Coaches returning to bench from tragedy

[smsu_scribe]

This is along the lines of the topic about athlete deaths, but a different twist.

Tomorrow I'm going out to the local high school and talking to the boys hockey coach. Around the beginning of the season his wife passed away. He took some time off, then returned to coaching maybe a month ago. I've already talked to him about the story, and he seemed fine with talking. The team has had a pretty good season, still third in the conference. I'm focusing my story on his return to coaching, if that helped the healing, etc.

For those of you who've done stories like this, how did you do them? Did you go in with a game plan for what you wanted to find out, or just try to let them lead the way? Now obviously, no one here knows the coach or the situation, but I figured I could get some good advice on how to go about this, and maybe some angles that could be pursued.

Besides talking to the head coach, my plan is to also talk to the assistant who took over while he gone, along with the AD and some players.

 

[finishthehat]

Well, if he says he's fine with talking, it seems a pretty straightforward interview, in that you don't have to worry about broaching tough subjects. He knows what you're interested in and doesn't seem to mind.

 

[Ace]

It's possible that he hasn't talked a lot about his wife and thoughts about her dying very much, so he could get emotional on you when he starts talking.

Be prepared. Let him talk. Listen a lot and don't cut him off.

What do you want to find out? His feelings, how he is coming back from this, how the school/players are helping.

Does he have kids at home? I would want to know how that will work.

 

[smsu_scribe]

Thanks, Ace. The interview went great, really. He opened up tremendously.

I've posted the story in the workshop: http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/75961/