W hen women's soccer coach Bill Hempen suddenly departed after last year's solid season, a gaping hole was left. Hempen founded the program in 1988, and quickly turned Duke into a perennial power. The man trying to fill this huge void is the new women's soccer coach Robbie Church.
Duke appears to be in good hands, as his players and assistant coaches have nothing but glowing remarks for him.
"He just has so much enthusiasm," Katie Heaps said. "We have so much respect for him."
Fellow senior Sarah Pickens has similar remarks. "It's really fun to play for a coach who really cares about and respects you," she said. "He's a really caring, knowledgeable coach."
Although only inheriting the job in the middle of July, it seems Church is already on the same page with his players. When Church was asked what he felt was the best trait a coach can have, he responded with communication skills. When his players and assistants were asked what Church's best trait was, they also responded with communication skills.
"He has wonderful people skills. People skills help motivate players," said assistant coach Billy Lesesne, who came with Church from his previous coaching job at Vanderbilt University.
"I think that he communicates exactly what he wants. It helps with unity so we function as a whole together," said Pickens.
Church has set lofty goals for the program, including being one of the elite women's soccer programs in the country on a yearly basis. In fact, he considers contention for a national championship a reasonable goal.
But Church knows that there is more to life than just winning. "The most important thing that we could teach [our players] would be every time you step out for a game or competition, play as hard as you can; that you play that game up to your fullest potential."
Church's favorite part of coaching is teaching.
"Coaching is teaching. I love practices. The games are great. Competition is great, but games are more for the players. [Practice] is where you teach," he said.
Heaps agrees. "Sometimes a coach will wait too long that he snaps when he sees you're doing something wrong. [Church] will take you to his office and tell you what you did wrong. He takes the time out of his day to coach. He knows his players very well."
Before this season, Church amassed a 177-107-14 record in collegiate competition, having coached men's soccer at East Carolina, Belmont Abbey, and Lynn University, and women's soccer at UNC-Charlotte and Vanderbilt.
The coach actually prefers to work with women players, despite his long experience in men's soccer.
"I think coaching girl's teams suits my personality a little more," Church said. "I think there's adjustments and tweaking of the communication process, so that everyone is on the same page. Coaching women has been very rewarding, and I've enjoyed it a great deal."
So far this season, the Duke women's team has accumulated a solid, yet unspectacular, 4-4 overall record and an 0-2 record in ACC against stiff competition.
Despite the team's early struggles, Church plans to improve.
"It's difficult to come in as late as we did," he said. "We're kind of doing this day by day."
Church has always wanted to coach here at Duke. He grew up attending Duke football and basketball games, and in 1985 he was one of the men's soccer team's assistant coaches.
"It's a real privilege to be at Duke," Church said. "It's kind of my dream coaching job."
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