Brad Hauter sits down with the Thorn

Rose-Hulman men’s and women’s soccer coach Brad Hauter recently accepted the head coaching position for DePauw’s men’s soccer team. Hauter sat down with the Thorn recently to discuss his decision.

Rose Thorn: What encouraged you to apply for the position in the first place?

Brad Hauter: When I came to Rose my kids were two years old and not really involved in many things outside the home… Now that they are nine they are incredibly busy with activities, projects and in developing life skills… In coaching and recruiting for two teams I am not involved in their lives for about 40% of the year… During the fall we rarely have dinners together and see each other in the mornings and when they come to see games… On average I am out watching games two weekends a month in the offseason… So my life has changed dramatically since I first took the position… It happened gradually and I didn’t notice it right away but I started to look at family photos from weekend getaways, recitals, games, etc., and I am not in the pictures and it is not because I was behind the camera.

I have been offered many jobs over the last 3 – 4 years and have had no interest and still have no interest in leaving Rose or Terre Haute. The motivation to apply came solely from a desire to be a better dad.

RT: How will working at DePauw free up your time to spend more of it with your family?

BH: The DePauw job is a 10 month contract vs a 12 month here at Rose… It is coaching 1 team instead of 2 so I will now be able to be home for dinner on most evenings… And they are allowing me flexible office hours in the offseason to work from home if I choose…

With that said I want to make sure Rose gets credit for working hard to create an environment that would accomplish the same… Rose was willing to look at a 10 month contract for coaches and to allow me to coach 1 team… In looking at this I simply cannot pick one team and just observe the other… I am connected to both teams and all players and I don’t know if I can explain it but I take that responsibility very seriously.

RT: After such a successful season this year on both the men’s and women’s side, what made you decide to accept the offer?

BH: I really tried to do everything I could think of not to accept the job… It was the most difficult decision I have ever made.

RT: In your seven years at Rose, you have accomplished many firsts, including the first conference title and NCAA appearance for the women’s program. Do you think that this will be able to continue in years to come?

BH: I have no doubt that Rose soccer will continue to be strong and I actually believe it will prosper… I think life works in weird ways that we don’t often have the ability to understand… I think I was guided here to build the foundation for a successful program and believe that I am called to move on so that the program can move to the next level… The program is in a place that will be attractive to high level coaches and I think fate will bring to Rose the guy to take the men’s program to new heights… The coach to take the women to the next level is already here.

I stand firmly behind the thought that a great coach with bad players will not be successful… Yet a bad coach with great players can be successful… I am not downplaying the role of the coach as it is important, but the success of a program comes down to the talent… Rose has incredible talent and kids of great character and I know it will continue to be strong.

RT: Will you be involved in the process of finding a replacement for the open position?

BH: If there is any karma and justice in this world then I will be allowed to be involved in this process and Rose has been great in every aspect of this with me… It is so important to me to find the coach that can take this incredible group of players to the next level.

RT: What is your favorite memory (or memories) of Rose soccer?

BH: Without hesitation it is the players… the character, drive, and integrity of the players I have had the fortune to work with is second to none… There is something different about the kid that comes to Rose… In my recruiting, from admissions, the professors and everyone involved at Rose we tell you from the beginning this school is going to be the toughest thing you’ll go through… That is enough to make your average [high school] student run screaming from the room… But for the special kid who is cut from a different stone… the challenge excites them… It is incredible to see… It has been an honor to work with the student-athletes here because of this but also because, and I know I have a weird way of looking at things, but I fully believe Rose students are here because they are destined to change the world and that Rose holds a couple of pieces of the puzzle for them… It is really amazing to be working with individuals who were put on this earth to make it a better place. The players I will miss the most and hold all my favorite memories.

RT: What do you think it will be like next year when Rose and DePauw compete at Rose (October 29th, 2008)?

BH: It will be terrible and an impossible day for me on every level… I can see myself cheering for Rose and smiling when they score, play a great ball or level a DePauw player… But I am competitive and do not enjoy losing even to players I truly care for… there is no way to be successful that day unless the game is cancelled and we can just have a picnic on the field and talk about the great days I had the fortune to wear the Rose colors.