Saeed Husain
Sports Editor
Wooster, your new field hockey coach double-majored in math and biology. She is also in the top-10 list of all-time goal scorers at her alma mater, Randolph-Macon.
Why math? Her dad was a “numbers guy” and encouraged her to take the toughest math courses in high school. Why biology? Her mother instilled in her a curiosity about the world around her. Why field hockey? She and her brother would play several sports until dark every day, and when she was old enough to be a part of league sports, her mother made her play field hockey after seeing that she enjoyed roller hockey.
Jill Dixon initially wanted to be a teacher, but that changed when a peer mentor in her undergrad asked if she had ever considered coaching.
“I was fortunate enough to have some incredibly talented, inspirational female coaches in high school and college. These successful women mentored me into my coach days and continue to mentor me today,” said Dixon. Today, she says that her aim is to give back to her athletes and others around her in the same way.
“I absolutely love being a coach and having the privilege to develop my athletes to be competent, capable, independent women who will speak their minds and achieve their dreams,” she said.
For Dixon, coaching encompasses much more than just being on a field.
“Coaching is not just about the X’s and O’s. I think many people only see that part of coaching because they only see the results on game day. Those results, good or bad, come from hundreds of mornings that start before the sun, and nights that finish with the crickets; days with tears and days with laughter.”
The relationship she builds with her players seems crucial to Dixon’s coaching philosophy. She recognizes that having a strong academic background allows her to connect with her student-athletes. She also considers that some of the deepest relationships of a student-athlete’s college career are with their coach.
“A coach is a parent, a family member, a role model, a teacher, a conflict manager, eventually a friend and everything in between.”
So, what does Coach Dixon plan on bringing to Wooster? In short, the right mix of players, coaching staff and school.
“I’m focused on finding players that will be successful at Wooster on and off the field. Our team dynamic will shift year to year as new players join and our seniors graduate, but team culture must be a sustainable part of this program. Therefore, it is important for me to find players that will value what we value as a program and are committed to adding positive value to the overall team culture.”
“Additionally, I want to increase our overall level of play with each recruiting class. This means pushing the current players developmentally and bringing in talent that raises that bar a little higher every season.”
This is not Coach Dixon’s first time being a part of the NCAC. She spent two years as an assistant coach at Oberlin, and said that she considers the conference having a healthy balance between coaches being both supportive and competitive. She feels excited to be back, and even with the lack of Division III field hockey teams in the Midwest, thinks that the conference coaches and support staff recognize those challenges.
On her thoughts about Wooster, Dixon says that personally the school gave her the opportunity to be closer to her relatives in the Midwest. As a community, she believes the school to be an institution that values academic and athletic excellence, and a place that changes lives.
“I strongly believe that if you surround yourself with the right, good people, you will win. Whatever winning means for the situation. Wooster has really amazing people,” she said.
Dixon believes that she has matured a lot since she graduated, and learned how to work smarter, not harder. She now considers the process rather than the end goal.
“With each year of coaching experience under my belt, I’ve become more aware of how personalities, learning styles and individual characteristics combine to create a team dynamic and culture which leads to success,” she said.