February 13, 2025 • 29 mins
Tim Cates talks with Murrieta Valley HS water polo coach Bryan Lynton about his 30 years in education and coaching. He has won 9 CIF Southern Section Championshps and been named the Regional Coach of the Year 3 times by USAWP. Bryan is the head coach of both the boys and girls water polo teams at Murrieta Valley HS, while also working with USA Water Polo as a coach and technical director. Bryan is a graduate of the MCAA from Concordia University Irvine.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
From stand out player to coach to athletic director. She's
got eight hundred wins now as the head coach of
the women's softball team. She is Crystal Rosenthal, and she's
a two time guests now on episode seventy six of
the Masters in Coaching Podcast. Let's go. Well, welcome into
(00:23):
episode seventy six of the Masters in Coaching Podcast here
on iHeartRadio, YouTube, whatever platform you are listening and watching.
We certainly appreciate that we have got a two timer
back on the podcast and so excited to talk to
Chrystal Rosenthal, the associate vice president of Athletics at Concordia University, Irvine,
longtime coach of the softball program, where she just set
(00:44):
another milestone picking up win number seven hundred, the winning
this coach in school history in any program, any sport,
a hall of famer at this school, former standout player there,
and she joins us now for the second time here
on the Masters in Coaching Podcast. It's been a few years.
Crystal Rosenthal. Crystal, how you doing.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I'm doing great. I'm so excited to be here again.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I think last time I was talking with you are
in the midst of trying to pull off weird things
because of COVID. I think I was at a pool
trying to keep people separated with mass on. So it's
a much better time for me, except it's raining in
socaw which is a bummer for softball and baseball coaches everywhere.
But otherwise, I'm excited to be here with you today.
So thanks for having me again.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Absolutely. Yeah. Last time we talked, you were the introm
athletic director I believe at Concordi University, Irvine, And here
we are a couple of years later, and you have
now taken over that role associate vice president of athletics.
What is that rule meant to you in the last
couple of years since being named that position?
Speaker 3 (01:42):
You know, I think ultimately it's a seat at the table,
a different table, which is helpful for athletics. So I
serve under a tremendous president, doctor Michael Thomas, and I
was serving previously under our vice president, Tim Odle, who
was a great mentor to me and a great boss.
And I think with the overwhelming amount of athletes on
our campus, it became important to have the person directly
(02:04):
overstaying forty percent of our school's population.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
At the cabinet level.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
So it's been not so much of a learning curve
because I was involved in a lot of that before,
but just having a seat at the table every week
and being an advocate for our programs and just the
university once again showing you know, respect to me and
really pouring into my career.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
So it's been a cool transition.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
It does add a lot of meeting times, which those
aren't my favorite, but nonetheless I appreciate it getting a
chance to be at the table.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Is this something you maybe thought of when you got
into coaching a long time ago. Hey, maybe that's a
goal ultimately to get into being an athletic director.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
No, you know what, I think it's funny. I never
wanted to be a coach either.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
My dad was a coach in the in the LA
like the school systems in Torans for forty years, so
he coached football and basketball and baseball, and he coached me.
So I wasn't planning on coaching either. That wasn't something
that I was going for. But probably those were my
gifts were and I just didn't know that yet.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I wanted to be a lawyer, you know, I wanted
to hang out. I wanted to.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
I want to do a lot of things, But I
think the longer I've stayed here, just the natural progression
has been I'm extremely invested into the mission here. I'm
really invested into the culture of what's going on at
this institution. So the natural progression of just hard work
and having that investment has just kind of led me
into new doors. So when this job opened, I think
the initial thought was for our coaching staffs, let's not
(03:25):
get a new ad like in the middle, something catastrophically bad,
because you never know what's going to happen. Then and
then I guess I fooled enough people at the level
above me to make them think I knew what I
was doing. And I have full down once again and
now have been promoted to the cabinet.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
So it's been an interesting transition.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
But I think God has weird plans, at least in
my belief, and this is probably what the plan was
for me, if you look back and kind of look
at the way the steps have gone.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
But I still in my next life am going to
manage the doctors for sure. So that's on the table next.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
To Dave Roberts would have something to say about that, but.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Well, he can't manage forever and he's a little older me.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Are you welcoming the criticism though? That comes with being
the manager of the Dodgers because even though he pushes
all the right buttons they win a World Series, Uh,
he still gets all the criticism. And as soon as
they lose the game, as soon as the reliever comes
in and gives up that tie and run and they
end up losing the game, it's fire. Dave Roberts, Are
you prepared for that?
Speaker 3 (04:21):
I think so because even at my small little pond
over here, it's fire, Crystal, we lose the game. So
it's like the nature of coaching, right, it's the one
It's the one job that I know of, you know,
I don't go to my doctor and say like, are
you sure you've thought about, you know, bunting on that play, doc.
So I think it's just it's a weird part of
the profession. It's the thing everybody thinks.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
They can do.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
So you kind of take it with a grin AsSalt.
It's not personal. And these are people's children. Mostly in
a professional sports people are definitely fanatical.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I've never been in the fire.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Dave Roberts camp, But I have been in the please
take someone out it's time, But it's a hard instinct
to go against your the one there all the time,
so you know best.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Are you surprised at what they've done this offseason Dodgers
that being crystal and getting better? I mean they were
already the best team in baseball with the best player
in baseball in Shohio Tani with two other MVPs surrounding
him in the lineup. And they go out and they
get more pitching. They get Blake Snell, who's a two
Timesty Young Award winner, they get Rookie Sasaki. I mean
they have loaded up again.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
I think the cool part about being a Dodger fan,
even in the years where we're like like the Buffalo Bills,
where in the enemy just can't seem to get it done,
you can never fault the Dodgers' management in the last
ten years. They have tried every single year to give
them the best opportunity to win. So am I surprised? No.
I'm also not the one ready to check, so I'm
surprised someone's willing to do that. But I think the
fan base has shown like they appreciate the effort and
(05:41):
as frustrating as it is for the team, is for
sure not to get to the end and out win.
I think this year was so rewarding, and I felt
really good for the management because it's like you've poured
every ounce of everything you could, every trade deadline, every offseason, every.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Free agent, every single thing you can do. They've tried.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
So man, I know we're like the evil Empire to
most people. I just sit back and say, who doesn't
want their team to do that? Who wouldn't want that
for their team?
