Guilfordian: What drew you to Guilford  and the Greensboro community?

Coach Rusiewicz: All the same reasons that I used in my recruiting tactics. I ask recruits to look at a school that they can call home. A place that they feel proud to be a part of as well as, a place that is safe, friendly, and clean. I’ve been looking to become a head football coach the last three years of my career, and the three things that I was looking for was a school with academic prestige, to be able to help young men grow, and graduate in four years. Location, you look for a place you can call home — for the most part, a place where my family can come and be a part of a community feeling and feel safe. And, I am a football coach and you look at the football program and you come to a place where you can make an impact and try to build wins rather than losses.

Guilfordian: What will be difficult about leaving your old school?

Rusiewicz: The players, the student athletes up there. I was ready to accept a job after getting a few offers. It’s the relationship that I had a chance to build. I tell players all the time, when you’re playing in the program, I am not here to be your friend, but by the time you graduate we will be very close.  We will be able to have a relationship that will last forever.

Guilfordian: How do you plan on turning this program around?

Rusiewicz: I think it starts with a lot of things; finding out the people involved in the program, the program now, what kind of character and what kind of people really want to be on board. At the meeting, I told the guys, if you want to be a part of this program sign up for a meeting with me and if not best of luck to you.  Turning the program around is not about x’s and o’s, it’s about doing things in the classroom — sitting in front of the room and taking advantage of your education are some things I pointed out in the meeting.  Take advantage of the opportunities that are here in front of you.  Being a liberal arts school is not about being book smart it’s about being interactive — There is more to it than just football. There is more than just the football program itself.  

Guilfordian: What are some short term goals for the football program?

Rusiewicz: One is, academically, to get the team GPA up, because right now it is not very good.  But the goal would be to get to a 2.7 or 2.8 range and eventually get that to a 3.0 range and to get any people on academic probation off of probation.  Another short term goal is to get them into the weight room and make sure that they can get themselves physically fit to get stronger and healthier — to be able to maintain a full season.  And in August, start preparing for our first game against Greensboro.  

Guilfordian: How do you plan on recruiting for a team that is rebuilding?

Rusiewicz: Well, we are not rebuilding, we are refocusing.  There is not a lot I need to change to make it a rebuilding process.  It is more or less getting people refocused as to what I am about and what I am going to do.  Plans are to get them to build pride in themselves starting with the staff and working through the players—have the players reach out to the campus community.