Stepping up to the plate with Head Coach Manny Roman

(from left to right) Head Coach Manny Roman, Graduate Assistant Joe Kosowsky and Assistant Coach Joe Grassett.

Where are you from originally? 

 I’m originally from Carolina, Puerto Rico. I’ve been living in Red Bank, NJ for the last nine years.

What made you decide to coach at the college level?

Some of the experiences I had during my college career helped me decide to coach at the college level. I was able to go back to Puerto Rico and give the athletes there more information about the recruiting process and what the lifestyle of a student-athlete is in the U.S. I was able to help young men grow in every aspect so they can be winners not only on the field but in life.

What does a typical practice look like for your team?

Our practices vary a lot depending on what we need to work on that day. 20 to 30-minute rotations by positions in different skills. We usually like to end practice with some sort of team skill to work on our communication skills and learn to depend on one another.

What do you expect of your student-athletes?

We have four things that we preach: attitude, effort, focus and toughness. Those are four things they can control every single day. We expect them to be respectful with each other, everyone they encounter, be involved in the community and graduate. If they can do all those things, the wins will take care of themselves.

During a game what is the energy of your sideline?

Like no other. Our energy is something we take pride in or as we call it “bringing the juice”. Very rarely do you attend one of our games and our bench is quiet.

Where would be your dream location for your student-athletes to play?

Omaha, Nebraska. That is where the College World Series is played every summer.