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Yeah? Does that resonate a little bit with you as
an athletic director seeing the management of the Dodgers, ownership of
the Dodgers, what they're willing to do to help their
product on the field, and putting that product in the
best situation to go out and win a championship. As
an athletic director, you want to do that as well
for your programs, right, Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And I would say that this is the battle in
cabinet is. I believe the value of athletics at the
university level is the marketing, branding and just the basic
recruitment to the university right of non student athletes.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
And so my push.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Always for resources is their return on investment of resources
and athletics is much greater than winning, even though for
the coach and the student athlete the winning is the
primary motivation.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Right.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
So I think when I think about athletics and the
value at the college level, especially for a small D
two school like ours, just think of the brands that
are so strong in professional sport, and it is one
hundred percent connected to their resources that have been spent
over time. And of course I'm l his fan, but
we've got two of the greatest brands in the history
of sport, and those brands have spent so much money
(07:06):
in so much resources, and to be honest, like it
works right, And the Dodgers spend a lot of money,
but they make a lot of money back on that
money they spend. So my president is listening to this, sir,
if you give me ten million dollars, I guarantee you.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Something good, good.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Well, you speak of branding. And I was just up
in Santa Barbara for a women's lacrosse tournament and Concordia University,
or if I was up there playing, and right away
I saw them walking all over in their uniforms and
warm up a gear and I spotted the Eagle. I
spotted the brand because of the school and the success
that you guys have had in multiple sports and in
particular softball. You have taken this program to an elite level,
(07:49):
a championship level year and in year out winning the
conference and win number seven hundred for you, Chris, So
you got to five hundred, you got to six hundred,
and now you're at s been one hundred. But what
does that mean to you?
Speaker 3 (08:03):
It means we have been very fortunate to have a
lot of really good players come through our program. And
I think the hardest part is winning. When it took
the program, we weren't extremely successful. And so to come
in and start to recruit and tell people, you know,
your goals to win conference, not knowing that you know
you've never done that in the last twenty years, so
you're not really sure if that's possible. And then it's
(08:23):
we're gonna win a national championship and you're like, yeah, right,
everyone's telling me. I write, but I think if I
look over, the hardest part about coaching is sustaining winning.
Like not that the winning the first time wasn't easy,
that was hard too, but to continue to do that
means you need quality people in your staff, in your
athletic training staff, in your faculty to keep retaining students,
and then you mostly need quality student athletes and families
(08:45):
that are wanting to be a part of that.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
So just grateful.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Alongside of me and my associate head coach has been
here every step of the way, Rosenbrino. She is equally,
if not more than I, have had an impact on
those seven hundred wins. And then every single coach, every
graduate assistant, we've just we are the best people in
our program. So the seven hundred wins for me is
just like a memory reel of all the really cool
things that have gone on here. The wins are awesome,
(09:09):
but the people have made that so and it's just
it's a really fun thing to be a part of.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
You talk about sustaining that winning program every year and
a year out and the players and the coaches, but
it's culture as well, and certainly it all kind of
blends together. You've got a good culture, players, coaches. It
kind of is the perfect storm and you ultimately will
get success more times than not. But maintaining that how
hard is that yearning year out? Because, like you mean,
(09:35):
you've got coaches coming in gradhic consistance coming and going.
They're off taking off their own programs or doing other things.
Players come and go. Sustaining that though, that's a big
credit to you and the culture you've built.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Yeah, I think it's hard, and you know, people argue
that it like gets harder because kids change.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
I don't think that's true.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
I think it's always hard because kids are always changing
because the world is constantly changing.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I think the one key element to what's been helpful for.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Me is I just try to get the best out
of a person, just meet them where they're at, and
I don't have one way or the highway on most things.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
I think there's like a.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Flexibility to my coaching styll even though people think I'm
really scary and mean and all the things if you
don't know me, well, I think the key is most
people that I've encountered at least want someone that wants
to help them reach their potential. So if I just
keep that in mind that that's not going to look
the same for everybody, coach, player, I don't care who
you are. Myself, that's what kind of keeps me wanting
(10:30):
to coach, because it's the challenge.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
It's challenging.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I think the hardest part is the expectation is we're
just going to keep doing this and it's easy. I'm
getting older, so the connection between me and my players.
Probably I just did get TikTok though, so it's helped
my help my engagement game, so I kind of know
what's going on. But I think just like treating people
like people, I think that's like something so misunderstood and coaching,
(10:53):
because at the end of the day, man, it's like
it's sopple right, it's a game, and I'm super competitive.
So if you see me on the field, drin and
be like that didn't match what you said. But the
key for me has been, like treat them as people
and treat them as someone that wants the success you
want for themselves. You just have to figure out the
best way to get them there personally, and then as
a group you try to see some universal things that
(11:15):
will work for everybody.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
You mentioned TikTok, and I'm curious how much as an
athletic director as a coach do you emphasize social media,
whether it's promoting the brand, promoting the programs, the teams,
the players, recruiting. How much do you guys use that?
Speaker 3 (11:35):
We use it a ton our sid Ben Rosshart, He's
done a tremendous job of building a team of gas.
So younger generation is the best, right because they know
what's interesting to that age range. So I think you'd
be silly to think that this is an effective tool.
I think the recruiting piece is probably the best low
hanging fruit for someone to get to a real look
at what you're like, your program is, like what the
(11:55):
culture's like. And then I think from a brand perspective,
just the way you the literal brand, like how it looks.
That's one thing. The President rebranded our athletic department. I
think it was four years ago now, and I think
it's been a solid change for us, and I think
it's just starting to land in the market pretty well.
So we're looking to kind of continue that. But social media, man,
(12:18):
it's huge. So that's why for me, like TikTok, I'm like,
I'm not getting TikTok, that's you know, stupid, I'm never
doing that. But I'm like, of course I'm on it
far too many hours. I have a new phone I
won't get yet because it can't get the app for TikTok,
so I can't miss my book talk and I can't
miss my plant talk.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
But it helps you see what they're interested in.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
And if you're working with young people and you don't
want to know what they're interested in, probably shouldn't be
working with young people anymore.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Since you've taken over as athletic director and associate vice
president of Athletics and that INTROM label was removed, what
are some of the things that you were looking which
kind of your long term plan that you want to
put your stamp on this athletic program. When you took
over as the INTRUM, I'm sure maybe had some ideas,
some hopeful ideas on the line short term, long term,
(13:01):
but now you've kind of got your feed in here
of the last two plus years, where do you see
this athletic department going well?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
My hope is to be one of the most successful
Division two programs in the West and certainly in the country.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
I think in the Ani days we were.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Experienced success at almost every level and every program we've
not quite gotten back there. We've had a few programs
that have done well, so I think as we are
going through a strategic plan at the university, athletics has
its own four points, and to be like as clear
and concise as I can, we're trying to recruit quality
of people, retain those people, and graduate those people. But
(13:38):
as the athletic director, we're trying to provide the most
competitive excellence that we can so that our student athletes
have the best experience.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
They can have.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
But even more than that, we have alumni that want
to re engage with the university, and so this becomes
like a home.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
People want to be a part of, they're proud to.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Be a part of, and it's somewhere you know, like
year in and year out, we're going to be competitive in
every or and to put our best foot forward. So
we're trying to make traction on the competitive excellent side.
