[Softball Fan]

Stanford WVB needs stability in its coaching staff.  Corlett was the gold standard for this.  

not sure I agree with "needs," other than at the head coach position, which we have. Corlett was an extreme outlier: an assistant/associate head coach who was eminently capable of being an excellent head coach but did not want to be. Unlikely she will ever be repeated. It is probably desirable to have your main recruiting assistant coach stay for a long time, but I'd rather have other assistants who are so great they move up in their profession than a decent but not stellar long-term assistant. Quality over longevity. And if a Stanford assistant coaching position is viewed as a stepping-stone to a good head coaching job, we'll have our pick of the best rising assistants.

In the last six years there have been assistant coaches Denise Corlett, Erin Lindsey, Gary Mano, Alissa Childress, Jayson Mansfield, Cassidy Lichtman, and now Thompson.  I might be forgetting one or two.  All of these coaches with the possible exception of Lichtman have been involved in recruiting.  While all these coaches have added value, it's hard to understand how this much employee turnover is a positive. Plus none of the countless, volunteer assistants to my knowledge have ever stuck with Stanford to become a paid employee.

I've read articles by Nebraska head coach John Cook and other DI WVB coaches who say it takes close to a year to fully integrate a new assistant coach into their system and procedures.  I hope Hambly can bring new hires more quickly up to full speed.

Regardless I am very optimistic about the fall season if all the players come into camp healthy.

[Softball Fan]

Stanford WVB needs stability in its coaching staff.  Corlett was the gold standard for this.  

not sure I agree with "needs," other than at the head coach position, which we have. Corlett was an extreme outlier: an assistant/associate head coach who was eminently capable of being an excellent head coach but did not want to be. Unlikely she will ever be repeated. It is probably desirable to have your main recruiting assistant coach stay for a long time, but I'd rather have other assistants who are so great they move up in their profession than a decent but not stellar long-term assistant. Quality over longevity. And if a Stanford assistant coaching position is viewed as a stepping-stone to a good head coaching job, we'll have our pick of the best rising assistants.

In the last six years there have been assistant coaches Denise Corlett, Erin Lindsey, Gary Mano, Alissa Childress, Jayson Mansfield, Cassidy Lichtman, and now Thompson.  I might be forgetting one or two.  All of these coaches with the possible exception of Lichtman have been involved in recruiting.  While all these coaches have added value, it's hard to understand how this much employee turnover is a positive. Plus none of the countless, volunteer assistants to my knowledge have ever stuck with Stanford to become a paid employee.

I've read articles by Nebraska head coach John Cook and other DI WVB coaches who say it takes close to a year to fully integrate a new assistant coach into their system and procedures.  I hope Hambly can bring new hires more quickly up to full speed.

Regardless I am very optimistic about the fall season if all the players come into camp healthy.