Coach of the Year - Chelsey DeVille (BSU)

You said you hadn’t even considered coaching until you were sidelined with an injury your junior year of high school. What happened when you couldn’t play the game?

“I was sitting on the sidelines, not worried about whether I’d go back in because I couldn’t, and I was listening to my coach’s conversations with his assistants. I began to understand what that chair felt like, so I started to focus in on that more and knew I could always go back and be a high school teacher and coach but got pulled more toward collegiate coaching.” 

You knew the Bemidji State girls basketball team had struggled for many years. Why did you take the job after serving at the University of Sioux Falls?

“I really enjoy the league [NSIC]. I didn’t know a ton about Bemidji, but when I came up here, I saw the beauty in it. As an assistant coach for 5-6 years, it’s hard to get a Division II head coaching job. I was taking a big risk as a career, but I was trained by some great coaches, and I had a good tribe pushing me. I was excited to be here.”

What is your favorite part about coaching? 

“Winning games is the high you chase, but the relationships and seeing the impact you have both negatively and positively is my favorite part. When we see that something we’re doing isn’t registering the way we wanted it to, we fix it right away because the relationship is important to us. We are transparent with our kids and tell them that they might not all play, but we want to see them grow as an athlete and person. I love being an advocate for all of our student athletes. It’s empowering to be that person that athletes can trust to come to.”

What are you most proud of with this team? 

“They were so resilient. A lot of coaches would mention that with their team, but they bought into being prepared to be shocked to be suddenly done [due to Covid] and to just enjoy what they got to play. As coaches, we tried to make the workouts and practices and preparations more enjoyable. It’s still hard work, but we truly put it in perspective that every game or practice could be our last for the season.”

Talk about the award you won. 

It’s the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Colleges (NSIC) North Division Coach of the Year 2020-2021. I was nominated by my peers. The other seven coaches in the north all vote for their top coach of the year nominee. That meant a lot in the capacity that we are all are pretty close – several of them are close friends. We all support each other all the time. We want to beat each other on the nights that we play each other, but otherwise it’s pretty unique.”

Switching gears to FCA, when did you first get involved?

“We had an awesome FCA in high school in Watertown. I went for the music and the snacks, and that’s as far as I got involved. I liked going there and listening to the worship music. FCA at Augie [where she went for undergrad] started rolling my last couple years there. FCA at the University of Sioux Falls [where she served as assistant coach before coming to Bemidji State] was growing. One of the other coaches tugged me along and got me more involved to lead. When I got here, the football coach saw it on my resume.”

What are some highlights in serving as the FCA advisor today? 

“Getting to know other team dynamics and other individuals. I love sitting back and seeing these kids that I watch on the ice or in the gym or on the field. Within FCA, you see the vulnerability. The layers come off these men and women who are asking for help because they’re broken and finally strong enough to ask for help. It gets deep and there’s trust, and then they get into outreach.”

Speaking of outreach, what is this about giving Bibles to athletes?

A year and a half ago, we had these awesome student leaders doing FCA and not many were coming with Bibles. It was a head scratcher for me because I loved having my Bible as I was maturing in my faith. I thought, ‘I’ve got to get these kids some Bibles.’ At first, we were having 30 kids each week and I thought ‘All right, that’s not so bad,’ but then we were looking at 70 kids. That was a little more than I was able to be bite off financially, and then I got a tug from the Lord to include others. The thing I hate the most is asking people for money, but I got up from my desk and walked down the hallway and started going to every coach and administrator. Every single one said yes. It shows that BSU has a heart for their student athletes and a heart for the Lord even though they don’t all have a faith in Him.”

How have you grown through serving as FCA advisor? 

One of my fatal flaws is that I let the devil busy up my schedule to make excuses for why I can’t lead. Knowing that I have kids counting on Wednesday nights, it’s a real stretch. I can get super busy and put off my faith and catch up with the Lord later, but they’ve taught me I can’t let them down. It’s at 8:30 at night and I go home afterwards just wired. I’ve grown a ton. When I get out of the rhythm of it, it drains me. FCA is a true high.

What verse do you live by as you coach and serve as the FCA huddle leader?

“John 3:30: ‘He must become greater; I must become less.’ It is plain and simple – the platform of coaching can make you feel like you’re important and I have to continually remember that others are on that platform with me and to remember who they are. Putting me to the side a little and to challenge me that if I’m going to become less, He has to become more. That helps also in bad years and dark times. I have to put Him in the forefront.”

Congratulations to Coach DeVille. We look forward to seeing the Bemidji State team continue to grow in the coming years under her leadership. Thank you for serving as an FCA advisor and shining your light for the Lord!