I think that's where my brain goes because I like
to win whatever I'm playing, I don't care if it's
fotball or basketball. And we've got some outstanding coaches that
have been here a long time, so I think getting
them the resources that they need to give an opportunity
(14:16):
to succeed, I think that's really where my heart of
hearts lies.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
When you're hiring coaches and I'm not sure how many
chances you had to hire coaches. You mentioned there's been
a lot of longtime great coaches at Concordia. Do you
hire coaches and other sports the way maybe you would
hire an assistant or a grad assistant looking for those
same maybe characteristics. Obviously, hiring for a sport specifically is
a little different. But hiring the culture, the coach for
(14:43):
a certain culture the way you wanted that program to
be run.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I think yes, but not the culture necessarily, because I
think there's a thousand ways to skin a cat, right.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
I don't think my way is the only way.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
I think it's that infactor, and I think it's something
my instincts are pretty good on that. I'm looking for
someone to want to provide, however they do it the
same experience I'm wanting to provide for my softball program,
which you know, long ago someone in the MCA program
we read a book called raving fans, and raving fans
is about leaving everyone that engages with your organization raving
(15:14):
in a positive way.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
So think, in my program, my.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Goal is whether you play a lot or a little,
whether you're a parent or a grammar something about our
program is interesting too, and we've done a job to
make you want to be connected to it. I'm looking
for head coaches that want that and that they can handle.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
They can handle the.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Things that it takes to succeed, because it's hard and
you've got to have some pretty broad shoulders.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
And I think I just hired a women's volleyball coach.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Last season, our longtime head coach, Paula Wieself retired no
small shoes to fill, but I hired someone that I
just really felt like has that, and sure enough a
year in, I've been really proud of her and just
her her drive to want to make this awesome. And
I love coming alongside of coach. Sometimes the other people
that don't coach in my program don't quite understand the
craziness of a coach, Like why do they care about
(16:01):
something so silly? And I'm like, because that's what makes
them great. They care about silly, small things. And I
think that's what I'm most excited to come to work
for every day, is to help someone get where I
wanted to get so badly in their shoes.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Now, I'm going to ask this for a sports specific
question that just kind of popped up and I mentioned
it earlier. We saw the women's lacrosse program up in
Santa Barbara at a club tournament. The men's lacrosse program
at Concordia University or Vine has made that jump. I
think this is year one or year two for you
guys at the Division two level. How has that jump
been for you guys and that program? And selfishly, because
(16:36):
I've got girls that play lacrosse, do you see that
with the women's program making that jump into Division two?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Great questions?
Speaker 3 (16:44):
I think, first to answer to the men's question, they've
been in the last seven years, our most successful men's
program on our campus. Our coach is tremendous. He's a star,
and I wouldn't want to tell him that, but if
he sees this, because now he's going to think he's great,
but he's great. And I think think the jump was
was awesome. I think it just like all of us,
it took a minute to kind of get your feet wet.
(17:05):
Theirs is a little bit unique there in a conference,
not our home conference, but the armac so they travel
quite a bit.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
But man, the interest.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Level of just recruits coming here and we made it
to the conference championship game last year and I got,
you know, a couple goals within qualifying for the NCAA
Regionals for the first time. I have no doubt that
coach Foss is going to take that program to the
top in Division two.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
So the transition has been awesome.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
It's just the West has been slow developing in lacrosse
for whatever reason.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
We have a ton of youth lacrosse.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
With a ton of high school across the college level
has really been slow. So I answer the question on
the women's side, we would love to transition, but we
need some partners to do that with. So you know,
of course I'm doing my part with our conference schools
of Hey lacrosse because it's such a great fit. It's
everywhere right It's it's really big in Rich County, and
(17:52):
we're having all these kids from March County. I'm going
to leave because there's no place to play here. So
we would love to transition that program. Of course, it's
got to be a good, you know, financial fit for
the institution, but it is something we have our ears
to the ground. So this is not just a first year.
We've been thinking about it. We're thinking about it, and
we've got some things that need to fall into place,
but if it's possible, we definitely will do that.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
Ye. My daughter currently plays at Grand Canyon. It's the
same thing. It's one of the only sports it's still
a club that they're trying to find a landing spot,
so to speak. And it's just it's difficult to find
because it's such a niche sport and you talk about
being on the West Coast, it's even smaller than that, right.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
The big ones have it so like they have it,
So it makes it harder because like let's say our
volleyball men's or water pools, they're like in an all
divisions conference, which lacrosse could do.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
But then we have this skayak here in.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Southern California that's a really solid Division three conference. They
have no need for us. So it's it's a unique
situation and we're hoping just like you. There's so many
parents that reach out to me like is there any
way we could I'm like, yeah, we would love to.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
You need to find ten universities locally that will do that.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
That's that's the issue. Yep, that is certainly the issue.
I want to go back to when you took over
at Crystal as athletic director on the intro basis during
COVID when they came to you in the middle of
a pandemic, figure people are figuring things out. You're trying
to get sports back running at some capacity, and they said, yeah,
not only are you going to be the we need
you to coach obviously, but you're the intom athletic director.
(19:20):
And what was that like? What was your first your
thoughts of, oh great, how am I going to handle this? Well?
What were your first impressions when you got the kind
of reins over the athletic department.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
I think luckily for me, I had been the SWA before,
so I had like the part's hardest for me budgets
and like the structure I had been and hiring. I
had had a part in some of that already. I
think the harder part was probably the coaches buying into
that I wasn't going to simply be the sutball athletic director.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
And of course a lot of these coaches.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Are my friends, right, They were my friends as colleagues.
I know their families and o their spouses, so like,
this is a close knit athletic department. So I think
just establishing of what my goals were and then kind
of just like if I was taking over a program,
I'm not a hammer to come in and be like
this is all that we're doing and do it or don't.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
It was kind of a buy in period of like, these.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Are some of my ideas, We're going to implement them,
and then the hammer came down. So I think that
was probably the hardest part of my transition, and then
the time management right of doing both. The nice part
of sample is I've been doing that a long time
and I have it a tremendous staff. So while they
do take probably less of me than they used to get,
it is the way more established.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Part of my job.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
But there are only so many hours in the day,
so like having a really serious situation at one o'clock
in the afternoon and then going to practice and hitting
around balls, like my brain's like like what are we
what are we doing here? So I think just the
natural like and then learning what I don't know I
mean in an athletic director room and a conference meeting.
I learned very quickly these people are very smart and
(20:54):
very capable. So while I thought like, oh, I could
just kind of breeze through, I'm like I actually have
to listen, prepare.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
These people know what's going on.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
So I've got to step up and be a great
voice for Concordia. And I've had tremendous colleagues that are
at my conference level that have helped me and given
me some mentorships. So just experience, just like anything. I
want to be great at this part of my job,
so I had to learn a little bit before I
did a lot of what I was doing.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
This is episode seventy six of the Masters and Coaching
podcast in conjunction with Concordia University, Irvine. We've talked to
a lot of the coaches. This is your second time
back on the on the podcast at athletic director now
full time the associate VP of Athletics. So I kind
of want to celebrate the school if we can. For
those watching and listening that okay to hear Concordia University, Irvine.
(21:42):
You've been there as a player, assistant coach, head coach,
and now athletic director. You're in the Hall of Fame,
you represent the school greatly. Talk a little bit about
the school and what is it about Concordia University, Irvine.
