Topic 1: How did Rob get into College Coaching:

Rob talks about how he got into college coaching and his unique experience both playing and coaching at the same time out in England. He shares how this got him to enjoy coaching and pursue a coaching career. 

Topic 2: Where did Rob Learn his Coaching Style?

Rob talks about the mentors he’s had both playing and coaching and how that has taught him his coaching style. He shares what he’s learned and continues to learn as he goes through the process of coaching.

Topic 3: Coach Chilcoat talks about the Challenges of Coaching:

Coach Chilcoat talks about some of the challenges of coaching at the college level. While they are challenging aspects, he has enjoyed taking them in stride and learning from them as he goes.

Topic 4: What Makes a Team Successful: Mental Toughness or Talent:

Rob shares a story about a past team and their successes.  He dives into what made them successful and how the mental side of the game has a positive role in that success. 

Topic 5: What Makes Coaching Rewarding?

During this part of the chat, Rob shares some of the most rewarding aspects of coaching and how he’s enjoyed having those be a major part of his career. 

Topic 6: Coach Chilcoat Shares Some Tips to Staying Physically Active: 

Rob gives us a look into what can be done during the COVID-19 lockdown to stay physically active. He offers up some good ideas of where to look and what can be done.

Topic 7: Tips to Staying Mentally Active During COVID-19:

Coach Chilcoat offers up some ideas on how to stay mentally active during the lockdown. Utilizing the technology at hand and finding activities online that can keep you mentally healthy. 

Topic 8: What are Some Recruiting Tips?

Rob shares some great recruiting tips for athletes of all high school age levels on how to keep the process rolling or even get it started. He talks about communication with coaches and what to do during this shutdown to make the most of your time.

Topic 9: What Makes DI Volleyball Unique?

During this clip, Rob talks about what makes DI unique both from a player and coaching perspective. He highlights the best aspects of DI while also shining light on the downfalls.

It's easy to tell Coach Chilcoat's love for the game and determination has brought him so much success over the years. His tips on recruiting and stories come from a places of great experience and knowledge. We hope you find them useful in your recruiting journey!

Jess Gregory  

Thank you so much for stopping in again today. Today we are here chatting with Rob Chilcoat from South Alabama. How we doing today, Rob? 

Rob Chilcoat  

Doing Fantastic. 

Jess Gregory  

Awesome. Well, we are glad to have you and sit down and chat with you a little bit. Let's talk some volleyball. Yeah,

Rob Chilcoat  

absolutely. Let's get into it.

Jess Gregory  

All right. So I want to know a little bit about how you got into coaching. So can you share your coaching background with us?

Rob Chilcoat  

Absolutely. So I graduated from Loyola, Chicago in 2015. And I knew that I wanted to keep playing, and I was looking overseas for opportunities, and I found the University of Essex, I talked to their coach and he wanted me to come in and help him build his program. So I got an opportunity to go over there and I got my master's degree while also coaching so kind of like a ga ship where I could play as well not just be a coach. So I got to do that. And he really took two ideas that I had, and we kind of collaborated and helped get the team over there promoted to the next level. And that's when I knew after doing a year of that, that's when I knew that I wanted to be a coach. And give back because it was super rewarding for me to see, to go over there and help the players over there develop and watch them become really successful. And you know when, and that's what that's when I knew, I was like, I want to keep doing this. So I was the summer of 2016. I was finishing up my degree and I started looking back in the NCAA, I started applying to jobs and my current boss right now, Alexis meets by Adele, I interviewed with her and we had very similar goals and visions for what we want to accomplish. And so she ended up hiring me at University of West Alabama and I was there from 2016 to 2000. January of 2019, and then she got hired at South Alabama and I came here so We had a we had some good success at West Alabama. And we did all right this past season here at itself, and we're looking to continue to build and continue to grow.

