CHARLTON MUHLAURI (PICTURED RIGHT) COACHES ANDREW KARALIS DURING A PREGAME WARM-UP.
Phillips confirmed just this, noting that Rosenblatt’s demeanor “makes it easy for the kids to listen to her advice.” “I think it was definitely an easy transition for her,” she asserted. “You certainly see them seeking her knowledge and asking her questions. It’s a little more friend-to-friend and not so much like a coach telling you what you’re not doing well.” In discussing the strengths of both Burnett and Rosenblatt, Phillips highlighted the ability of each to draw upon their experiences as a player in bringing something to the table that the rest of the staff cannot. The head coach of the men’s soccer program, Chris Gbandi, had a similar idea when bringing former midfielder Charlton Muhlauri onto his staff two seasons ago. Muhlauri, whose dad played professional soccer in Zimbabwe, has always had a passion for the game from an early age. Soccer was so important, in fact, that he decided that he couldn’t leave the game after graduating from the program. “I always wanted to do something with soccer after I finished my four years,” he recalled. “There’s no better place to start than where you are and working with the people whom you’ve worked with before.”
Two years removed from his own playing career, Muhlauri reflected briefly on the progression in relationships that he’s noticed since becoming a coach for some of his former teammates. “Last year was a little bit tougher because a lot of the guys, the seniors, a lot of them were redshirt seniors, so they were actually my class,” he said. “It was tough being a friend and a coach at the same time, but I think two years later, guys really see me as a coach and less of a friend.” Gbandi has noticed the same transition in Muhlauri that Muhlauri has seen in himself, noting that he has come into his own as a member of the coaching staff in a way he wasn’t fully able to as a member of the team. “I didn’t ‘coach’ Charlton,” he explained. “We (the coaching staff) all knew him as super quiet as a player, around me at least. I know around the guys he was a little more outgoing and a
good locker room presence, but I think once he became a coach and understood the backroom staff and what we do here, I think he certainly has an appreciation for it.” Muhlauri’s appreciation for the game, his professionalism, and his ability to learn quickly has Gbandi envisioning a bright future for his second-year assistant. “Hopefully one day he can even have his own program,” Gbandi lauded. “A lot of kids respect him and understand how hard he works on a daily basis, and that level of admiration goes a long way.” Though each has taken a different pathway to get here, each of these three young coaches have two things in common: a love for the game, and a love for this university. Despite their careers in the Red and Black having ended, the trio just could not find a way to say goodbye to the game and the university they’ve grown to love so much.
“I always wanted to do something with soccer after I finished my four years... There’s no better place to start than where you are and working with the people whom you’ve worked with before.” Charlton Muhlauri
RED & BLACK | FALL 2019
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