That's that's kept you there so long, and what you've
I've seen from this school and the growth of it
and where it is now kind of special. It is.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Yeah, I mean, how much time do we have?
Speaker 3 (22:06):
I obviously I'm either a complete glutton for punishment or
I love it here and I love it here. I
think the thing for me is whether you have you're
a person of faith, or you're not. For me, it's
my faith that's very strong to tell me like, this
is where I meant to be, this is where my
vocation is.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
And I think for people that maybe don't have as much.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Faith, I think it's like a gut instinct of I
have been surrounded in this job by people that have
supported me, that have advocated for me. Since I was
literally twenty one years old. I took the head coaching
I took the assistant coaching job. The year I graduated.
I was just turned twenty one. I was young, a
young graduate, and I got a lot of responsibilities in
those first couple of years, and so I think getting
(22:45):
that trust and feeling valued at a place is priceless.
I think the mission fit in terms of the foundation
of the Lutheran theology is huge because I came from
a small Christian high school that was a little bit
more compatible with some other schools in our conference in
terms of faith.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
I love this place allows you.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
To explore your own truth and your own identity with
a really solid foundation from your faculty and staff and
the lutherisiology. The location is obviously second to none. We're
like this little hidden gem up on the hill that
if ten years ago no one knew what Concordia was.
Even still now we're starting to gain some traction of
great academics, really cool location, but I mean.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
This is like paradise up here. It really is.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
And then I think, just like the value of the support,
and I know there's many great places, but I can't
overstate from our president to the cafeteria workers, I mean,
this place is tight. It's a tight knit community. This
place has gone through life with me. I mean I've
been I've been on this campus since I was seventeen
years old, so it's it's been here longer than anything
(23:51):
else in my life minus my family. So I just
it's like this strong sense of you could be yourself here,
you can explore your faith here, you can grow and
develop here, and you'll have people that come alongside you,
that value that in you. And I think the education
piece and speaking to the Masters of Coaching that program
is so instrumental in my career because I look back
(24:12):
on my portfolio, which was my final paper I think
it was two thousand and six when I graduated, and
I laughed because at the time then for me, it
was like revolutionary, I'm gonna do all these things. The
cool part with the program taught me was to never
just stay where you're at. So when I look back
at that document, I'm like, I'm doing like one percent
of those things.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Probably because I evolved as a coach.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
I read, I learned, I grew, and then I kept
looking back to think, like, well, what's working and what's
not working. Well, the Masters of Coaching taught me that.
Through them, I learned like, don't settle, keep growing, and
don't be so proud that you're stuck in one of
your ways. And I think that part has been instrumental
my coaching career.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Two thousand and six is when you were in the wall.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
It's had two thousand and six. Yeah, yeah, man.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
I was the first coort. I was then the first
co ort to ever go through the Masters of coaching. Really,
there was seven of us. We were the first seven,
so there's only seven of us I think for the
first full year before anyone else added it because they
were trying to see if this would work right. And
I don't know if you can if it worked, but
I mean the seven of us are not pretty good.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
And it's worked great because the program has continued to grow.
Here we are people from around the world are finding
out about it and getting involved. The able, the ability
to do it remotely has certainly opened it up to
a lot more people outside of Southern California. And I
think COVID during that stretch in which people were at
home and looking for something to do and at the
(25:32):
same time looking to better their professions, I think really
open things up as well one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
And I just credit coaches that are I know, financially
it makes sense for some people to gain a degree,
but I think honestly, to coach in today's world, you
have to evolve, you have to and this program forces
that for me, and I think it's invaluable. So if
you're thinking about it, you're on the fence. No one's
paying me to say this. It's a really tremendous, like
super great self growth tool.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
For you to go through this program, it really doesn't
help your career.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
So we talked to you now twice here on the podcast, Crystal,
and now after win number seven hundred, how soon before
win number eight hundred are we going to have you
back on the show.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Well, I'm hoping eight hundred happens in a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
That we did that we did really well, and I
hope by the time I talked to you then the
Dodgers have one back to back to back world series.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
That's my hope.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
I'm gonna put it in a plug for myself too, if
you have any poll. My only goal in life is
I want a picture with Clayton Kershaw. He is my
absolute favorite player of all times. I know he just
resigned yesterday pending and physical, but if I had a
vision of what a Dodger is to me, it's it's him.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
I love him. So there's my plug.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
What is it about Clayton Kershaw? And when you said
when you think of a Dodger, you think of him.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
So for the early in his.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Career, he's fiery, right, He's always been fiery, but early
in his career. If you watch him, most pitchers come
out of the game and they're gone. They don't stay
in that clubhouse. It's a game in May. It doesn't
mean much. Early in his career. That guy is in
that dugout, watch until the end of the game. I
five and the guys in the end his fire when
he pitches a great game. And then he's had to
wear so much criticism. And if you look back at
(27:02):
his career, especially in the playoffs, and I'm gonna kind
of sound like a Dodger nerd because I know a
lot about this, you know, for him, for him to
get the pressure that he gets, and to be quite honest,
I'm sorry about that. To be quite honest, if you
look at the offense, they failed him many times deep
into a game in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
So yeah, he ends up giving up a big hit.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
But yeah, that's like in the seventh inning after we've
scored maybe a run if we're lucky. So and he's
wore that and he stayed loyal to the Dodgers. He
pitches through tremendous injury. He's got so many miles on
his body, but still at the end of this this
last year, he can't pitch. He is feeling that when
as he should as like the ultimate Dodger warrior, He's
(27:44):
just a he's a dog man. And if I had
to get someone on the mound to get three outs,
he'd still be my pick.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Awesome, he'd be my pick every single time. He has
a warrior out there, and he gives you everything, whether
he's one hundred percent or he's fifty percent, and you
would never know at times where he's at all on
that scale. Crystal, we got to make that happen. We're
going to start putting the request and see if we
can make that happen between you and Clayton Kershaw. Until then,
continued success, Congratulations on win number seven hundred in your
(28:13):
coaching career. And again, congratulations everything that's happening at Kincordia University, Irvine.
It's no coincidence that the athletic department is even striving
more than it ever has been with you at the leadership.
So continued success.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
I appreciate that so much. Have a great rest of
your day.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Well, there she goes, Crystal Rosenthal, head softball coach at
Concordia University, Irvine. She has now got eight hundred wins
under her belt as the head coach there. She's the
winning this coach all time in any sport at Concordia University, Irvine.
She's a Hall of Fame player, and she's also the
associate vice president of Athletics running the Athletic department at
(28:52):
Kncordia University, Irvine. So congratulations to her, her team, her
assistant coaches, the program on everything they have accomplished. Then,
who knows, maybe we can get that meet and greet
with Clayton Kershaw sometime soon. Thanks for watching, Thanks for listening.
