MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. - Marine Corps Recruiting Command hosted its annual Coaches Workshop from May 6 to 10, 2024. Coaches from colleges and universities nationwide attended the event to learn how Marine Corps Officers are developed into leaders of Marines.
The Coaches Workshop is an opportunity designed to give coaches a firsthand look at what it takes to become a Marine Corps officer and an inside look at how Marines train. This workshop included various activities, training exercises and classes to help these coaches better understand how to apply what they learned to their teams.
“The goal of this workshop is to provide the coaches with the opportunity to learn about the Marine Corps and better understand how we develop young men and women to become Marine Officers,” said Greg Gilliam, program manager for MCRC's Educators Workshop Program. “We hope coaches better understand the leadership developmental process so they can return to their schools and communities and apply what they have learned to their athletes.”
During the workshop, the coaches participated in an obstacle course and the leadership reaction course, testing their physical and mental toughness. They also had the opportunity to watch Marines navigate The Combat Course at Officer Candidates School. The demonstration gave coaches insight into the mental and physical toughness of becoming a Marine Corps officer.
“This workshop has been fantastic overall,” said Jack Mrozinski Jr., head football coach with Hiram College. “The way the Marines work with us one-on-one, how energetic and passionate about the Marine Corps they are has been fantastic, and I’ve learned so much that I can take by to my team.”
Attending coaches also had the opportunity to fly on a Marine Helicopter Squadron One MV-22B 'Osprey' and learn about the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. HMX-1 was founded to test tactics, techniques, procedures, and equipment but has since become synonymous with the President of the United States, as the Presidential helicopter transport unit. The martial arts program is designed to teach Marines the skills they need to defend themselves in close combat situations.
The coaches were also the first group of coaches in workshop history to have the opportunity to engage in live-fire exercises with a variety of weapons. After a period of instruction by on weapons handling and safety coaches were able to use of the M-16A4, M-18, M-4, M-1014, and competition pistols and rifles used by the Marine Corps. The live-fire exercises were conducted under the guidance of experienced Marine instructors, ensuring safety and proficiency among the participants and gave the coaches insight to how the Marine Corps trains its Marines to shoot.
MCRC hosts this event annually for college coaches and educators, not just to ensure they understand the benefits of serving in the Marine Corps, but also to emphasize the importance of their role in mentoring their students and athletes regarding future career goals. By giving participants a firsthand look at what it takes to become an officer in the Marine Corps, MCRC is actively working to build stronger relationships with the college coaches and educators nationwide, and promote the benefits of becoming a Marine Corps officer.
“These workshops establish an understanding among coaches about what the Marine Corps offers,” said Lt. Col. Rob Dolan, assistant chief of staff, Marketing and Communication, MCRC. “Whether that is developing your leadership skills, having pride in belonging to an organization that is bigger than yourself, or continuing your education via the different opportunities afforded to Marines. We build these relationships for the betterment of the individual and to ensure the Marine Corps is recruiting the best of what this nation has to offer.”
At the end of the weeklong Coaches Workshop, attendees left the event with a newfound understanding for the Marine Corps and the methods utilized to develop young men and women into leaders. Marine Corps Recruiting Command plans to continue hosting this event in the future, with the hopes of reaching even more college coaches and educators across the country to prove to them that the Marine Corps is a viable option for their athletes as they decide what the future holds.
“The thing I’ll take away the most is what I learned from the talks about leadership,” said Mrozinski. “Specifically, how to face adversity and come through it better on the other side.”
Educators Workshop will be held on MCB Quantico June 10-14. Workshops are held annually on Marine Corps Base Quantico and Marine Corps Recruit Depots Parris Island, South Carolina, and San Diego, California.
To learn information, visit www.connect.marines.com.