Rappoli steps down as head field hockey coach, will stay on as assistant

For the second time in a week, the Tufts Human Resources webpage contains a listing for a head coaching position. Unlike the first advertisement, however, this one is genuine.

Longtime field-hockey coach Carol Rappoli is stepping down from her position as head coach of the team, and will take the role of assistant coach. Next fall would have marked Rappoli's 20th consecutive season at the helm of the Jumbos.

The move comes following a 5-10 fall season, after which certain players expressed frustration with Rappoli's coaching style.

According to Athletic Director Bill Gehling, the decision to take a lesser part with the field hockey team was Rappoli's choice, explaining that it will allow her to focus more time on leading the women's lacrosse team, which currently stands at 4-2.

Rappoli will remain in her current position as head coach for lacrosse.

"Carol and I had discussed the possibility of her being head coach for just one sport, back over three years ago," Gehling said. "The new job was in the making after an evaluation of our staffing assignments. Most teams in our league have two separate coaches for both women's lacrosse and field hockey, and Carol expressed interest in just coaching lacrosse."

Sophomore field hockey co-captain Lea Napolitano, who led the Jumbos in scoring in 2003, understands Rappoli's situation.

"This has been something [Rappoli] has been talking about for a while, giving herself more time and allowing herself to focus more on lacrosse," Napolitano said. "This isn't a spontaneous thing. It's difficult recruiting for two sports, and everything else that goes with having to organize and run two completely different programs."

Player concerns, however, may also have weighed on the timing of Rappoli's stepping-down.

Sources close to the team say there was noticeable discontent between certain players and Rappoli over the course of the 2003 season, and at one point some of those players held a meeting to discuss a year-end course of action with the their head coach, including looking into the possibility of a replacement.

Senior co-captains Kelly Sarson and Willow Hagge, and senior goalkeeper Julie Jackson attended a private meeting with Gehling following the season to discuss team issues, and at least part of the meeting was dedicated to voicing discontent with Rappoli.

Gehling was also presented with a list of implicating actions and quotes about the coach, which were written by a few members of the team and intended to make a case against her.

"[Rappoli's] communication skills were lacking, and [in the meeting] we told Gehling what we needed to say," Jackson said.

Jackson maintains this isn't the first time members of the field hockey team have been disenfranchised with their coach.

"I know we're not the first senior class to go into Gehling's office [to discuss Rappoli]," Jackson said.

Rappoli was unavailable for an interview by press time, but Gehling insists it's normal for him to hold meetings with senior players, and he says he does so regularly with all of the Jumbo athletic teams every season in order to get student-athlete feedback. And while the meetings are meant to provide a forum for discussion, they do not go so far as to dictate athletic policy at the administrative level.

"The meeting had no bearing on this decision whatsoever," Gehling said. "She hasn't left the program, and I anticipate that Carol, with her great knowledge of the sport and years of experience, will be a wonderful asset to the new coach and program."

The search for a new head coach has already begun, with the application deadline being in the end of April 2004. Assistant coach Colette Gaudet has been named as a possible applicant for the position, but the candidate pool is expected to be numerous and highly competitive.

Gehling has informed the players that he wants to have a new head coach named by May 10.