That transcends beyond playing a game.

Brase: Thats hard to do. To tap into individuals and ask them to put themselves aside when you want high achieving individuals but you do it for the common team goal. For me to be happy for you when youre achieving what I want to achieve, and Ive got to fully support you. To have that environment where all these roles, which are obviously so important, to focus on the team, that familythey have to celebrate it.

Sernek: I read something the other day and I think it hits home and touches on this point. From the perspective of a coach, we create a team atmosphere and what we do is 25% teaching a skill to the students and three-quarters of our time is spent building relationships and teaching them respect, responsibility, and accountability. They can have that after college and that is more rewarding than anything. We have a unique community here that I didnt have at other schools. Coaches here are more involved in each others programs.

Brase: Absolutely. And thats one of the really neat things that Cornell athletics has, is that were really close as staff. In fact, Ive had assistants go to other colleges and thats the first thing that they tell me.

Hamm: Why do you think that is?

Sernek: At other schools, I felt like everybody was so involved in their sports. I was in Division I for a couple of years and they were just worried about winning. You didnt really mingle with other sports. There was never any extra connection there.

Brase: The same thing that can impact a team, coaches arent immune to it either, and thats human emotionjealousy. That impacts coaches and why coaches do or dont speak with each other or why youre helpful or why youre not helpful. Its hard for coaches if your program is struggling to be supportive of other programs. Thats just human behavior.

Gray Giurato: Oh, thats a good point. In a way, its like siblings. If you feel like your big brother is getting all the attention and youre like, look at me!

Hamm (laughing): You dont want them to be successful!

Gray Giurato: What do you think leads all of you to be the counterpoint to that norm? Sports teams equal competitiveness and rivalry, but youre not like that amongst each other.

Sernek: There is a sense of community here, not only as an athletic department. Im from Chicago and I remember my first day walking down Main Street in Mount Vernon when somebody said hello to me. Where Im from, you dont talk to anyone you dont know and later when Id go home and visit my parents, I would say hello to passing strangers, and my mom would say, I can tell youve been in Iowa.

Everyone in the room laughs.

Gray Giurato: What do you hope for your student-athletes?

Brase: A lot of personal growth, lifelong friendships and memories, and that theyre going to be successful in life. If theyre successful, our program is successful.

See the rest here:
We are Ramily: Cornell's alumni coaches discuss the meaning of team - Cornell College News