Love seeing Woodward makes splashes like this

Let the recruiting begin

Mr.Bond said:

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Being a poor player doesn't mean you can't coach. Jeff Van Gundy can't hoop for ****

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I doubt Jeff Van Gundy dribbles the ball off his foot, plays help side defense way out of position or shoots free throws like Shaq. I imagine, to a high level golfer, that's what a guy shooting over 100 looks like. In their shoes, I would absolutely tune him out too in regard to technique.

Anyway, good luck to our new coach! She sounds amazing!

Do you think we will have some of the current roster transfer or leave with the new hire? Sounds like she is a very focused coaching machine. It will be a very different team atmosphere this fall.

Very few coaches these days develop players and she seems to have that going for her.

VegasT said:

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Do you think we will have some of the current roster transfer or leave with the new hire? Sounds like she is a very focused coaching machine. It will be a very different team atmosphere this fall.

Very few coaches these days develop players and she seems to have that going for her.

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A couple of comments. I hope she develops players. There is no doubt that she'll attract top recruits but there are only so many to go around. Even top recruits can get better with a legit regiment in school. I do know that one of our commits backed out immediately after Trelle was relieved of her duties. Might have been a tad shortsighted with the SC coach coming on board. I would personally want kids at A&M who want to be at A&M.

Other kids on the roster? Hard to say. My understanding is she wants to build a program with the current kids as a foundation. I hope that is true. An improved work ethic might do the team wonders.

I had the opportunity to see 2018 signee Brooke Tyree at an AJGA tourney this week. I firmly believe she has everything it takes to be a VERY good player at A&M. She won the tourney against a very solid field. She is physically very strong and appeared to be very focused. The future is bright for this young lady. That's the type of kid we need at A&M.

As a side note, the Tournament course at the Woodlands is not for the faint of heart. Good luck if your iron game is off. Two great finishing holes!

She definitely seems to be a person who sees potential and gets the most out of it. I hope she will give all of the ladies a chance to shine and take a look at those that were being looked at for the future as well.

Aston04 said:

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Mr.Bond said:

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Being a poor player doesn't mean you can't coach. Jeff Van Gundy can't hoop for ****

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I doubt Jeff Van Gundy dribbles the ball off his foot, plays help side defense way out of position or shoots free throws like Shaq. I imagine, to a high level golfer, that's what a guy shooting over 100 looks like. In their shoes, I would absolutely tune him out too in regard to technique.

Anyway, good luck to our new coach! She sounds amazing!

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Dave Williams didn't know squat about the golf swing. He just knew how to get his team to play their best.

Our men's coach, JT Higgins, doesn't even play golf.

No, JT does not play golf but his assistants do and are very good, which was the breakdown for McCombs. Her assistant was given a job to supplement her household income as he had no real golf experience...Painful lesson. Anyway, JT is also a great recruiter as are his assistants. Big difference.

Gaston recruits a different level kid. Look at the bios of the players at USC. All the players are top 10-15 world ranked players and play in top invitational and USGA events. You don't see them playing local events in their senior year. I don't know what this means for the kids on the roster today, what it means for kids coming in or if her players are going to follow her. What I do know is that she is 180 degrees different than the McCombs tandem, fields a vastly different team and change is coming. Woodward does not play around.

aggiefan1988 said:

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Her assistant was given a job to supplement her household income as he had no real golf experience...Painful lesson.

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So short-sited it's unbelievable. Head golf coach at A&M is going to make decent coin, even if not recruited away like our new coach. Build a staff to protect your job as best you can. Let the husband find something else to do at A&M (I'm sure A&M would have helped her with that- job at athletic office, Rec Sports or something)...

Does anybody know if McCombs got a job somewhere else? Hopefully, she has landed something.

Looking over the stats of our players this past season, I am surprised Andrea Gaston (or any high caliber coach) would become our coach at this time.
My reasoning:
We finished 13th in the SEC this year. Thus, we have a lot of below average players.
Our best player by far (Maddie Szeryk) was a senior and thus will not be here next year.
All of our other players return, and most may be here three more years -- So (5), Jr (1), Sr (1)

Thus, the majority of our scholarships may be tied up for three more years with below average players.
If accurate, this could significantly hinder a new coach from adding enough new players to get us out of the bottom of the SEC quickly. But four years from now . . .

Fortunately for everyone associated with TAMU in any way, this was an incredible, fantastic hire.
I would really like to know how AD Woodward did it.

Quote:

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All of our other players return, and most may be here three more years -- So (5), Jr (1), Sr (1)

Thus, the majority of our scholarships may be tied up for three more years with below average players.

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That's not really guaranteed. New coach may "encourage" certain players to look elsewhere if she doesn't feel they are worthy of have a scholly here.

A coach can't cancel scholarships that still have years remaining. If the previous staff awarded scholarships that are year-to-year, then they can choose not to renew the scholarship.

