A free masters degree, the chance to stay connected to your alma mater, and a job that lets you wear sweatpants.
Though it seems like a dream job for many seniors graduating today, this is the opportunity offered by the Tufts graduate assistant program, which exchanges tuition in a post-graduate program for a two-year stint as an assistant coach of a varsity team.
"I just think it's a terrific thing we have here," said field hockey coach Tina McDavitt, who is assisted by 2005 graduate Dana Panzer. "She still loves the sport and loves the team and is still a big part of it. It's great for her to be able to get a masters degree and stay involved with Tufts."
Panzer was one of five graduate assistants this year who are also Tufts alumni, joined by Jesse Miller (E '04) in men's lacrosse, Bob Kenny (LA '05) in baseball, Ben Bloom (LA '05) in football, and Julie Fox (LA '04) in softball.
Panzer, who is currently enrolled in the Urban Environmental Policy and Planning program, sees assistant coaching as a chance to both stay involved with the team and the sport, and to set up a possible career in coaching.
"I just had so much fun playing field hockey at Tufts," Panzer said. "It was a great opportunity for me to get to coach with Tina and continue my education, and if I wanted to pursue coaching, I could do that, too."
This year, senior Rory Doucette, a four-year veteran of the men's lacrosse team and this season's co-captain, will take the reigns from Miller as he pursues a master's degree in education. Having played under graduate assistant coaches since his freshman year, including Miller and previous GA Dan Koller, Doucette is well-acquainted with the position, and he grew interested in the possibility of becoming a GA in his junior year. In the search for post-graduation opportunities, the prospect of being a graduate assistant topped Doucette's list.
"It was something I looked at before I looked at other things," Doucette said. "I realized that if I could do this, it's a no-lose situation. I focused on it, and it worked out well, so I didn't have to look too much elsewhere."
Men's lacrosse coach Mike Daly, a Tufts graduate and a former graduate assistant himself, sees the position of GA as crucial for Tufts athletic teams.
"The help that they provide is immeasurable," Daly said. "They help with everything from recruiting to coaching to office work and office organization. It's a pretty vital part of the program."
The responsibilities of a GA extend far beyond the regular season and include many behind-the-scenes tasks that are key to a team's success. They are involved in the recruiting process, traveling to high school games and watching recruiting tapes through the summer, and are responsible for organizing and tracking all equipment.
"We do a lot of stuff that you don't see," Miller said. "There's a lot more stuff behind the scenes than just coaching."
The difficult process of recruiting occupies the majority of a graduate assistant's time during the summer and the offseason. Doucette will jump right into the recruiting process, taking a scouting trip at the end of the month before working at Daly's lacrosse camp in August to gain coaching experience.
Though graduate assistants need not be Tufts graduates, having an alum in the GA position offers the program continuity, and provides the added benefit of insider expertise.
"When a recruit comes to campus, those guys can speak to day-to-day activities of the school," Daly said. "They are great ambassadors for the University in that regard. They are invested in [our program], and they have the pride and loyalty to work towards making the program better."
In addition to providing logistical support for the team and head coaches, graduate assistants also bring their familiarity with the team and the program. According to McDavitt, graduate assistants are a valuable link between coaches and players, having more immediate experience as a student-athlete.
"It's been great because she's had me as a coach and now she works with me," McDavitt said. "She's able to give me an inside look with what's going on with team, what they need and don't need, or when to push them and when to lay off because it's midterms or whatever. She's closer in age with them and more in tune to what's going on because she's just been there."
That age issue can be one potential challenge for graduate assistants as they make the transition from player to coach, from teammate to authority figure. Since the GAs are closer in age to the players and are newcomers on the coaching staff, establishing their role as a coach is often hard.
"[Players] go right into the mode of addressing [GAs] as coach," Daly said. "[GAs] are treated with the respect and authority that they have earned and they deserve. A big part of [the transition] is me setting that tone."
Miller highlighted an important off-field change that a new graduate assistant must make.
"You can't be partying with the players anymore," he said. "That comes to an end."
"You have to draw a new line," Panzer said. "It's tough to make the transition, but the girls respected me."
Doucette has discussed his pending move from team member to an authority figure with his teammates, but feels his prior role as team captain will make the transition easier.
"I have responsibilities on the field and in the offseason to be on top of everyone," Doucette said. "And I have a good relationship with all the guys on the team, so I think they'll respect what I say.
"There's nothing that worries me too much," he continued. "I think it's going to be a lot of fun. I've loved working with the team the last four years, and I know I'm going to like it on the other side of the field."