Jess Gregory  

Awesome. Sounds like a fun, fun growth there from getting a start coaching and play at the same time. That's definitely pretty unique. Yeah, cool. Um, well, in that regard, can you tell us a little bit about maybe your coaching style and how you sort of have developed that over the last few years? For sure.

Rob Chilcoat  

So I would say that first and foremost, I'm relationship driven, and relationship oriented, because at the end of the day, the kids are going to my players are going to be the best versions of themselves, if they feel like they're completely enveloped in and understand that as a coach, I care about them off the court, just like I care about them on the court. So I try and make sure that the kids know that I'm here for them if they need me at any point in time and then want the best for them even though sometimes, you know, we got to be hard on them, I'm there to make sure that when they leave, and they get a degree and they walk across that stage and the other four years itself that moving forward in there for the rest of their life, they can be successful at any stage in their life. So I'm definitely relationship oriented and then I'm player driven, trying to make sure that the players are taken care of and they have what they need to be successful. So the only other thing I would say about my philosophy is is um, I try to be good with my feet are at the end of the day, like, you know, I don't try don't try and look forward too much. I just try to be really good where my feet are and good stuff tends to happen when when you do that.

Jess Gregory  

Yeah. Are there any kind of coaches that you maybe emulate their style or you've kind of pulled some ideas from them, maybe even the one that you played for out in England?

Rob Chilcoat  

Absolutely. So the my four years at Loyola definitely shaped me into the The man that I am and I look at what my coaches did there, and I try and emulate all three of my coaches that I had in terms of decision making, how how prepared they were at all times how composed they were and how they just think instilled in us to expect to win. It's not an if we're going to win, it's when we win. And so, you know, I was very blessed when I was there, we want to back to back national championships. And I took that mentality over to England and then my coach over there, Alex Porter, he, he was really process driven and really, really focused on how does the player learn and how do we make sure that the players understand how to make decisions in the game and so I kind of got to mix that in with like, what I learned at Loyola and it's been it's shaped me into the coach that I am here.

Jess Gregory  

Awesome. Well, that's very exciting that you can kind of learn from different coaches and, and keep learning, you know, that's kind of what we have to do right?

Rob Chilcoat  

That's the goal is to is to always learn. And honestly, I feel like since I've graduated, I've learned I've started learning more than I did when I was in school, which is crazy. That sounds like I'm learning. I'm constantly trying to improve skills. I listen to podcasts all the time and talk to the coaches and just, I try and learn as much as I can all the time. Absolutely.

Jess Gregory  

Yeah, that's a funny thing. Maybe some kids don't know is that even as coaches, we're always still trying to get that edge and learn as much as we possibly can. So it doesn't stop once you graduate.

Rob Chilcoat  

No, it doesn't? Absolutely.

Jess Gregory  

Um, alright, so you've been coaching for a little bit. Now. Can you talk about maybe the most challenging part of being a college coach to you?

Rob Chilcoat  

Sure. So far, what I've seen is the most challenging part is building a successful culture, a culture that everyone within that culture in that team and not just the players, but the coaches and Everybody else that has a hand in it is, you know, wants to work hard, wants to be successful and wants to do the little things, right? Because it's, I mean, it's a grind it to be successful, it takes a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice. And, you know, just it takes a special type of person to want to come in and do all those things. So that's definitely the most challenging part is getting all those pieces together and then keeping the ship pointing in the same direction while you go compete for a championship. Mm hmm.

Jess Gregory  

Now, that part is challenging for you. If you think back on successful seasons that you've had even as a player, can you kind of tell us what you found was the caveat that made it successful? Was it the talent of the players? Or was it their mental toughness?

Rob Chilcoat  

Um, I would say that mental toughness had I mean, talent definitely has something to do with it. But I think mental toughness at the end of the day is what gives teams edges so the team you know both of the teams that I played on that won national championships We believe in our coaches, and we stuck with our coach's vision, no matter if that was, you know, whatever the coach has to do, we did, and kind of I don't wanna say like undying, wavering faith to it, but like, the coaches had a vision and we trusted, we trusted their vision, and we went out and we executed it. And you know, the teams that I've coached that have been successful, have had those qualities as well. And they listen to us, and they go out and they, they play as hard as they can. And we try and put them in positions to be successful. And, you know, and so happen.

