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Jon Cain is in his seventh season as an assistant coach at Marquette. Cain's duties include the coordination of scouting and player workouts, development of practice plans and the team playbook, and the coaching of post players. Additionally, he serves as the director of the annual Marquette Coaches Clinic, maintains the recruiting database, performs on the road evaluations, oversees the recruitment of underclassmen, schedules staff travel, and is staff liaison with the sports information office. "Jon has incredible knowledge of the game," head coach Terri Mitchell said. "That knowledge matched with his great teaching ability makes us better every year. His passion for this program is outstanding." Prior to being hired on Terri Mitchell's staff, Cain worked part-time with the MU program during the 1994-95 season before returning to the program full time in 1996-97. The 38-year-old Cain served as the recruiting coordinator and full-time assistant at the University of Wisconsin from 1991-94. As a member of the Badgers staff, he helped coach UW to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1992. A Milwaukee native, Cain was the recruiting coordinator and assistant coach at Baylor from 1988-91. In 1988, he received a master's degree in Health, Physical Eduation, and Recreation with an area of concentration of sports administration from Baylor. From 1984-88, he served as the athletic director, head girl's basketball coach and football coach at Concordia Lutheran High School in Tomball, Texas. In his three-year head coaching career he compiled a 65-7 record, including two appearances in the State Private Schools Championship Game. A 1984 graduate of Valparaiso University, Cain and his wife, Kara, are the parents of seven-year old Caleb, four-year old Corrianne and two-year old Gideon Tyler. Q&A With Jon Cain What experience do you bring to Terri Mitchell's staff? I've been coaching long enough that I have witnessed the incredible growth that has occurred in women's basketball. I began coaching on a staff where I was the only assistant and had responsibilities in every aspect of the program. At Marquette, my responsibilities have been refined so that I can focus my energies on scouting our opponents, evaluating recruits, developing our playbook, and using video to help our players develop. My background as a teacher also helps us as we develop plans for instructing our players. How do you balance having a family with the job requirements of college coaching? I am blessed that my wife, Kara, and our three children -- Caleb, Corrianne, and Tyler all love to have me coach as much as I love to coach. I don't think I would be an effective coach without them in my life because they provide balance for me. They keep me positive. They keep me focused. Plus, being a father teaches me lessons I use as a coach in discipline, patience, and relationships. I am also blessed to work with Terri because she appreciates my family and the role they play in my life -- it is a direct reflection of Marquette's tradition of Cura Personalis. As you grew up in Milwaukee, were you a Marquette fan? I'm living a dream right now. When I was in grade school, I was sneaking around the MU gym to get a glimpse of Coach McGuire, Coach Raymonds, and all the great players. Now, I've met a lot of those players and I'm going to get to work ever day in a new facility honoring one of my childhood heroes! How does your background in football help you coach women's basketball? Coaching football early in my career taught me the importance of being organized and in being relentless in analyzing and preparing for opponents. I am extremely proud of hearing our players say that we always have them prepared. I learned early on to be a film junkie! How do your off the court interests relate to your coaching? My wife, Kara, is a church musician so music plays an important role in our lives. It helps me to express a lot of the emotion I feel as a coach. I am also an avid reader, especially of biographies of great athletes and coaches. I enjoy finding material to pass on to our players to help them gain an edge. |
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