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10/20/2016 12:00 AMJake Sweet joined the faculty in the North Branford school system while doing an internship in 2011 and he’s been a member of the Thunderbirds’ sports family ever since. From the time he arrived at North Branford, Jake has coached its ultimate frisbee team for five years in the spring, recently joined on as a volleyball assistant this fall, and will take the reins as head coach of the T-Birds’ fencing program this coming winter.
“Watching the kids grow throughout a season is phenomenal. It’s what drew me to coach. I want to help kids better themselves physically, mentally, and with their character. At the same time, as a coach it’s fun because you can learn how to teach kids to better themselves while you better yourself, so I get something out of it, too,” says Jake, who teaches social studies at the high school. “I have more experience with volleyball than I do with fencing, but if the kids need me, I’m there for them. A lot of the kids on the fencing team are on my ultimate team, so it was tough to say no, especially with all the puppy dog eyes.”
Cera Orner is in her first year as head coach of North Branford’s volleyball squad. In her push to find an assistant, Cera happened upon Jake, who was more than willing to take the job.
“Nobody took it, so I talked to Kory Kevorkian, our athletic director, and told him my background in volleyball isn’t extensive, but at the same time, there was a great group of girls playing on that team and it would be a shame if they didn’t have a coach,” says Jake. “Cera and I have become much more comfortable with the sport and the kids have fed off of that. They really appreciate we’re including them in some decision making, but at the end of the day, they do have coaches that are invested in them.”
Orner says that she and Jake work really well with one another. Orner likes how they’ve learned about volleyball together and feels that brings them closer when it comes to coaching the team.
“Having Jake as an assistant coach has been incredible. Our coaching philosophies match well and he has been a huge asset both skill and positivity wise,” says Orner. “I loved working with Jake this year and I truly do believe that his passion and knowledge for the sport of volleyball will help take the program to the next level.”
Jake, a Branford resident, says that his volleyball background had been rooted at recreation level prior to this season. Therefore, the fact that he’s learning on the job each day makes the experience of coaching the Thunderbirds that much more fun for him.
“I tell the girls and we laugh it off, but I learn something new every day. Whether it’s a drill, something about the game, common knowledge, or an advanced technique, you learn something new every day and that’s one of my favorite things about coaching,” he says. “You’re never 100 percent and you never know everything. Having to adapt is part of the fun.”
One thing that Jake feels is working in his favor this fall is the fact that he coaches other sports at North Branford. Jake believes that gives him a bit of an advantage in terms of how he goes about working with his student-athletes.
“It makes it so much easier when you’ve already worked with not only the students, but the athletic director, too,” says Jake. “Obviously, I was already invested in the school, but to invest myself in volleyball with this great group of girls and Cera as the head coach, it makes the position really easy. This is my first year coaching volleyball and, if I have it my way, it won’t be my last.”