Episode # 3 … John Cohen

Today you are truly in for a treat. Our guest today is John Cohan the Director of Athletics at Miss. State University. A true forward thinker, under Cohen’s watch, 34 teams have advanced to postseason play, including a school-record 13 during the 2018-19 athletic year and the top four Director's Cup finishes in school history have occurred in the last four years with three being under Cohen’s watch. 

Since becoming athletic director, Cohen has been the driving force for numerous state-of-the-art facility projects on campus, including the new $68 million Dudy Noble Baseball Field, which opened in full capacity in the spring of 2019. A winner of almost 300 games as head baseball coach at Miss. State, John Cohan delivered so many winning ideas and practices in our conversation today. 

Cohen, who spent more than two decades coaching college baseball, was named MSU’s head baseball coach in July of 2008. Nine years later, Cohen’s official role in administration began when he assumed the role of associate athletic director in addition to head baseball coach. The following November, he took charge of an athletic department that has since achieved new heights in athletic, academic, facility, and fundraising achievement. Cohen is the only coach in SEC history to win an SEC championship, SEC tournament championship, and advance to the College World Series both as a player and head coach. 

1:23- Introduction
4:03- The John Cohen Podcast
5:29- Being A Forward Thinker in the World of Athletics
       -What’s Best for the Kids and the Program               -Putting Your Pride Aside
8:41- Caring for the Total Student-Athlete
10:28- Hiring and Teaching Younger Coaches
         -Get Experience Doing the Little Things
14:17- The Smallest Change that Produced the Greatest Results
16:08- How Did John Cohen Train to be an Athletic Administrator?
         -Listen and Take Notes when around Greatness
         -Train Others So They Can Help You as the Leader
19:40- Crucial Nature of Being Out & Amongst Your Staff, Players, Community
               -Let the kids know you (AD) are in the trenches with them
22:42- Perception of Others & Focusing on the ‘Totality of Mississippi State Athletics’            24:52- The Life as a SEC/D1 Athletic Administrator
              - ‘It’s A Lifestyle. See you at the Park!’
28:02- The Traits of a Prepared Freshman Collegiate Athlete
              - ‘Precision Dominates Opinion'
31:05- The Advantage of an English Degree
32:27- The Hiring Process
38:24-The Question That John Cohen Has Never Been Asked
40:36- 2-Minute Drill
Book Mentions: The Fish That Ate the Whale (Rich Cohen)
You can follow John Cohen on social media Twitter:@JohnCohenAD                       Instagram: @hailstate     Facebook: Mississippi State Athletics
Find out more about Coach John Cohen and Mississippi State University Athletics at: Mississippi State University Athletics