Coach Towne outta Town
Patrick Timmis
Issue date: 10/1/09 Section: Sports
Assistant track coach Andy Towne has headed to Ohio. Towne left Hillsdale two weeks ago to take a position as a women's assistant coach at the University of Miami (Ohio), a Division-I school in the Mid-American Conference.
"It was something that I wasn't really looking for, something that just sort of popped up," Towne said before he left.
One thing that impressed Towne about the University of Miami was the familiar academic standards it shares with Hillsdale.
"Academics are really important to me," he said. "I've never been interested in moving and sacrificing the quality of the kids."
Towne's colleagues at Hillsdale were very supportive of his move and even recommended him for the position.
"I talked to the head coach [of Miami] and I said, 'He'll recruit well, and he'll get out and be a great hands-on guy working with the student-athletes,'" said head Charger track coach Bill Lundberg.
However, Towne's move leaves a definite gap.
"He's taken care of a lot in the program," assistant coach Sarah Hinkley said. "He's coached the sprints and hurdles, which is a large number of athletes. He's taken care of a lot of the administrative work. He's done a lot for the program. So there's a serious void here that we do need to fill."
That void is not only as a coach, but also as a friend.
"I think a lot of people are viewing it as the loss of a friend moving away," senior captain Jared Krout said. "It's more like losing a friend than losing a coach."
The move was also difficult for Towne.
"There's nothing wrong with being sad, I mean, I'm sad I'm leaving," Towne said.
Lundberg also spoke about the difficulty of his leaving.
"Andy was torn a bit. It was his alma mater he was leaving, and he was sorting out being away from his family more," Lundberg said.
Although they will miss him, the athletes are responding positively to the news.
"Initially it seemed like there was quite a bit of emotion, but in the last couple of weeks they've responded in a way that has made me really proud," Towne said.
Although Towne has left, his coaching will continue to have an impact on the athletes.
"Our kids are going to miss him, but they're also going to carry on a lot of his principles," Lundberg said.
"It's kind of going to be up to us as seniors and upperclassmen to continue those things going through the program," Krout said.
In the meantime, the track and field staff is looking for someone who can help fill the gap that's been left. However, the shoes will not be easy ones to fill.
"I've been through this before, but this is a challenge because he knew Hillsdale, he lived and breathed it with Charger Pride and Charger Blue," Lundberg said.
Hinkley concurred.
"We want it to be the right fit," she said. "With his leaving, we don't want to bring in just anybody. It has to be a good fit for the student-athletes here, so it may take some time."
"It was something that I wasn't really looking for, something that just sort of popped up," Towne said before he left.
One thing that impressed Towne about the University of Miami was the familiar academic standards it shares with Hillsdale.
"Academics are really important to me," he said. "I've never been interested in moving and sacrificing the quality of the kids."
Towne's colleagues at Hillsdale were very supportive of his move and even recommended him for the position.
"I talked to the head coach [of Miami] and I said, 'He'll recruit well, and he'll get out and be a great hands-on guy working with the student-athletes,'" said head Charger track coach Bill Lundberg.
However, Towne's move leaves a definite gap.
"He's taken care of a lot in the program," assistant coach Sarah Hinkley said. "He's coached the sprints and hurdles, which is a large number of athletes. He's taken care of a lot of the administrative work. He's done a lot for the program. So there's a serious void here that we do need to fill."
That void is not only as a coach, but also as a friend.
"I think a lot of people are viewing it as the loss of a friend moving away," senior captain Jared Krout said. "It's more like losing a friend than losing a coach."
The move was also difficult for Towne.
"There's nothing wrong with being sad, I mean, I'm sad I'm leaving," Towne said.
Lundberg also spoke about the difficulty of his leaving.
"Andy was torn a bit. It was his alma mater he was leaving, and he was sorting out being away from his family more," Lundberg said.
Although they will miss him, the athletes are responding positively to the news.
"Initially it seemed like there was quite a bit of emotion, but in the last couple of weeks they've responded in a way that has made me really proud," Towne said.
Although Towne has left, his coaching will continue to have an impact on the athletes.
"Our kids are going to miss him, but they're also going to carry on a lot of his principles," Lundberg said.
"It's kind of going to be up to us as seniors and upperclassmen to continue those things going through the program," Krout said.
In the meantime, the track and field staff is looking for someone who can help fill the gap that's been left. However, the shoes will not be easy ones to fill.
"I've been through this before, but this is a challenge because he knew Hillsdale, he lived and breathed it with Charger Pride and Charger Blue," Lundberg said.
Hinkley concurred.
"We want it to be the right fit," she said. "With his leaving, we don't want to bring in just anybody. It has to be a good fit for the student-athletes here, so it may take some time."
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