Jess Gregory  

Yeah, absolutely. Well, that's that's also pretty sweet to hear that it's not just the talent, you have to have a little bit more drive behind that. Now on that flip side, wins are great, but what are some of the other most rewarding parts about being a college coach?

Rob Chilcoat  

So I would say that watching, watching a player come in as a freshman and then graduate and leave and go be successful. That's a pretty awesome feeling and and watching them grow up and become pro social members of society and go out and make a difference in the world is pretty awesome to see and, and I, I really enjoy watching them figure out how to conquer challenges, you know, whether that's like hey I want to be in I want to be an all Conference Player this year and then watching them put in the work and then watching that happen or it's like hey, I'm I'm an organic chemistry and I know that this class is crazy hard and I'm trying to get a B on this test, but then they come out and they have an AI right because they put in all the work and, and watching them set a set a goal and then go out and accomplish that goal. It's very rewarding. And that's, I get a lot of joy in that.

Jess Gregory  

Yeah. Awesome. All right now, we're just talking about kind of overcoming those challenges as college athletes. Right now all of our high school kids are having to overcome the fact that maybe their club season has been canceled. They're not able to get on the court and get seemed like they might want to do you have any tips for them on how they can stay physically active during this time?

Rob Chilcoat  

For sure, there is a ton of content that's being put out online. I think if you just like Google, you know, volleyball at home workouts, I think a ton of stuff, a ton of new content is popped up. And there's people putting stuff out left and right that kids can do in their backyard and a driveway in the street. to just keep you keep touching the ball and making sure you're getting the touches. And so outside of that, you know, I think watching film, you know, googling the watch your favorite college, go watch your favorite Olympian, there's there's a whole bunch of matches on YouTube and online that you can go watch and you can kind of figure out, hey, this this outside, she attacks like this, and she does this with her with her approach. You know, maybe I'm going to give that a try. And I think watching film is something that you know, we're doing with our kids right now. I think that's something that even kids in high school can do.

Jess Gregory  

Yeah, so they can definitely keep moving. I mean, there is a lot of stuff out there for them, even to just do push ups and sit ups in their bedroom if they need to.

Rob Chilcoat  

For sure. So I think setting setting an hour a day or whatever that setting a time slot in whatever your routine is, helps. So at three o'clock, I'm going to go outside and I'm going to do some shuffle drills, and I'm going to do some push ups and I'm going to do some sit ups or or whatever, whatever the kids can do to stay active. I think putting that inside your team help will be successful and helped maintain over the course of this.

Jess Gregory  

Yeah, absolutely. Now, do you have any tips for them on the mental side of things that they can do and add to that physical routine?

Rob Chilcoat  

So I think from that, again, I would I would look to look online and see what other what other contents coming out about mental toughness. I know I've been I've been Personally, I've been following Dustin Watson and he's been putting out a whole bunch of content about his journey from, you know, being a club athlete to now a professional volleyball player and how he went through all the challenges that he went through, you know, these players are gonna go through and he kind of talks about what he went through. So I think looking online for that Id right now, probably the best thing you can do. Okay, cool.

Jess Gregory  

Yeah, I'll definitely have to get that name from you. So we can put it down in the comments for our our athletes to check that out. If you like. That is the second time I've heard someone suggest watching him so yeah. So it's good. Now let's kind of like flip. They can do their physical stuff at home, they can work on their mental skills. But I know a lot of kids are probably wondering what's going to happen with this recruit recruiting slot. You guys are in a dead period right now. Is that correct?

Rob Chilcoat  

That's correct.

Jess Gregory  

Okay, so what can kids do now to kind of stay in contact with you guys even though you won't be able to come out and visit See them? Mm hmm.