If you want to find out more about the Masters
in Coaching and Athletics Administration program at Concordia University, Irvine,
(29:13):
go to CUI dot edu slash coaching CUI dot edu
slash coaching multiple start times throughout the year to fits
your schedule on campus remote learning, and if you're a
first time student, a one thousand dollars scholarship if you
enter the Master's program CUI dot edu slash Coaching. Thanks
(29:35):
for watching, Thanks for listening. Episode seventy six of the
Masters in Coaching podcast is now in the books. Tim katesaying,
until us next time, Solong, Everybody
From stand out player to coach to athletic director. She's
got eight hundred wins now as the head coach of
the women's softball team. She is Crystal Rosenthal, and she's
a two time guests now on episode seventy six of
the Masters in Coaching Podcast. Let's go. Well, welcome into
(00:23):
episode seventy six of the Masters in Coaching Podcast here
on iHeartRadio, YouTube, whatever platform you are listening and watching.
We certainly appreciate that we have got a two timer
back on the podcast and so excited to talk to
Chrystal Rosenthal, the associate vice president of Athletics at Concordia University, Irvine,
longtime coach of the softball program, where she just set
(00:44):
another milestone picking up win number seven hundred, the winning
this coach in school history in any program, any sport,
a hall of famer at this school, former standout player there,
and she joins us now for the second time here
on the Masters in Coaching Podcast. It's been a few years.
Crystal Rosenthal. Crystal, how you doing.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I'm doing great. I'm so excited to be here again.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I think last time I was talking with you are
in the midst of trying to pull off weird things
because of COVID. I think I was at a pool
trying to keep people separated with mass on. So it's
a much better time for me, except it's raining in
socaw which is a bummer for softball and baseball coaches everywhere.
But otherwise, I'm excited to be here with you today.
So thanks for having me again.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Absolutely. Yeah. Last time we talked, you were the introm
athletic director I believe at Concordi University, Irvine, And here
we are a couple of years later, and you have
now taken over that role associate vice president of athletics.
What is that rule meant to you in the last
couple of years since being named that position?
Speaker 3 (01:42):
You know, I think ultimately it's a seat at the table,
a different table, which is helpful for athletics. So I
serve under a tremendous president, doctor Michael Thomas, and I
was serving previously under our vice president, Tim Odle, who
was a great mentor to me and a great boss.
And I think with the overwhelming amount of athletes on
our campus, it became important to have the person directly
(02:04):
overstaying forty percent of our school's population.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
At the cabinet level.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
So it's been not so much of a learning curve
because I was involved in a lot of that before,
but just having a seat at the table every week
and being an advocate for our programs and just the
university once again showing you know, respect to me and
really pouring into my career.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
So it's been a cool transition.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
It does add a lot of meeting times, which those
aren't my favorite, but nonetheless I appreciate it getting a
chance to be at the table.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Is this something you maybe thought of when you got
into coaching a long time ago. Hey, maybe that's a
goal ultimately to get into being an athletic director.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
No, you know what, I think it's funny. I never
wanted to be a coach either.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
My dad was a coach in the in the LA
like the school systems in Torans for forty years, so
he coached football and basketball and baseball, and he coached me.
So I wasn't planning on coaching either. That wasn't something
that I was going for. But probably those were my
gifts were and I just didn't know that yet.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I wanted to be a lawyer, you know, I wanted
to hang out. I wanted to.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
I want to do a lot of things, But I
think the longer I've stayed here, just the natural progression
has been I'm extremely invested into the mission here. I'm
really invested into the culture of what's going on at
this institution. So the natural progression of just hard work
and having that investment has just kind of led me
into new doors. So when this job opened, I think
the initial thought was for our coaching staffs, let's not
(03:25):
get a new ad like in the middle, something catastrophically bad,
because you never know what's going to happen. Then and
then I guess I fooled enough people at the level
above me to make them think I knew what I
was doing. And I have full down once again and
now have been promoted to the cabinet.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
So it's been an interesting transition.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
But I think God has weird plans, at least in
my belief, and this is probably what the plan was
for me, if you look back and kind of look
at the way the steps have gone.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
But I still in my next life am going to
manage the doctors for sure. So that's on the table next.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
To Dave Roberts would have something to say about that, but.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Well, he can't manage forever and he's a little older me.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Are you welcoming the criticism though? That comes with being
the manager of the Dodgers because even though he pushes
all the right buttons they win a World Series, Uh,
he still gets all the criticism. And as soon as
they lose the game, as soon as the reliever comes
in and gives up that tie and run and they
end up losing the game, it's fire. Dave Roberts, Are
you prepared for that?
Speaker 3 (04:21):
I think so because even at my small little pond
over here, it's fire, Crystal, we lose the game. So
it's like the nature of coaching, right, it's the one
It's the one job that I know of, you know,
I don't go to my doctor and say like, are
you sure you've thought about, you know, bunting on that play, doc.
So I think it's just it's a weird part of
the profession. It's the thing everybody thinks.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
They can do.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
So you kind of take it with a grin AsSalt.
It's not personal. And these are people's children. Mostly in
a professional sports people are definitely fanatical.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I've never been in the fire.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Dave Roberts camp, But I have been in the please
take someone out it's time, But it's a hard instinct
to go against your the one there all the time,
so you know best.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Are you surprised at what they've done this offseason Dodgers
that being crystal and getting better? I mean they were
already the best team in baseball with the best player
in baseball in Shohio Tani with two other MVPs surrounding
him in the lineup. And they go out and they
get more pitching. They get Blake Snell, who's a two
Timesty Young Award winner, they get Rookie Sasaki. I mean
they have loaded up again.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
I think the cool part about being a Dodger fan,
even in the years where we're like like the Buffalo Bills,
where in the enemy just can't seem to get it done,
you can never fault the Dodgers' management in the last
ten years. They have tried every single year to give
them the best opportunity to win. So am I surprised? No.
I'm also not the one ready to check, so I'm
surprised someone's willing to do that. But I think the
fan base has shown like they appreciate the effort and
(05:41):
as frustrating as it is for the team, is for
sure not to get to the end and out win.
I think this year was so rewarding, and I felt
really good for the management because it's like you've poured
every ounce of everything you could, every trade deadline, every offseason, every.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Free agent, every single thing you can do. They've tried.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
So man, I know we're like the evil Empire to
most people. I just sit back and say, who doesn't
want their team to do that? Who wouldn't want that
for their team?
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Yeah? Does that resonate a little bit with you as
an athletic director seeing the management of the Dodgers, ownership of
the Dodgers, what they're willing to do to help their
product on the field, and putting that product in the
best situation to go out and win a championship. As
an athletic director, you want to do that as well
for your programs, right, Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And I would say that this is the battle in
cabinet is. I believe the value of athletics at the
university level is the marketing, branding and just the basic
recruitment to the university right of non student athletes.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
And so my push.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Always for resources is their return on investment of resources
and athletics is much greater than winning, even though for
the coach and the student athlete the winning is the
primary motivation.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Right.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
So I think when I think about athletics and the
value at the college level, especially for a small D
two school like ours, just think of the brands that
are so strong in professional sport, and it is one
hundred percent connected to their resources that have been spent
over time. And of course I'm l his fan, but
we've got two of the greatest brands in the history
of sport, and those brands have spent so much money
(07:06):
in so much resources, and to be honest, like it
works right, And the Dodgers spend a lot of money,
but they make a lot of money back on that
money they spend. So my president is listening to this, sir,
if you give me ten million dollars, I guarantee you.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Something good, good.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Well, you speak of branding. And I was just up
in Santa Barbara for a women's lacrosse tournament and Concordia University,
or if I was up there playing, and right away
I saw them walking all over in their uniforms and
warm up a gear and I spotted the Eagle. I
spotted the brand because of the school and the success
that you guys have had in multiple sports and in
particular softball. You have taken this program to an elite level,
(07:49):
a championship level year and in year out winning the
conference and win number seven hundred for you, Chris, So
you got to five hundred, you got to six hundred,
and now you're at s been one hundred. But what
does that mean to you?
