Issue date: 9/24/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jennifer Lemos - Assistance coach Kim Coppin helps Annie Becker with her swing from the rough to the green at the Valley Hi Country Club. [Click to enlarge]

Kim Coppin graduated last spring from Sacramento State and has already landed a job in a field that she knows very well. That field is golf and the position is the women's golf team assistant coach. Coppin a former Sac State women's golfer, was approached by Director of Golf David Sutherland at the end of last season about staying on the team as assistant coach.

"At the time I was uncertain about what my post bachelor plans would be, so I talked it over with my family and decided that it would be a great opportunity for me to take the job," Coppin said. "I really wanted to have the opportunity to give back to the program that gave me so much the past four years."

Coppin started golfing at the age of 10, when her father introduced her to the sport. She began golfing competitively by the time she was 12 years old.

She played high school golf at Sheldon High School, which is only 20 minutes from Sac State. There she played four years of varsity golf, where she was named All-Delta League for all four years and was also league MVP as a junior. Bringing her talents to Sac State, Coppin had a respectable career were she played in every round in the 2005-06 and 2007-08 seasons. Also, in the 2006-07, season she tied for third at the Bobcat Desert Classic and came in fifth at the Big Sky Championship.

Now Coppin finds herself stepping into a new and somewhat unfamiliar role this season, as she prepares herself for her first attempt at coaching. Going from player to coach can often be a tricky transition, especially when it's your first time coaching. Coppin's transition from player to coach had to be made in just four months. However, her role in her senior season helped Coppin to prepare for the new job.

"During my senior year I felt that I had established a leadership role amongst the team and the girls," Coppin said. "So I didn't think that moving into the coaching position would be that much different."

In her first season as assistant coach, Coppin is planning for great results. Her goals for this season are, to win at least one tournament and to win a conference title. But winning is not her only priority: She also wants to form close relationships with the players.

"I feel that it is very important that you not only have a coaching relationship, but also friendship with the players as well," Coppin said.

As a team, there are many new faces with six new freshmen joining the team. These freshmen only know Coppin as coach. However, for Brooke Green, Annie Becker and Samantha Saffold, they know Coppin as a friend, former teammate and now coach.

"They have a tough time calling me coach, and often still call me by my first name," Coppin said. "But I know they trust and respect me as a coach."

Green, Becker and Saffold not only respect Coppin as a coach, but they are more then happy that she is still with the team.

"She was a fantastic teammate and captain," Becker said. "She just transferred that to being a coach."

Saffold attributes Coppin's "perky" personality as one of the reasons why Coppin presence on the team is helpful.

"She knows what its like, with the nerves and frustrations, she knows how to handle them. It's a big help," Saffold said. "She relieves some of the stress."

Coppin had her first go at coaching during the team's first tournament which was held on Sept. 15-16, at the Northwest Dodge Dealers Inland Cup in Pullman, Wash. The team started off the season strong as it finished in third place. Even though the team did well, it was still hard for Coppin to put aside her playing days as she found herself wanting to join in.

"I had many moments where I wished I was still out there," Coppin said.

Even though Coppin found herself wanting to play in the tournament, she has no plan on joining the professional ranks.

"At this point I am uncertain if I aspire to be a head coach, but I am certainly not ruling it out for my future plans," Coppin said.

Although she is uncertain if she wants to become a head coach, she is taking the necessary steps in becoming a head coach. She has taken the first step by becoming an assistant coach, and she is planning to start work on the next step next fall when she starts work on her master's degree

"I plan on getting my MBA," Choppin said. "Preferably in marketing."

What is certain is that Coppin wants to pass on what she has learned over the years well at Sac State, in both golf and life.

"I learned a great deal while I was playing for Sac State, as a person and as a golfer, and I really wanted to be able to share my experiences and knowledge with my former teammates and new players," said Coppin.

Felipe Molina can be reached at fmolina@statehornet.com

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