On Tuesday morning, Chelsea Spencer gave her first public interview since being named the head coach at Cal-Berkeley, her alma mater. She talked to Eric Lopez for the In the Circle podcast and, in the absence of a formal press conference by the university, we’re breaking down the highlights of Spencer’s first public comments since the hiring.
She’s got her dream job
Spencer’s first description of being named Cal’s head coach was to call it a “dream come true,” a phrase that she repeated throughout the interview. It is a widely-known fact – and Mike White even referenced it in his public comments following Spencer being announced as head coach – that Spencer has long-desired to be the next Cal coach after Diane Ninemire. After a decorated playing career for the Bears in the early 2000s, Spencer was simply biding her time with a goal to return to Berkeley, and she now is doing just that.
The interview process was lengthy and detailed
“In true Berkeley fashion, it was probably the hardest interview that I’ve ever had to go through.” That was how Spencer described the initial portion of the hiring process. She noted that Cal lived up to its reputation as a school with an emphasis on academics, and added that a crucial part of the process was giving a presentation on her vision for the program. Spencer noted that there were multiple rounds of interviews, and said that, as a program alum, she appreciated the school making an effort to find the best candidate for the program and student-athletes.
Her expectations follow a tried-and-true model
“My expectations of people are to bring the best they can every day. That way, when you go back home and look in the mirror, you can ask yourself ‘did I bring the best attitude and effort to the field today?’ And if you can say yes, then you dominated that day… I don’t get those [expectations]confused with goals. My expectation for myself, my staff, and my student-athletes is you’re going to come to work every day, you’re going to have a great attitude, and I think the wins are going to take care of themselves.”
Diane Ninemire’s influence is undeniable
“I’ve talked with her, and she’s congratulated me on the hire… I’ve learned so much from her, whether it comes to how to do lineups, how to be a champion, or what I need to do better in the classroom. Having a great mentor like her that stands behind me, that wants me to grow and be a better coach; I just hope that I’m someone who continues what she’s built throughout her 30+ years of coaching. She’s a great mentor, a great leader, and hopefully, one day we have her back out next spring and she’s going to throw out a first pitch.”
Pressure situations are a place to thrive
“I live in what people call ‘pressure’ situations. And I think the best of me comes out in those moments… I want challenges. I want people to want the best from any team that I coach. If you talk to coach White or coach Ninemire, I give my all 100% of the time.”
She’ll be a hands-on coach
“The jump from assistant coach to head coach is different. Obviously, I’m going to have to wear two hats. You’ve got the hat of the fun, the passion, the grit. I’m still going to throw my cleats on and wear them to practice in case I have to jump in and take some reps with the student-athletes. But I also have to wear a different hat as well, that I have to make some hard decisions. The student-athletes know that, and I’ve already been talking to them about the type of coach I am. I don’t like to go anywhere and have a boring practice… I’m always going to be the Chelsea Spencer that has a passionate personality and expect greatness from student-athletes, whatever you can give every day… once you enter those gates, we’re going to work our butts off.”