Speaker 3 (08:03):
It means we have been very fortunate to have a
lot of really good players come through our program. And
I think the hardest part is winning. When it took
the program, we weren't extremely successful. And so to come
in and start to recruit and tell people, you know,
your goals to win conference, not knowing that you know
you've never done that in the last twenty years, so
you're not really sure if that's possible. And then it's
(08:23):
we're gonna win a national championship and you're like, yeah, right,
everyone's telling me. I write, but I think if I
look over, the hardest part about coaching is sustaining winning.
Like not that the winning the first time wasn't easy,
that was hard too, but to continue to do that
means you need quality people in your staff, in your
athletic training staff, in your faculty to keep retaining students,
and then you mostly need quality student athletes and families
(08:45):
that are wanting to be a part of that.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
So just grateful.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Alongside of me and my associate head coach has been
here every step of the way, Rosenbrino. She is equally,
if not more than I, have had an impact on
those seven hundred wins. And then every single coach, every
graduate assistant, we've just we are the best people in
our program. So the seven hundred wins for me is
just like a memory reel of all the really cool
things that have gone on here. The wins are awesome,
(09:09):
but the people have made that so and it's just
it's a really fun thing to be a part of.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
You talk about sustaining that winning program every year and
a year out and the players and the coaches, but
it's culture as well, and certainly it all kind of
blends together. You've got a good culture, players, coaches. It
kind of is the perfect storm and you ultimately will
get success more times than not. But maintaining that how
hard is that yearning year out? Because, like you mean,
(09:35):
you've got coaches coming in gradhic consistance coming and going.
They're off taking off their own programs or doing other things.
Players come and go. Sustaining that though, that's a big
credit to you and the culture you've built.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Yeah, I think it's hard, and you know, people argue
that it like gets harder because kids change.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
I don't think that's true.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
I think it's always hard because kids are always changing
because the world is constantly changing.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I think the one key element to what's been helpful for.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Me is I just try to get the best out
of a person, just meet them where they're at, and
I don't have one way or the highway on most things.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
I think there's like a.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Flexibility to my coaching styll even though people think I'm
really scary and mean and all the things if you
don't know me, well, I think the key is most
people that I've encountered at least want someone that wants
to help them reach their potential. So if I just
keep that in mind that that's not going to look
the same for everybody, coach, player, I don't care who
you are. Myself, that's what kind of keeps me wanting
(10:30):
to coach, because it's the challenge.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
It's challenging.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I think the hardest part is the expectation is we're
just going to keep doing this and it's easy. I'm
getting older, so the connection between me and my players.
Probably I just did get TikTok though, so it's helped
my help my engagement game, so I kind of know
what's going on. But I think just like treating people
like people, I think that's like something so misunderstood and coaching,
(10:53):
because at the end of the day, man, it's like
it's sopple right, it's a game, and I'm super competitive.
So if you see me on the field, drin and
be like that didn't match what you said. But the
key for me has been, like treat them as people
and treat them as someone that wants the success you
want for themselves. You just have to figure out the
best way to get them there personally, and then as
a group you try to see some universal things that
(11:15):
will work for everybody.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
You mentioned TikTok, and I'm curious how much as an
athletic director as a coach do you emphasize social media,
whether it's promoting the brand, promoting the programs, the teams,
the players, recruiting. How much do you guys use that?
Speaker 3 (11:35):
We use it a ton our sid Ben Rosshart, He's
done a tremendous job of building a team of gas.
So younger generation is the best, right because they know
what's interesting to that age range. So I think you'd
be silly to think that this is an effective tool.
I think the recruiting piece is probably the best low
hanging fruit for someone to get to a real look
at what you're like, your program is, like what the
(11:55):
culture's like. And then I think from a brand perspective,
just the way you the literal brand, like how it looks.
That's one thing. The President rebranded our athletic department. I
think it was four years ago now, and I think
it's been a solid change for us, and I think
it's just starting to land in the market pretty well.
So we're looking to kind of continue that. But social media, man,
(12:18):
it's huge. So that's why for me, like TikTok, I'm like,
I'm not getting TikTok, that's you know, stupid, I'm never
doing that. But I'm like, of course I'm on it
far too many hours. I have a new phone I
won't get yet because it can't get the app for TikTok,
so I can't miss my book talk and I can't
miss my plant talk.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
But it helps you see what they're interested in.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
And if you're working with young people and you don't
want to know what they're interested in, probably shouldn't be
working with young people anymore.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Since you've taken over as athletic director and associate vice
president of Athletics and that INTROM label was removed, what
are some of the things that you were looking which
kind of your long term plan that you want to
put your stamp on this athletic program. When you took
over as the INTRUM, I'm sure maybe had some ideas,
some hopeful ideas on the line short term, long term,
(13:01):
but now you've kind of got your feed in here
of the last two plus years, where do you see
this athletic department going well?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
My hope is to be one of the most successful
Division two programs in the West and certainly in the country.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
I think in the Ani days we were.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Experienced success at almost every level and every program we've
not quite gotten back there. We've had a few programs
that have done well, so I think as we are
going through a strategic plan at the university, athletics has
its own four points, and to be like as clear
and concise as I can, we're trying to recruit quality
of people, retain those people, and graduate those people. But
(13:38):
as the athletic director, we're trying to provide the most
competitive excellence that we can so that our student athletes
have the best experience.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
They can have.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
But even more than that, we have alumni that want
to re engage with the university, and so this becomes
like a home.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
People want to be a part of, they're proud to.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Be a part of, and it's somewhere you know, like
year in and year out, we're going to be competitive in
every or and to put our best foot forward. So
we're trying to make traction on the competitive excellent side.
