Page 6 - Fall 2018 | Rochester Athletics | University of Rochester

COACH PROFILE

After nine years leading the Massachusetts Institute of Technology football
program to unprecedented success, Chad Martinovich begins his first season as
head football coach at the University.
Martinovich’s arrival in Rochester brings him back to roots in Western New
York. Martinovich graduated from Hobart College, where he played football, in
1994. He then had coaching stops at Bucknell University, Hamilton College, the
University at Albany, Swarthmore College, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
before taking the head coaching job at MIT, where he helped the program earn
its first-ever NCAA Division III playoff berth.

1. HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO that not many people talk about. There’s a 4. WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU DID
BECOME A COACH? lot of social development over four years WHEN YOU ARRIVED?
and I want to help them be better men by
I was in my final year at Hobart and had I tried to meet as many people as I possibly
taken the LSATs and was set to go to law the time they’re done in our program. could. I’m a family guy and I think the
school. I realized I didn’t want to give up 3. WHY ROCHESTER? only way we can have success on the field
football but wasn’t good enough to play on I always thought the University of Rochester is to develop a family-type culture. I had
Sundays, so I decided to try coaching. My football program was a sleeping giant. You individual meetings with every young man
head coach helped me find my first position have one of the best research institutions in on the roster to get to know them and
at Bucknell University. My mom wanted me the country, so you have a great academic understand their academic and athletic
to be a lawyer because she thought I argued brand to sell. The facilities are as nice as any aspirations. I also tried to meet as many
well and my dad was a high school football in Division III. The opportunity to build a people on campus as I could, to better
coach. So, I guess he won. understand the resources available to our
championship program was one I couldn’t students. We have a very good support
2. WHAT IS YOUR COACHING turn down. It also made so much sense network here. And I’ve enjoyed getting to
PHILOSOPHY? for our family and our quality of life. I was know our alumni. We have a very strong
commuting 17 miles and spending a lot of
I want to help our players develop time in the car in rush hour. I felt like I was and proud alumni base, so getting them
academically, athletically, and also socially. missing a lot of what my kids were doing. engaged in my vision for the program has
It’s the one aspect of the college experience been a lot of fun.

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