WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A... (SIXTH OF 10 PARTS)

Kim Aggert put the ball over the net during a recent game against Murray State.

Senior Kim Aggert received flowers from coach Cindy Gannon.

Coach Cindy Gannon, right, was interviewed by Jay Goff on a local radio station.

Being a coach is more than wearing a whistle and shouting orders to players. It requires a rigorous schedule, including travel to and from games, recruiting promotions and community involvement.

But it also takes a deep understanding of the game and a commitment to excel.

That is what has made Southeast Missouri State University Women's Volleyball Coach Cindy Gannon so successful.

"A lot of your success depends on your experience and your team's drive and commitment," Gannon said. "Most who participate in athletics do it because they love it."

Gannon explained that she enjoys working with young female athletes because they play for the enjoyment of the game.

"I'm not saying that the students participating in men's sports don't," she commented, "but women are now being offered that opportunity to continue beyond their high school years and participate in a sport that they've put a lot of time and interest into their entire lives."

Gannon said that she actually began her career in coaching and athletics when she was growing up. She spent a lot of time playing outside with her two brothers and became a very active person. She enjoys all types of athletics -- from horseback riding to bicycling -- and considers herself a very competitive person.

"When I was going to college, I just decided that I was going to be a physical education teacher," said Gannon. "I did that for about six months and decided that it was something that I probably didn't want to do for the rest of my life. So I went back to college and got my master's degree. Then, opportunity just kind of fell into place for me."

Working in and around sports is very helpful, she said.

"I think a lot of it is making sure that you're visible and getting involved," Gannon explained. "If you're not talented enough to play on a team, be the manager of that team. Be around it. People will realize your interest and they'll appreciate you as someone who's interested that area. They're not going to come up to you and ask you to help. I have to go to them and say, 'If I can't play, how can I become involved?' And that's the biggest thing -- being involved."

She emphasized that anyone interested in being a coach should understand that education is very important in helping further their dreams.

"Take health and physical education courses to see what areas you're interested in," she said. "The sciences, such as anatomy and physiology, are also very important when you're dealing with players and how they could be injured."

She said that mathematics courses are not usually emphasized as much as they should be in athletic degree programs. With the amount of numbers that coaches have to work with, from statistics to scores, they need to be able to work comfortably with them.

Most coaches at the collegiate level and beyond have master's degrees. A few in the professional levels only have bachelor's degrees, but coaches in Division I athletics are also required to teach and therefore require higher education standards. Some have received their doctorate degrees.

She also pointed out that there are no "9 to 5" hours in coaching.

"You can't say, 'Well, it's 5 p.m. and I'm going home,' as a coach," she said. "You have to be there when you're needed at any hour. There's no time clock as far as coaching is concerned."

She said that she receives phone calls at home from players, even as early as 5 a.m.

"I have 12 children that I've adopted from other people during the school year," she said, laughing.

But that kind of balance between professional and personal life is one that she still enjoys.

"My job is very involved and requires a lot of my attention," she said. "Not only am I trying to mentor my athletes as far as being good players, but I also try to emphasize being a good citizen, getting good grades and being responsible by going out to speak to other organizations. It's much more than putting six people on the floor and saying, 'Let's play!'"

So what is her biggest message to those wanting to follow in her footsteps?

"Find something you have a passion for," she said. "Figure out what it takes to achieve it and be committed to that passion. When you're young, that passion changes often. But find something and stay with it. Stay focused, even when it seems easier to give up. Keep focused and realize where that passion comes from -- and it has to come from within."