One of the pioneer coaches for women’s sports at Linfield, Robin Vealey coached the Wildcats’ volleyball and women’s basketball teams from 1977 through 1979. She led the women’s basketball team to three conference championships – the only three in program history and helped the volleyball team claim two conference championships. 

After Linfield, Vealey moved back east to get her doctorate in sport psychology. She is currently a professor and director of graduate studies in Sports Leadership and Management at Miami (Ohio) University. As part of our Where Are They Now series, she shares her journey after Linfield and some lessons she learned during her time Linfield.

You are currently living in Ohio, how was the adjustment to moving there?

I grew up in West Virginia and completed my Master's degree at Indiana, so I am at home in the Midwest. I enjoyed my time and travels in the great Pacific Northwest, but I feel most at home in the Midwest.

What qualities did you learn at Linfield that have helped you prosper in your life after Linfield?

I learned the importance of genuine relationships with people – my players, assistant coaches, and colleagues. I had a tremendous responsibility for being so young, and I will be eternally grateful to John Knight and Jane McIlroy for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow as a young coach, athletic administrator and teacher. They were incredible mentors. I learned the value of hard work, attention to detail, and connection with my athletes. The hardest thing by far about leaving coaching was leaving the outstanding athletes and people who were in the program at the time.

What are your long-term career goals?

Well, in all honesty, I believe I have achieved them. After leaving coaching, I wanted to be a successful sport psychology professor (teacher and researcher), and I have enjoyed travel around the world to meet with people and speak about sport psychology. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of my students, and I absolutely love being in the classroom every day and working with them. I am so proud to see so many of my graduate students who are now successful professors or sport psychology consultants, some working in professional sport.

What was your most memorable match at Linfield? 

The most memorable volleyball game was our win over Whitworth College in 1979 to win the Northwest Regional Championship and qualify for the AIAW National Tournament. Whitworth was heavily favored, but our team played almost a perfect match and we won. We had an extremely talented group of athletes on that team. It was stunning, and it was one factor that led me to seek out learning more about peak performance.

The most memorable basketball game was beating Willamette on a neutral court for the conference championship in 1980. That was our third straight conference championship.

Do you keep in touch with anyone that you coached or other coaches that you coached along with at Linfield?

I remain close friends with Mary Christensen, who was a senior on the first teams I coached, and then became my assistant basketball coach. I also remain close with Jeff Barton, a former Linfield student who was a major supporter of women’s sports, and who now lives in Bend with his family.

Do you keep up with the current volleyball and basketball programs at Linfield?

I don’t keep close tabs with the Linfield teams, but I do hear about them occasionally and tell people of the proud athletic tradition of the school. I am very proud to have started at Linfield, and will always be grateful to my colleagues and athletes who taught me such valuable lessons about sport and life.