Join ORU Athletics every Friday in a weekly series featuring interviews with coaches and staff members.
10 Questions with Roger Bush, Head Women's Soccer Coach at Oral Roberts University:
- Personally, how are you doing as you work from home?
First I sympathize with so many who have been so impacted during this time. I share a communal concern and sympathy for those most impacted. As for me, I'm doing great. I have great family, friends, staff, and the girls at ORU are wonderful. None of those folks have quit being wonderful during this time.
- During this "stay at home" period we're in, how are you communicating with your staff and student-athletes?
The standard ways via technology. But it is not sufficient, if I'm being honest. There is no replacement for interpersonal interaction when your norm is dealing with Giants as I do. Try as technology may, it just cannot replace or replicate a Patty Kliver entrance to a room, a Jordan Langebartels afterthought, or an Ellie Chapple concerned question. Likewise, it's been too long since Kyle Jones delivered a joke at a staff meeting.
- The NCAA has limited the recruiting rules during this time. What are the biggest challenges you're facing while recruiting from home now, and in the future?
The timing of the new recruiting landscape we can effectively navigate based on the timetables of our current verbal offers and commitments through 2021. We understand the challenge of COVID19 is non-discriminatory, and all are walking through the storm together. I sympathize with the prospects who now must navigate decisions without their normal interaction with campus, staffs, and future teammates. And to be honest, the actual biggest challenge is likely for our prospects, who have to deal with my own lack of technical aptitude on certain technology. I learned recently that there is not yet a "teeter totter" app, but there is a tick-tock. Luckily Coach Wes and Preston do a great job of standing in the gap for my deficiencies, especially related to technology.
- Soccer is the first sport to kick off the school year in August. How concerned are you that your season will be threatened by the coronavirus pandemic?
I'm confident we'll have a season in 2020. I'm confident it will have a lot of different characteristics than previous seasons. The virus can threaten timetables, schedules, budgets, but it can't actually threaten the real purpose and opportunity that a season provides. And the next season is on the way. It will present an opportunity, a challenge, and I'm confident it will include profound inspiration from the people I humbly participate with. Trophies, standings, awards, statistics, these are vulnerable to the virus, but they are not the essence of a season. A team is really a community with a common purpose. I can't see any outside force threatening that.
- Your preseason could be shortened as well. What do you have to do to make sure your players are in game shape?
The players made "line in the sand" commitments prior to our departure for Spring Break. I trust the players, who I know will trust the process. Our staff, Becks, Whitney, Rach, Preston, Wes, Corie are wonderful, Scottie Will we know has our backs, and our kids are phenomenal. They will prepare, because that after all is the default. We know you don't "rise to the occasion" as much as default to "your preparation". Rocky took six weeks to get ready for his matches vs Drago and Creed.
- How can you handle social distancing on a soccer team, especially in games?
Great question. For game play, "physical" distancing opposes the norm for how we'd hope our defenders will defend, but if our Summit League opponents will abide by giving our forwards the 6-foot distance rule, we'll come up with a strategy that works. Actually, we are awaiting guidelines from national authorities to be delivered on how to abide by physical distance and still play the game. It's a confusing concept right now, but I trust authorities will help bring it into focus.
- Assuming everything is played on schedule, what is your forecast for the 2020 ORU women's soccer team?
We will work hard to become our best, be grateful for the opportunity, and become something transformed in the process.
- You have a bit of a rivalry with your brother, Ryan, who is ORU's men's soccer coach. How do you get the edge on him?
It's difficult. Is it still a rivalry? Do the Patriots have a rivalry game in the AFC East? Michael Jordan said you have to find an edge when the game gets easy. So I rely on those types of strategies. After so many victories (undefeated through four decades) I simply have to find a "game within the game" to create the challenge now.
- How would you describe the culture of ORU women's soccer?
This is best answered by an ORU women's soccer player. I call it a "Green Light" culture. It frames from 1COR 10:31 and green means "go" or "all in". We abide by a Covenant, instead of rules, we seek failure instead of successes, and we grow through honesty and flexible feedback, rather than rigidity and structure. Sometimes it works on the field. Often times it would appear to an outsider that it does not. I believe in it because the girls have created it, defended it, sustained it, and evolved it as a culture that they own. And it has proven to be transformative beyond the next game result. You have to live it to understand it. I've been able to be a part of it and find it worthy to protect, lead, and sustain.
- What message do you have for your players and fans during this difficult time?
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty…." Psalm 91. Seek truth. Do not be governed by fear, for that is a lie. My words are but mere man's. We should all seek to find the words of Truth.
10 Questions with....
March 27, 2020 – Mike Carter
April 3, 2020 – Ryan Bush
April 10, 2020 – Mark Milner
April 17, 2020 – Joe Dial
April 24, 2020 – Lance Watson
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