Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Nero strives for reputation of success

Patrick Nero dreams of a new future for GW Athletics – one defined by success on and off the court.

This desire, Nero said, is driven by the reputation of the University as a whole, as he wants GW’s intercollegiate sports teams to reflect the strong performance of the rest of the school.

“Our ultimate goal for GW Athletics is to have an athletic program that mirrors the accomplishments of the University,” Nero said. “Right now, we’re just not doing that, so we’re going to continue to try to infuse things and do things to allow this next generation of athletes at GW to reach the competitive highlights of their life.”

In the classroom, the athletics programs have matched the University’s academic successes, Nero said, and he is confident student-athletes will continue their strong scholastic performances.

Now it’s time, he said, to create equally successful performances on the playing field. Nero said he expects Division I athletes to be committed to winning – as he intends for that to be one of GW’s hallmarks during his tenure.

Nero said he has been working with coaches to institute new austere guidelines so the athletes are ready to take to their respective fields this year. A larger emphasis will be put on team workouts, concentrating on the athletes being in the best shape possible for competition. Nero doesn’t want to see a GW team outworked by an opponent, he said. And finally, he emphasizes, each student-athlete should always be conscious of how they are representing the University.

“I’m a firm believer that winning is a habit and habits are created on a daily basis,” Nero said. “Those are the important things we tell them they can control. And hopefully that habit forming will result in wins. I think it will.”

The next step, Nero said, after emphasizing to the players his expectations of them, is to ensure that the department is providing student-athletes with the resources they need to be successful. The parameters around each coach and program are the same, designed to push the intercollegiate athletic teams to compete on the highest levels.

Nero’s short tenure with the department has been marked by transition as he begins to implement his strategies. Quickly after Nero’s hire, the University fired former men’s basketball head coach Karl Hobbs, replacing him with Mike Lonergan in less than two weeks. Lonergan in turn pieced together a completely new coaching staff.

Tamika Louis and Kristin Cole joined the women’s basketball team as assistant coaches after the departure of Katie Rokus and Kristeena Alexander and cross country coach Brian Bell unexpectedly left to head up the cross country program at Flager College in Florida. Christopher Boyer joined the Colonials staff as the deputy director of athletics for external relations and Dominic Perno, the associate athletic director for development, retired after 13 years with the department of athletics. Men’s soccer head coach George Lidster announced his intention to retire following the current season. Despite the scope of the turnover, Nero said with the exception of the shake-up within the basketball programs, most of the departures were personal decisions, results of long-term plans.

“I had to make a very difficult decision with coach Hobbs, but I also want to make clear that anyone else’s departure was just normal. They’re decisions that I’m supportive of,” Nero said. “Who knows, you may see even more turnover next year.”

The important focus now, Nero said, is making sure the new additions to the department are on board with his expectations. He meets with every new potential member of the intercollegiate athletic programs, from coaching staff to recruits, to familiarize them with his doctrine. Having those conversations is important, Nero said, in ensuring that all potential new Colonials understand the expectations thrust upon them.

“I want to see all of the varsity sports that we sponsor have an opportunity to win championships, be successful,” Nero said. “Right now, today, we’re all on the same page with what the expectations are.”

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