I think that's where my brain goes because I like
to win whatever I'm playing, I don't care if it's
fotball or basketball. And we've got some outstanding coaches that
have been here a long time, so I think getting
them the resources that they need to give an opportunity
(14:16):
to succeed, I think that's really where my heart of
hearts lies.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
When you're hiring coaches and I'm not sure how many
chances you had to hire coaches. You mentioned there's been
a lot of longtime great coaches at Concordia. Do you
hire coaches and other sports the way maybe you would
hire an assistant or a grad assistant looking for those
same maybe characteristics. Obviously, hiring for a sport specifically is
a little different. But hiring the culture, the coach for
(14:43):
a certain culture the way you wanted that program to
be run.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I think yes, but not the culture necessarily, because I
think there's a thousand ways to skin a cat, right.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
I don't think my way is the only way.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
I think it's that infactor, and I think it's something
my instincts are pretty good on that. I'm looking for
someone to want to provide, however they do it the
same experience I'm wanting to provide for my softball program,
which you know, long ago someone in the MCA program
we read a book called raving fans, and raving fans
is about leaving everyone that engages with your organization raving
(15:14):
in a positive way.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
So think, in my program, my.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Goal is whether you play a lot or a little,
whether you're a parent or a grammar something about our
program is interesting too, and we've done a job to
make you want to be connected to it. I'm looking
for head coaches that want that and that they can handle.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
They can handle the.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Things that it takes to succeed, because it's hard and
you've got to have some pretty broad shoulders.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
And I think I just hired a women's volleyball coach.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Last season, our longtime head coach, Paula Wieself retired no
small shoes to fill, but I hired someone that I
just really felt like has that, and sure enough a
year in, I've been really proud of her and just
her her drive to want to make this awesome. And
I love coming alongside of coach. Sometimes the other people
that don't coach in my program don't quite understand the
craziness of a coach, Like why do they care about
(16:01):
something so silly? And I'm like, because that's what makes
them great. They care about silly, small things. And I
think that's what I'm most excited to come to work
for every day, is to help someone get where I
wanted to get so badly in their shoes.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Now, I'm going to ask this for a sports specific
question that just kind of popped up and I mentioned
it earlier. We saw the women's lacrosse program up in
Santa Barbara at a club tournament. The men's lacrosse program
at Concordia University or Vine has made that jump. I
think this is year one or year two for you
guys at the Division two level. How has that jump
been for you guys and that program? And selfishly, because
(16:36):
I've got girls that play lacrosse, do you see that
with the women's program making that jump into Division two?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Great questions?
Speaker 3 (16:44):
I think, first to answer to the men's question, they've
been in the last seven years, our most successful men's
program on our campus. Our coach is tremendous. He's a star,
and I wouldn't want to tell him that, but if
he sees this, because now he's going to think he's great,
but he's great. And I think think the jump was
was awesome. I think it just like all of us,
it took a minute to kind of get your feet wet.
(17:05):
Theirs is a little bit unique there in a conference,
not our home conference, but the armac so they travel
quite a bit.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
But man, the interest.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Level of just recruits coming here and we made it
to the conference championship game last year and I got,
you know, a couple goals within qualifying for the NCAA
Regionals for the first time. I have no doubt that
coach Foss is going to take that program to the
top in Division two.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
So the transition has been awesome.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
It's just the West has been slow developing in lacrosse
for whatever reason.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
We have a ton of youth lacrosse.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
With a ton of high school across the college level
has really been slow. So I answer the question on
the women's side, we would love to transition, but we
need some partners to do that with. So you know,
of course I'm doing my part with our conference schools
of Hey lacrosse because it's such a great fit. It's
everywhere right It's it's really big in Rich County, and
(17:52):
we're having all these kids from March County. I'm going
to leave because there's no place to play here. So
we would love to transition that program. Of course, it's
got to be a good, you know, financial fit for
the institution, but it is something we have our ears
to the ground. So this is not just a first year.
We've been thinking about it. We're thinking about it, and
we've got some things that need to fall into place,
but if it's possible, we definitely will do that.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
Ye. My daughter currently plays at Grand Canyon. It's the
same thing. It's one of the only sports it's still
a club that they're trying to find a landing spot,
so to speak. And it's just it's difficult to find
because it's such a niche sport and you talk about
being on the West Coast, it's even smaller than that, right.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
The big ones have it so like they have it,
So it makes it harder because like let's say our
volleyball men's or water pools, they're like in an all
divisions conference, which lacrosse could do.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
But then we have this skayak here in.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Southern California that's a really solid Division three conference. They
have no need for us. So it's it's a unique
situation and we're hoping just like you. There's so many
parents that reach out to me like is there any
way we could I'm like, yeah, we would love to.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
You need to find ten universities locally that will do that.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
That's that's the issue. Yep, that is certainly the issue.
I want to go back to when you took over
at Crystal as athletic director on the intro basis during
COVID when they came to you in the middle of
a pandemic, figure people are figuring things out. You're trying
to get sports back running at some capacity, and they said, yeah,
not only are you going to be the we need
you to coach obviously, but you're the intom athletic director.
(19:20):
And what was that like? What was your first your
thoughts of, oh great, how am I going to handle this? Well?
What were your first impressions when you got the kind
of reins over the athletic department.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
I think luckily for me, I had been the SWA before,
so I had like the part's hardest for me budgets
and like the structure I had been and hiring. I
had had a part in some of that already. I
think the harder part was probably the coaches buying into
that I wasn't going to simply be the sutball athletic director.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
And of course a lot of these coaches.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Are my friends, right, They were my friends as colleagues.
I know their families and o their spouses, so like,
this is a close knit athletic department. So I think
just establishing of what my goals were and then kind
of just like if I was taking over a program,
I'm not a hammer to come in and be like
this is all that we're doing and do it or don't.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
It was kind of a buy in period of like, these.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Are some of my ideas, We're going to implement them,
and then the hammer came down. So I think that
was probably the hardest part of my transition, and then
the time management right of doing both. The nice part
of sample is I've been doing that a long time
and I have it a tremendous staff. So while they
do take probably less of me than they used to get,
it is the way more established.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Part of my job.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
But there are only so many hours in the day,
so like having a really serious situation at one o'clock
in the afternoon and then going to practice and hitting
around balls, like my brain's like like what are we
what are we doing here? So I think just the
natural like and then learning what I don't know I
mean in an athletic director room and a conference meeting.
I learned very quickly these people are very smart and
(20:54):
very capable. So while I thought like, oh, I could
just kind of breeze through, I'm like I actually have
to listen, prepare.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
These people know what's going on.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
So I've got to step up and be a great
voice for Concordia. And I've had tremendous colleagues that are
at my conference level that have helped me and given
me some mentorships. So just experience, just like anything. I
want to be great at this part of my job,
so I had to learn a little bit before I
did a lot of what I was doing.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
This is episode seventy six of the Masters and Coaching
podcast in conjunction with Concordia University, Irvine. We've talked to
a lot of the coaches. This is your second time
back on the on the podcast at athletic director now
full time the associate VP of Athletics. So I kind
of want to celebrate the school if we can. For
those watching and listening that okay to hear Concordia University, Irvine.
(21:42):
You've been there as a player, assistant coach, head coach,
and now athletic director. You're in the Hall of Fame,
you represent the school greatly. Talk a little bit about
the school and what is it about Concordia University, Irvine.
That's that's kept you there so long, and what you've
I've seen from this school and the growth of it
and where it is now kind of special. It is.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Yeah, I mean, how much time do we have?