Rob Chilcoat  

So I think first and foremost is contacting schools, emailing the schools that they're interested in and letting them know letting the schools know that they're interested. And then, you know, a step further than that is I see a lot of a lot of prospective student athletes on Twitter, who are posting at home workouts. And as a coach, I love to see that because that tells me right there that, you know, they're invested in their sport enough that they want to show that they're doing it. So I think that's awesome when kids are putting content out about hey, you know, I'm in the backyard with dad and we strong. We put a string across the backyard from the fence to the the back deck, and I'm hitting the Bible overtop of it and doing whatever I can. So I love that.

Jess Gregory  

Yeah. Awesome. Now, just generally speaking, kids can still reach out to schools, even seniors and they can kind of stay in contact regardless of the time period right now. Is that correct?

Rob Chilcoat  

That's correct. 

Jess Gregory  

Okay, cool. And then also, just want to get some of your thoughts on. Like in a general sense, what are some things that you kind of look for as a coach, when they're sending you emails, you got any do's and don'ts for them?

Rob Chilcoat  

Oh, I would I in their subject line I love seeing, you know, hey, I'm Suzy Q, I'm a 2021 center or something that right off the bat helps me know like, what her position is, what their name is, what their position is, and what year they are. That way I can, I don't have to go searching for that I have that information right there. Tell me a little bit about yourself and then have some video in that email, a link to a YouTube account or a huddle account that I can sit there and I can go and I can see. I can see you play. And so you know, we are We live in a day and age where you can put that actually you can put all that information in a quick easy access email and I think making sure that email is is easy to click through because I get you know did get 30 emails a day 40 emails now I'm getting 100 emails a day, because that's all we all anybody can do right now. So I have to, I do my best to look at every single one of them. So having that being able to access that information pretty quickly helps out.

Jess Gregory  

Awesome. Are there any don'ts that off the top of your head that you're like, maybe don't do this? Oh,

Rob Chilcoat  

definitely make sure that if you're addressing if you're emailing me you put dear coach choco and not dear Coach Smith, or somebody else. You know, I think double checking your work is is pretty important. And that's something right off the bat that's gonna probably turn me off is of a recruit is like, if it's not addressed to me. If you're not paying attention to that little thing, then what does that say about you know, everything else? So make sure you're addressing the right coach and sending it to the right, coach.

Jess Gregory  

Absolutely. That has happened to me many a time where I have been introduced as Mr. Gregory So always pay attention to who you're writing your your messages to. I'm sure you guys have plenty of time to catch those things now too.

Rob Chilcoat  

Yeah, absolutely.

Jess Gregory  

All righty, I got one more question for you. I just want you to give us an idea of what kind of makes division one volleyball unique in your eyes having played and now coaching at that level?

Rob Chilcoat  

Absolutely. So I would say that what jumps off the page about Division One is the level of competition You know, there's in any, in all the games that we play, there's six athletes on the other side of the neck that can take control and that can single handedly win the game. And so it's it's quite a process of going on figuring out a game plan of how to stop that and how to, you know, pick our strengths against their weaknesses because there's not a lot of weaknesses. So it's the level of competition is just very, very impressive. And then the other thing I would say is that the level of scrutiny and the outside noise that comes along with it is he's pretty big as well and everybody has been entertaining And they like to voice that. And you know, we talked to our athletes about, you know, just ignoring the noise. People are allowed to have their opinions, but it's, they don't understand what's going on with our team within our culture and stuff like that. And just make sure that it's just noise and don't listen to it. So that's really the two big things that I've seen.

Jess Gregory  

Awesome. Well, Rob, I really appreciate sitting down and chatting with us today. I think you gave some awesome tips for our players at home. So hopefully they take those and run with it. But thank you again, and we'll chat with you soon.

Rob Chilcoat  

Yeah, it was a pleasure. Thanks for having me on. 

Transcribed by https://otter.ai