Would she be able to not renew for the upcoming Fall/current roster? If that is the case, we could see a totally new team?

Additionally, if an athlete has signed and committed to a University are they able to get out of that commitment to switch before the Fall term (saying they can meet admittance requirements)?

They interviewed her on the radio last week and she said she was personally touching base with each current player and getting to know them and their commitment to golf, etc.

It will be interesting to see who she brings in as an assistance coach to complete her staff. At USC, she had an Associated Coach and a Volunteer Assistant Coach.

TT3000 said:

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A coach can't cancel scholarships that still have years remaining. If the previous staff awarded scholarships that are year-to-year, then they can choose not to renew the scholarship.

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Golf isn't like football where everyone is on a full ride. Most (pretty much all but the really elite) are on a partial scholarship. You can get a lot more creative.

TT3000 said:

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A coach can't cancel scholarships that still have years remaining. If the previous staff awarded scholarships that are year-to-year, then they can choose not to renew the scholarship.

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Does A&M offer multi year scholarships? Even so, I'd imagine the new coach could at the very least reduce the amount of monies the student/athlete is receiving.

Women's golf gets 6 scholarships, but they can be spread out (similar to baseball), so theoretical the coach could have 12 players all on half a scholarship. I'd be surprised if any of the current players on a full ride, but maybe.

Nonetheless, these things have a way of working things out without it being an "issue". I'm sure she will let every player know the expectations of working out and practice, that alone will probably weed out some. She will also explain to these players the situation and be honest about where she sees them, that will again weed out some.

I've got to think, or at least hope, that every player receiving scholarship funds has/had the ability to break even par. So the ability is probably there, it's just the coach(es) job to maximize said ability.

I know golf recruiting is a bit different, as players commit extremely early, so I'm not sure we will see too many new faces (maybe juco?) for the 2019 season, but I'm sure the new coach will get her roster how she wants it going into 2020, regardless of the current roster.

I'm not sure when the deadline is for renewing athletic aid for those that are on year to year. Those that have signed NLIs are stuck with the school they signed with for at least a year.

edit: the NLI website has a decent FAQ found here that has a bit more info regarding what happens if someone signs and doesn't enroll.

Even if the scholarships are for partial amounts (which, as already stated they likely are) - a coach can't reduce or cancel the amount during the term of the award, except for a few non-athletically related reasons such as serious misconduct or failing classes

She took the job for money, plain and simple. She said so herself. "Made me an offer I couldn't refuse." Based on the merits of the job, there is no comparison between the two programs at this time. SC will likely be the favorite to win the NC next year. A&M is in a much different situation.

If I read between the tea leaves, she mentioned "getting to know the players and their commitment" to golf. She is likely setting the expectations moving forward. My move forward date would be 06.25.18 or whenever the official hire date was made. If she's here to build an MNC then it must start right now. She'll have some tough decisions to make. The previous staff allowed the girls to major in their desired choice. Some coaching staffs (no idea about USC) strongly encourage otherwise.

A&M made a commitment to the girls on the roster and vice versa. I'm hopeful the staff will move forward with these kids and start building the program with the work ethic and results from this group of kids. Start to pepper in the "elite" recruits in 2019.

According to Zoominfo, she may have a position at Texas State in San Marcos?

Wow, good for her. Looks like she has landed at a mid-major, which is probably appropriate. Best of luck to her and her husband. We will miss them at Traditions. Gaston has her work cut out for herself. A fellow member at Traditions told me yesterday that the women's team with the current roster is projected to finish dead last in the SEC. I think Gaston will most likely be making some significant moves given that information. Anyway, all the best to Trelle at Bobcat Nation if that is, in fact, her destination. We will miss that Georgia smile...

It would be great if it is true. I wish her good luck as well. There just isn't any news on her anywhere.

She's posted a few times on Twitter since she got canned. It would appear that she has some hard feelings about the matter judging by the passive aggressiveness.

Radio Interview with Coach Gaston

Great interview. Reading the tea leaves it sounds like she may be going after international players soon? She is on it. She also has a ton of contacts and I am sure will leverage all of them to build out her team.

Wonder if we will have any decommits?

http://www.coachgrader.com/coach-trelle-mccombs.18804

Wow...I know of a few players and parents who wished they had heeded that advice in the Coaches Report Card...unreal.

Any sightings of the new coach in town, at tournaments, recruiting, etc.?

No updates yet on Aggie Women's Golf Team page as to team, scheduled, etc.

Have any Traditions Members seen her at the course?

It has been real quiet since she was hired.

No, I have not seen her at Traditions and asked the same question to some folks at the course who know what is going on...the short answer she is out recruiting international players and could potentially bring in some that will contribute in a big way for the coming year. She is on the road recruiting hard.

Not a lot of spots available on the roster. If she's bringing in a lot of girls then some of the current girls might go elsewhere.

Two of my cousins were on the team and they would agree with the comments.