Rounding the Bases with Akron Assistant Coach Danielle L’Argent

After graduating from Chadron State College in 2014, Danielle L’Argent started her coaching career right away. She’s coached at almost every level, from travel ball and high school all the way up to Division II. This summer, she got her first coaching role at the Division 1 level, joining the coaching staff at Akron.

In September, L’Argent was officially announced as the newest assistant coach on staff at Akron. After joining the Zips’ coaching staff, she talked with Extra Inning Softball about her coaching career and her philosophies and methodology between the white lines.

Extra Inning Softball: When did you know that you wanted to pursue a career path as a college coach?
Danielle L’Argent: I actually didn’t want to be a college coach until I was in graduate school. I was working as a director of operations for a sports conditioning company and my boss just kept pushing me towards coaching. I didn’t really know why. I guess he saw something in me that I didn’t see myself. So I started coaching high school ball in my hometown, and then got the opportunity to pursue my masters degree and coach in Portland, Oregon. Within my first few weeks of working as a graduate assistant I knew that this was what I wanted to do. I loved every second of working with the student-athletes. My head coach that first year gave me a great foundation and example to build upon. It helped me realize that this is where my passion lies and what I want to do with my life.

EIS: How have your own experiences as a player impacted and influenced the coach that you are today?
DL:I think that it’s one of the things that drives me the most. To be blunt, I was a very average player. Coaching now, I never want a student-athlete to leave a program that I’m a part of thinking that they could have been better, could have had a better experience, or feeling like it was unfinished in some way. On the personal side of things: my head coach from college was an incredible man. I’m lucky enough to call him a friend now. But he really showed me that you can love your kids as the people they are and still strive for the best of them on the field. That positive impact he had on me as a player is something that I still carry with me today, and something I do my best to give all the young women who do and have played for me. I want them all to be empowered women leaving college, just like I was shown to be.

EIS: Describe your coaching style for me. What do you feel are your greatest attributes as a coach?
DL: My coaching style is definitely a balance of discipline and fun. I’m very much so a person that loves efficiency, productivity, and structure. However, in the same breath I’m a goofball that loves joking around and having fun. So, I really try to find a balance of those with coaching. I mean, I have the best job in the world why not have fun with it! As for attributes, I think having a background in education and teaching really helps me communicate effectively. I do my best to cater to each player’s learning style so that they have a sufficient level of understanding. It’s really helped me implement things quicker at Akron. But really, I feel like it’s the fact that I genuinely care about the student-athletes as people, not just athletes, that is probably my greatest attribute as a coach. I coach for the impact, the relationships, and the people building, not just the game.

EIS: Moving from Division II to Division I, did you expect much of a ‘learning curve’ in your new role? Have you experienced anything in that vein since getting to Akron?
DL: Truth be told, I think there is a “learning curve” when you get to a different program regardless of the level. Every place is going to be different and you have to hit the ground running. However, it’s definitely been a different experience being at the D1 level for the first time. I feel lucky to have the support system I do, because my head was spinning for the first few weeks being hired so late in the summer. But once I got my bearings underneath me and games started it was great! I’m looking forward to spring and getting to experience everything that comes with Division 1 softball in the MAC!

EIS: Entering the Akron program later in the year – in the early fall as opposed to being hired in the early summer, for instance; did that have much of an impact on you learning the program, the players, and the system, or was it still early enough that you were able to jump in and roll with the punches as they came?
DL: It would’ve been nice to be able to get here and settled earlier for sure. I am more of a go with the flow type of person anyways, so I just made the best out of the situation. I think that knowing Coach Pettipiece for a few years before coming on staff here gave me a good perspective and understanding of the program and systems. As for the student-athletes; I think building that trust and those relationships takes time and effort. It’s something that is continual. So I don’t believe getting hired any earlier would have made a big difference since I got to campus right around the time they did.

EIS: You have been all over the map, from your pre-college career to your collegiate playing days to your various stops as a coach. What has it been like for you to experience so much geography, and to do so much adjusting, during your career in softball?
DL: It’s been nothing less than an amazing ride! I feel so lucky to have had all these experiences in my life. I’ve gotten to meet so many fantastic people and live in some beautiful places. I wouldn’t change it for anything. Like I said before, I’m a go with the flow type of person and I think that’s really helped me adjust to every place I’ve been. My mom loves to tell stories of “losing” me in various places as a kid and they always ended with her mad and me saying, “Me knows where me is!” So in a way I’ve always been one for adventure (sorry mom!) But in all honesty, I’ve just let God guide me to where he wants me. I truly believe that every place I’ve been and every person I’ve crossed paths with has been for a purpose. I’m just glad I’ve listened!

EIS: If we’re having this conversation a year from now, with your first year at Akron under your belt, what needs to have happened for you to be able to reflect and say, ‘this has been a successful year’?
DL: I think that this can be answered in many ways because it depends on how you define success. We have goals we want to achieve on the field, and I really do believe we are going to attain those this season. But to me success is much more than that. It comes in how we treat each other every day. How the culture is building. How happy the kids are. At the end of the day, those are the important and impactful things to me. So really, no matter what happens on the field, this season has already been a success with the growth I have seen and experienced with this program. Every single day is fun, and from the feedback we received after fall meetings the student-athletes feel the same way. We are pumped to go out there and get to tear it up this spring! Go Zips!