Whether it be on the gridiron in the fall, or on the track in the spring, a number of former Simpson athletes are back in action, this time with the title of coach.

Former Simpson track and field competitors Kelsey Hagerty, Krystal Berger, Britta Wey and Kat Fenneman are all part-time assistants on the coaching staff for the track and field team this season. Assistant coach Brad Hofer commented on how he feels about having so many former Simpson athletes come back to coach.

“I think it’s outstanding,” Hofer said. “Especially them bringing back or having memories and traditions that they can re-instill in Simpson.”

Track isn’t the only place where former Simpson athletes are making their presence felt. Former Simpson running back Scott Anderson joined the football coaching staff in 2008 as the tight ends coach. Anderson said his experience in the corporate world motivated him to find a way to stay involved with football.

“I knew I had left some loose ends personally with the game of football,” Anderson said. “And sitting at a desk all day long only gave me more time to think about that fact and it drove me to find a way back, even in a minimal capacity. I’m thankful that Coach Glo gave me an opportunity to work with him and his staff, and it was great to be a part of last year’s team.”

Assistant football coach Kevin Ferguson commented on what it’s like having Anderson on the staff.

“Seeing kids come back to the program and people that take a lot of pride in the program is just tremendous,” Ferguson said. “For me it makes me work a little bit harder in what I do, just because you have so much pride in your school. It’s pretty cool.”

Anderson talked about the friendships he had with the players here at Simpson and how he has made that transition from being their teammate to now being their coach.

“It doesn’t affect me too much because some of these guys were and still are my good buddies, and we had a lot of fun on and off the field as teammates, and they know that was then and this is now,” Anderson said. “If I have something to say from a coaching standpoint on the field, I feel comfortable in the fact that they will listen and respect what I say to them.”

Hofer said having former athletes on the staff shows how much they loved being a part of Simpson athletics and added that it also reflects on the school as a whole.

“It’s nice to have those people come back and be a part of it,” Hofer said. “It shows how much they enjoyed being here and how good Simpson is as a school.”

Ferguson added that one of the positives of having Anderson on the staff is having someone that is familiar with the program and traditions of the team.

“He’s a kid that’s been around the program,” Ferguson said. “So he understands the makeup of the coaching staff, the makeup of the athletic department, and just understands the guys coming in here and the experiences that they’re going to have and that they’re going to come up against, so they can better relate to kids.”

Hofer took it even further, saying that having these former athletes on staff can help current Simpson athletes compete at a higher level.

“It’s someone that they can go to that they know has gone through it,” Hofer said. “They’ve been through the program, they’ve also made it through school. And they’re doing something they love.”

Anderson talked about what he’s gained as a person by being a part of Simpson College, and about the lasting connection he will have to the school.

“I will always be in debt to Simpson, literally and metaphorically, and I will always have a strong connection with this place,” Anderson said. “It was a great place to spend my last couple years of college and I’m fortunate that Coach Glo had me on his staff during the 2008 season.”