Coaches always talk about the importance of teamwork and working together. But it is really nice to see a department working as a team and one sport supporting another sport. I am sure it happens all over the country and at every level, but UNC Asheville coaches really do a good job of working together and realizing their sport is not the only one going on.

The most recent example of this came over the weekend while the women’s basketball team was on its Coastal Carolina/Charleston Southern trip. The women played Saturday afternoon at Coastal in a 2 p.m. game while the men were playing at Charleston Southern in a 7:30 p.m. game. The women were to play at Charleston Southern on Monday.

The original play was for the women to play Coastal and stay in Conway Saturday night before traveling to Charleston on Sunday. However, when Coach Blose and her staff realized the men were playing in Charleston on Saturday night they changed their plans. Now it is not as easy as just saying OK we are going. There are hotel arrangements that have to be changed and tickets to be worked out. So some real thought has to go into changing travel plans.

It worked out with the hotels in Conway and in Charleston and the Men were able to get the ladies on the pass list, see both teams helping out. The women played and lost to Coastal. Then got on the bus and drove the two hours to Charleston in time for the men’s game.

I have traveled enough with college teams to know that when you’re on the road it is really nice to see familiar faces and know that you have support. The men went on to defeat Charleston Southern for their first road win of the year and I am sure they are thankful that the women’s team was there to cheer them on.

This is not the only example of UNC Asheville teams supporting other teams on the road. The volleyball team stayed in Radford and watched the soccer team earlier this season and the coaches at UNC Asheville are interested enough in the other teams to notice when their travel plans overlap. I see all sports doing what they can to support Bulldog teams both at home and on the road.

I am just grateful to be associated with coaches who are mindful of our other sports and who go out of their way to support the entire department. Each sport has its challenges and is obviously trying to improve. It helps so much to know other people care enough about you and your team to change their plans or to make their plans around your game so that they can support your team. As I said, I am sure it happens around the country, but I am glad that it happens here as much as it does. So if the Dogs are playing near where you live outside of Asheville, come support them, you may get to see a couple of our teams there.

Go Dogs