Coach Jarrod R Olson has been a basketball coach for the past 15 years, starting in 1998. Olson has also coached tennis lessons as an extra-curricular for two years of his own college career when he attended Southern Florida College, where he studied English.
This is Olsen’s first year coaching at California Baptist University upon moving from Florida where he coached at the Division II level Florida Southern College and Creighton University.
Olsen received several awards; this includes being Coach of the Year at Florida Southern College from 2011-2012, another at New Zealand in 2005, and another at College of St. Mary’s in 2002.
Olson said, “I am really excited to be working at CBU. It’s a really cool place, and it’s the first time I ever walked at a school with such a strong Christian influence. It’s a really great opportunity.”
Olson said that his experience has been pretty awesome. “Just moving from one side of the country to the other was a difficult transition. People are really nice here, and the students support each other.”
The most exhausting part of coaching, according to Olsen, is that people just don't realize how long season really goes. Athletes start working out before school starts, and season doesn't actually end until March. “You don't get the normal breaks everyone else gets. It’s difficult to really ask for students to sacrifice so much,” said Olsen.
Olsen really enjoys the experience of coaching; he’s always been on a team and has played a lot as a child. “Having it like a job is a great experience, lots of times for the people and guiding the team. There are 12 players on the team; nine of them are seniors, so they all played with a different coach. It’s all about adapting to the whole learning process.”
CBU defeated Grand Canyon University a few weeks ago, which was a major