Speaker 3 (22:06):
I obviously I'm either a complete glutton for punishment or
I love it here and I love it here. I
think the thing for me is whether you have you're
a person of faith, or you're not. For me, it's
my faith that's very strong to tell me like, this
is where I meant to be, this is where my
vocation is.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
And I think for people that maybe don't have as much.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Faith, I think it's like a gut instinct of I
have been surrounded in this job by people that have
supported me, that have advocated for me. Since I was
literally twenty one years old. I took the head coaching
I took the assistant coaching job. The year I graduated.
I was just turned twenty one. I was young, a
young graduate, and I got a lot of responsibilities in
those first couple of years, and so I think getting
(22:45):
that trust and feeling valued at a place is priceless.
I think the mission fit in terms of the foundation
of the Lutheran theology is huge because I came from
a small Christian high school that was a little bit
more compatible with some other schools in our conference in
terms of faith.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
I love this place allows you.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
To explore your own truth and your own identity with
a really solid foundation from your faculty and staff and
the lutherisiology. The location is obviously second to none. We're
like this little hidden gem up on the hill that
if ten years ago no one knew what Concordia was.
Even still now we're starting to gain some traction of
great academics, really cool location, but I mean.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
This is like paradise up here. It really is.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
And then I think, just like the value of the support,
and I know there's many great places, but I can't
overstate from our president to the cafeteria workers, I mean,
this place is tight. It's a tight knit community. This
place has gone through life with me. I mean I've
been I've been on this campus since I was seventeen
years old, so it's it's been here longer than anything
(23:51):
else in my life minus my family. So I just
it's like this strong sense of you could be yourself here,
you can explore your faith here, you can grow and
develop here, and you'll have people that come alongside you,
that value that in you. And I think the education
piece and speaking to the Masters of Coaching that program
is so instrumental in my career because I look back
(24:12):
on my portfolio, which was my final paper I think
it was two thousand and six when I graduated, and
I laughed because at the time then for me, it
was like revolutionary, I'm gonna do all these things. The
cool part with the program taught me was to never
just stay where you're at. So when I look back
at that document, I'm like, I'm doing like one percent
of those things.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Probably because I evolved as a coach.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
I read, I learned, I grew, and then I kept
looking back to think, like, well, what's working and what's
not working. Well, the Masters of Coaching taught me that.
Through them, I learned like, don't settle, keep growing, and
don't be so proud that you're stuck in one of
your ways. And I think that part has been instrumental
my coaching career.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Two thousand and six is when you were in the wall.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
It's had two thousand and six. Yeah, yeah, man.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
I was the first coort. I was then the first
co ort to ever go through the Masters of coaching. Really,
there was seven of us. We were the first seven,
so there's only seven of us I think for the
first full year before anyone else added it because they
were trying to see if this would work right. And
I don't know if you can if it worked, but
I mean the seven of us are not pretty good.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
And it's worked great because the program has continued to grow.
Here we are people from around the world are finding
out about it and getting involved. The able, the ability
to do it remotely has certainly opened it up to
a lot more people outside of Southern California. And I
think COVID during that stretch in which people were at
home and looking for something to do and at the
(25:32):
same time looking to better their professions, I think really
open things up as well one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
And I just credit coaches that are I know, financially
it makes sense for some people to gain a degree,
but I think honestly, to coach in today's world, you
have to evolve, you have to and this program forces
that for me, and I think it's invaluable. So if
you're thinking about it, you're on the fence. No one's
paying me to say this. It's a really tremendous, like
super great self growth tool.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
For you to go through this program, it really doesn't
help your career.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
So we talked to you now twice here on the podcast, Crystal,
and now after win number seven hundred, how soon before
win number eight hundred are we going to have you
back on the show.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Well, I'm hoping eight hundred happens in a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
That we did that we did really well, and I
hope by the time I talked to you then the
Dodgers have one back to back to back world series.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
That's my hope.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
I'm gonna put it in a plug for myself too, if
you have any poll. My only goal in life is
I want a picture with Clayton Kershaw. He is my
absolute favorite player of all times. I know he just
resigned yesterday pending and physical, but if I had a
vision of what a Dodger is to me, it's it's him.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
I love him. So there's my plug.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
What is it about Clayton Kershaw? And when you said
when you think of a Dodger, you think of him.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
So for the early in his.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Career, he's fiery, right, He's always been fiery, but early
in his career. If you watch him, most pitchers come
out of the game and they're gone. They don't stay
in that clubhouse. It's a game in May. It doesn't
mean much. Early in his career. That guy is in
that dugout, watch until the end of the game. I
five and the guys in the end his fire when
he pitches a great game. And then he's had to
wear so much criticism. And if you look back at
(27:02):
his career, especially in the playoffs, and I'm gonna kind
of sound like a Dodger nerd because I know a
lot about this, you know, for him, for him to
get the pressure that he gets, and to be quite honest,
I'm sorry about that. To be quite honest, if you
look at the offense, they failed him many times deep
into a game in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
So yeah, he ends up giving up a big hit.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
But yeah, that's like in the seventh inning after we've
scored maybe a run if we're lucky. So and he's
wore that and he stayed loyal to the Dodgers. He
pitches through tremendous injury. He's got so many miles on
his body, but still at the end of this this
last year, he can't pitch. He is feeling that when
as he should as like the ultimate Dodger warrior, He's
(27:44):
just a he's a dog man. And if I had
to get someone on the mound to get three outs,
he'd still be my pick.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Awesome, he'd be my pick every single time. He has
a warrior out there, and he gives you everything, whether
he's one hundred percent or he's fifty percent, and you
would never know at times where he's at all on
that scale. Crystal, we got to make that happen. We're
going to start putting the request and see if we
can make that happen between you and Clayton Kershaw. Until then,
continued success, Congratulations on win number seven hundred in your
(28:13):
coaching career. And again, congratulations everything that's happening at Kincordia University, Irvine.
It's no coincidence that the athletic department is even striving
more than it ever has been with you at the leadership.
So continued success.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
I appreciate that so much. Have a great rest of
your day.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Well, there she goes, Crystal Rosenthal, head softball coach at
Concordia University, Irvine. She has now got eight hundred wins
under her belt as the head coach there. She's the
winning this coach all time in any sport at Concordia University, Irvine.
She's a Hall of Fame player, and she's also the
associate vice president of Athletics running the Athletic department at
(28:52):
Kncordia University, Irvine. So congratulations to her, her team, her
assistant coaches, the program on everything they have accomplished. Then,
who knows, maybe we can get that meet and greet
with Clayton Kershaw sometime soon. Thanks for watching, Thanks for listening.
If you want to find out more about the Masters
in Coaching and Athletics Administration program at Concordia University, Irvine,
(29:13):
go to CUI dot edu slash coaching CUI dot edu
slash coaching multiple start times throughout the year to fits
your schedule on campus remote learning, and if you're a
first time student, a one thousand dollars scholarship if you
enter the Master's program CUI dot edu slash Coaching. Thanks
(29:35):
for watching, Thanks for listening. Episode seventy six of the
Masters in Coaching podcast is now in the books. Tim katesaying,
until us next time, Solong, Everybody
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