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Hometown:
Stone Mountain, Ga.
Coaching Career:
- Purdue University Associate Head Coach (2014-present)
Assistant Coach (06-14)
- Indiana University
Assistant Coach (05-06)
- James Madison Univ.
Assistant Coach (03-05)
“Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.” - Luke 12:48
Brought up with a love for God and basketball, Nadine Morgan embraces her platform as Purdue’s associate women’s basketball coach to teach and guide her players. Whether taking team mission trips or building a rapport with players, Morgan looks at her ninth season with the program as a continued opportunity for enormous impact.
FCA: How did you get into coaching?
NM: I’ve played basketball since elementary school. I got a scholarship to play at James Madison, and then, after graduating, was offered a coaching job. I was like, “OK, I’ll try this for a year and see how it goes.” I’ve been doing it ever since.
I love it. For me, the big draw is the fact I have the opportunity to mentor a lot of young people at a critical juncture in their lives.
FCA: How is coaching like mentoring?
NM: I feel like coaching is a ministry within itself. We’re teaching and doing things related to our sport, but we stress here that it’s not just about basketball; it’s about life lessons. We have to be able to relate what we’re doing as a team to things that occur in real life.
I’m working with these young people day in and day out, so I have an opportunity to make a positive impact. It’s a blessing, but at the same time it’s a huge responsibility. But I don’t think God would put us in a position if He didn’t want us to be there.
FCA: How do you balance the demands of coaching with maintaining a refreshed spiritual life?
NM: I have a very good support system. My mom is the spiritual rock of our family; she inspires me to be better, to do more, to truly be a light. What’s helped is the FCA presence we have here at Purdue. Marty Dittmar and his wife, Brenda, do an excellent job of not only fostering relationships with our student-athletes, but also coaches.
The biggest challenge as a coach is finding balance and consistency. That’s my own personal struggle. Our schedule is busy, we travel a lot, and we dedicate a lot of time to our current student-athletes and finding new ones, so it’s really easy to put the important things on the back burner. It’s about maintaining consistency and making sure priorities are aligned with my values.
FCA: Why do you feel it’s important to have ministries like FCA on campus?
NM: Iron sharpens iron, so that’s paramount when you’re around people who can support your spiritual growth. And that’s what FCA does. College is a self-discovery period. Everyone who goes to FCA isn’t always exposed to the church; it may be the first time for a lot of people.
To our kids, they’re playing the sport they love, and they have a platform like nobody else. For them to have a forum where they can foster spiritual growth so they can be that light and use their platform to promote the Kingdom, I think that’s awesome.
FCA: What’s been rewarding about your journey with Jesus?
NM: I’m a work in progress. We’re all human, and we all go through things. We all make mistakes. The difference is, at the end of the day, I’m saved by grace. I’m living for something, and I’m here for a purpose.
We’re blessed so we can be a blessing to others. That’s my charge. Because I am blessed, I need to give that right back. It’s a relationship, and with relationships come ups and downs, but we know at the end of the day—no matter what—God is there with open arms.
FCA Staff Quote:
“Coach Morgan is a great blessing to both the Boilermaker women's basketball program and the FCA Huddle at Purdue. Her influence in the lives of her players is deep, genuine and motivated by her passionate love for Christ. She loves her Bible and living out its precepts daily!”
-Marty Dittmar, Purdue Athletic Chaplain
–This article appears in the March/April 2015 issue of FCA Magazine. To view the issue in its entirety digitally, click here: March/April 2015 FCA Mag Digital
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Photos courtesy of Purdue Athletic Communications