Sacramento State ex-gymnast turned volunteer assistant Lissa Zamolo ended her eligibility last year and took on the challenge to coach her old teammates – even through uncomfortable situations.

Zamolo spent time practicing and competing with the sophomores, juniors and seniors. She said she was hesitant when she started because she did not know how to handle certain members of the team and was not sure if she would be respected as a coach.

Assistant coach Jamie Donkin went from teammate to coach nine years ago and said her personal experience was a difficult transition as well.

“She’s doing well as a coach,” Donkin said. “Kim (Hughes), Randy (Solorio) and I really make it a point to try and bring her in and teach her not just techniques in coaching, but also dealing with people because dealing with college gymnasts, going from being an athlete to being a coach, is a little bit different.”

It was difficult for some of the women to change the way they viewed Zamolo because of the bond built with the team over the years. For 12-year teammate Mary Peck, it became more personal than originally intended.

“It is a little weird with her being above me just because we were at the same level for a long time,” Peck said. “All of a sudden, she’s higher than me, telling me what to do and helping out with lineups. And when things don’t go the way you want them to, it’s just hard to see that she kind of had something to do with it.”

When it comes to the upperclassmen, Zamolo said she could tell there was an obvious lack of trust, but only has their best interest in mind. The lineups are chosen based on percentages in practice, so Zamolo uses those statistics to prove she is not making personal decisions.

“I help put lineups together and people felt that I was pulling them out for personal reasons,” Zamolo said. “I bring out fairness. I bring out the books and when you pull out numbers and you pull out facts, there isn’t really an argument.”

The sense of equality makes a friend seem less intimidating than a coach, but Zamolo has taken herself out of the friend category and there has been a delayed reaction from some of the team.

“It’s just difficult to see her in that light because she’s still just Lissa to me,” said junior team captain Nicole Meiller.

Freshman Dallas Smith said the underclassmen recognize Zamolo as a coach because they will never have the experience of being her teammate – freshman Kalliah McCartney agrees.

“I have noticed (Zamolo) has to watch what she says to the seniors or juniors because she doesn’t want to offend them or make them mad because she’s not really sure of her boundaries yet,” McCartney said.

Donkin said learning to tailor feedback to each individual and to the situation is part of the coaching process, but there is a clear difference between the way the freshmen and seniors respond to Zamolo.

“She’s trying to be really positive about feedback and I think that’s one of her positive attributes almost to a fault because she gives so much feedback,” Donkin said.

Peck said some of the upperclassmen would initially question the comments Zamolo was making, but had to realize she is a coach and not just a friend anymore.

“When she says something to me, I take it as constructive criticism,” said freshman Kayla Wonderly. “The older girls sometimes get offended by what she says and maybe they feel she doesn’t really have a right to give them corrections.”

Zamolo said she realizes she is just a helper and is not there to take over, but to work with the coaches and offer another perspective.

“It’s not like I let her go to beam and she does whatever she wants,” Donkin said. “I’m the one creating the assignments and we’ll work together because she has been a gymnast all her life so she has valuable experiences that I take into consideration.”

Peck and Meiller said Zamolo has positively helped the team, but it took time to feel comfortable and adjust to a new situation.

“We may have moments where we don’t really agree with certain things, but we always do end up getting along even if we do have a little rough period,” Peck said.

Donkin said Zamolo is handling her new role as a coach well and the team has been respectful.

“She has a lot to learn and that’s why she’s here because she is willing to learn and this is where she sees herself,” Donkin said.

Despite the misunderstandings with the girls on the team and the intimidating new role as a student assistant, Zamolo realizes the responsibilities she must endure.

“I just coach to coach. I’m not there to be their friend,” Zamolo said. “I will be here for quite some time.”

Jillian Kweller can be reached at [email protected].