Posted: Apr 24, 2015
The SUNYAC Retiree Award recognizes individuals who served the conference as either a coach or an administrator for 15 years or more.
For some 24 years – exactly two-thirds of the total program history for the Plattsburgh State women's soccer team – Waterbury served as the head coach of the Cardinals, leading the program to heights never before reached. The numbers on Waterbury speak for themselves – a 262-151-32 record while leading the Cardinals and a 263-164-23 career mark, one SUNYAC crown (1998), three NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament appearances, two SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors, 86 All-SUNYAC players, 27 all-region performers and one All-American.
All of the practices, wins, road trips and recruiting visits came to an end following the Cardinals' 2013 campaign when Waterbury chose to step down as the program's head coach and accept a new role within the department.
“My time coaching at Plattsburgh was terrific and being able to play for the program and then coach here was a very rewarding series of events. Thinking back, we had some great games and a number of talented players who represented Plattsburgh State with pride and professionalism both on and off the field,” Waterbury said.
Even though she no longer serves as the Cardinals' bench boss, Waterbury is still highly involved in athletics as she will complete her first academic year as Plattsburgh State's associate director of recreational sports this May. Her strong background in athletics has proven to be very beneficial in her new role.
“I've been involved in recreation in some form or another for the better part of my life so I have a lot of ideas on what our students really wanted and needed from a recreational sports standpoint,” said Waterbury.
Another enjoyable aspect of Waterbury's new position is the freedom to commit more time to watching her daughter, Bailey, excel on the pitch at Oswego State.
“This year was a little different in the fact that I was able to go out, watch a few more of Bailey's games and just relax,” said Waterbury. “Oswego had a great team this year and that all has to do with the high level of competition in the SUNYAC. If you're going to win in this league you have to put a good team on the field every day. With Bailey, I always tell her to stay positive and remind her that soccer and life are journeys and it's all about what you learn along the way.”
The 1987 Plattsburgh State graduate also remains focused on her teaching duties, serving as a certified swim instructor and a CPR specialist. Even still, there are aspects that Waterbury misses in regards to her coaching days.
“I'm still teaching, which I very much enjoy. Mentoring kids and working with them is still very rewarding for me, but I do miss being able to get out of the office and head to the practice field.
“One of the things I miss the most is having a great practice and being there to see and feel when it really clicks for the student-athletes on the field.”
Even though her roles have changed in the past year, Waterbury had succeeded in maintaining all of the strong relationships she has fostered over the year with Plattsburgh State students, staff and faculty members. Additionally, she has been there to help the Cardinals' new head women's soccer coach – Tania Armellino – acclimate to her new environment.
“Tania is a very pleasant individual and she is very easy to talk to. I hope I've helped her along in her new role,” said Waterbury. “She has laid the groundwork for a strong future for this program with a great group of newcomers and a solid crew of returners and I'm excited to see where the team goes under her leadership. We can walk into each other's office and talk about anything, too.”
Reflecting on almost a quarter-century in charge of a collegiate women's soccer program, Waterbury has experienced her share of high points, low points and everything in between. At the end of the day, though, she wouldn't trade her experiences for anything.
“I'm very fortunate in the fact that I've never been to work a day in my life,” she said. “Seeing the SUNYAC grow into a highly competitive league while being a small part of that growth is very rewarding and I'm eager to continue this new chapter in my life.”
