With COVID-19 putting live sporting events on hold, the Cascade Collegiate Conference wanted to take the time to highlight families within our #ThisIsTheCCC community. Many of our member institutions have administration, coaches and student-athletes family members competing together, making the CCC truly a family affair.
Gord and daughter Paige coaching the UBC softball team.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Growing up, Paige Collings looked up to her dad Gord. He coached her youth sports teams while also working at a high school and little did both Paige and Gord know one day Paige would follow in her dad’s footsteps.
The pair coach the UBC softball team, where Gord has been the head coach for five years with Paige as his assistant. Paige also has been a high school teach for the past five years.
“I did not even know I wanted to coach,” said Paige. “It turns out, though, he passed on his love of working with youth onto me and I am so grateful to be able to coach with him, especially at the collegiate level.”
When Paige finished playing NCAA Division I softball at Drexel University in 2012, she started helping out with her dad’s teams. Soon, the opportunity to help at UBC came about.
“I am so grateful having her with me and for her input and insights,” said Gord, who says the pair enjoy watching and analyzing baseball games together (especially the Blue Jays). “She played at the highest level and provides a great perspective for our players. She relates well with the student-athletes and I am impressed with how much they respect her and how positively they respond to her.”
They make a good team, too, and have led the Thunderbirds to the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship Tournament, presented by U.S. Bank, three years in a row, before this past season was unfortunately canceled due to the corona virus.
“We work really well together as a coaching staff,” said Paige. “We balance each other well. Mainly, he brings me back down when I get too intense. We have a similar coaching philosophy and style so working together is easy. We are usually on the same page in terms of game management and strategy. I will suggest something and he will say, ‘I was thinking that too!’ or vice versa.”
Gord coached Paige and her two sisters in a variety of sports growing up and always made time for them, even though his job kept him busy. It made a lasting impression on Paige.
“He always made time for my sports,” said Paige. “He had a very stressful and demanding job (high school principal) but always made my sports a priority. Whenever I asked him to throw front toss so I could get extra batting practice he always said yes. He even built a batting cage in our backyard so I could practice on my own.”
“I enjoyed coaching my three daughters in a number of sports - particularly softball,” added Gord. “It was especially rewarding for me to share in their development, successes and team experiences in softball.”
Paige fell in love with the game, but didn’t realize her love for coaching until after she finished playing, but she still had some growing to do as a young coach. Once again, her dad was there for her.
“He has been a mentor for me,” said Paige. “When I started coaching, I was young, arrogant, and too focused on just winning. His calm demeanor has rubbed off on me and he has taught me many important coaching (and life) lessons. He understands me better than most people and there is no one else with whom I would rather share the highs of coaching.”