Luke Whitehouse
@Lwhitehouse12
When Springfield College Director of Athletics Dr. Craig Poisson approached Dr. Mike Theulen’s office, there was nothing peculiar about it. Poisson and Theulen had known each other for many years and with Theulen’s return to Springfield after a 25-year absence, a visit from an old friend and colleague was a common occurrence.
But when Poisson asked if he could close the door, Theulen seemed perplexed.
“I was in my office getting ready to go teach my Governance class,” he said. “I’m like, ‘Everything okay? Am I in trouble?’”
No, Theulen was not in trouble – far from it. What followed was something Theulen had never dreamt about in his wildest dreams.
Poisson delivered the news that Theulen would be inducted into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame.
“I was like, ‘Whoa,’” Theulen said. “I was actually speechless. I said, ‘Are you sure?’ He said, ‘Yes.’I’m humbled and feel very honored and did not see it coming.”
Despite his reaction, Theulen’s impact on the campus is unlike any other.
Forty years ago, after graduating from Springfield with his doctorate degree in Physical Education and spending the two years prior as a teaching fellow with the men’s basketball team, Theulen became the head coach of the women’s basketball team.
Theulen spent the next three years in that position, compiling a record of 41-33.
But he chose to step down and take a full-time assistant role with the men’s basketball team – and for a good reason.
“I really felt in my heart of hearts that the coach of the women’s basketball team at the birthplace of basketball should be a woman,” Theulen said. “I’ve always had a high degree of respect for women. Title IX was just barely 10 years old at the time. So I just felt strongly that if I had the opportunity to move over, I would go back with the men.”
This only foreshadowed his commitment to making Springfield a more inclusive place by supporting women on campus – none of the choices he made were by accident. Current head women’s basketball coach Naomi Graves knows this firsthand.
“He is very intense and intentional,” said Graves, a former assistant coach under Theulen. “What
I most admire about him is the kind of person he is and what he did for a lot of women who played for him.”
After serving four years as an assistant, he accepted the men’s head coaching job in 1990.
As the men’s coach Theulen thrived, leading the Pride to three conference championships, NCAA tournament berths and 20-win seasons from 1996-1998.
But it didn’t start out that way. His early years were bumpy, with twists and turns, highs and lows.
Theulen took over a program that was coming off five consecutive losing seasons, and one that had lost its winning ways.
“When I took over the program in 1990 it was a losing culture,” Theulen said. “We had some glaring issues in terms of scoring. So I said, ‘Okay, we gotta hang our hat on something. We’re gonna become the toughest defensive team. We’re gonna be the toughest rebounding team. We’re gonna pay attention to details, limit turnovers, hit free throws, and make every game a damn war. That’s what we’re gonna do.’ And we had that.”
Amidst the transition from Division II to Division III, the loss of players, Theulen and the Pride powered through – improving their win total every year and culminating with a 26-2 mark in Theulen’s final season, setting a program record for wins.
But wins and losses were just a piece of the puzzle for Theulen.
A big part of his job was the time serving in the classroom, in a multitude of positions, including Assistant Professor, Faculty Advisory and the Director of Physical Education Skills program – something he cherished.
“I loved [coaching and teaching],” Theulen said. “Because, [for example] you get your butt kicked at St. Michael’s in the middle of the week and you come back and get home at like one or two in the morning. And you gotta be up for an eight o’clock Motor Learning and Development class on a Tuesday or Thursday and you had to stand and deliver because they didn’t care whether you won or lost. It made you stay in the moment.”
But why coach? It was in his DNA.
Theulen’s mom was an all-state basketball player in Iowa and in Theulen’s younger years, his father was the head basketball coach at Keene State, recruiting players from all over the world.
“I saw the impact he had [as a coach], and also saw the impact he had as a teacher, because back then, Keene State had a very strong physical education program,” Theulen said. “I saw what mean-spirited coaches can do to kids. So I made up my mind – I would want to be somebody that would lift up kids.What other endeavor is that when a kid grows up, can you learn life lessons? Where do you learn about competition? Learn about hard work? What about teamwork? What about respecting and meeting people where they’re at, because when you go to a college team, not everybody’s from your neighborhood and yet you have to come together for a common cause. That’s always fascinated me.”
So coming to Springfield, which also had a strong Physical Education program, as well as an environment of strong coaching, was the perfect situation.
The focus on spirit, mind and body meant something. The interactions meant something. Waiting for kids in the old BC was something Theulen looked forward to every day.
Though one feeling can never be replicated.
“There’s nothing like walking up the backstairs and walking into Blake Arena when the place is charged up before a game,” Theulen said. “The back of my neck, the hairs raising. ‘Let’s go.’”
In 1998, Theulen left to become the Athletic Director at nearby Western New England after his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she eventually beat.
Although leaving was an easy decision, due to the circumstances, the process was not.
“It was not a difficult decision to make,” Theulen said. “It was a difficult process to leave. And in a sense, I never left. You know, I’ve always had one foot here. I’ve always had my heart here. But one door closes, another one opens and it just happened.”
Theulen served as the A.D. at Western New England for 19 years– including two stints as the Golden Bears men’s basketball coach and then a brief three-year stint at Elms College in the same role.
But the place that always felt like home was calling him back – literally.
Two days before his son’s wedding, Theulen’s phone rang.
The school was short three Sports Management professors and asked him one simple question:
“Would you be interested?”
Theulen responded with uncertainty, although in the back of his mind the decision was easy.
He was hired the day before classes started as an assistant professor of Sport Management – returning to the special place.
The place where he received his first and second head coaching job, where he showed his animated personality on the sideline inside Blake Arena, as the only coach to serve as both the men’s and women’s head coach, where he formed everlong bonds with students and athletes.
After a 25-year absence, Coach T was home where it all started.
“I come back and the vibes are the same,” he said. “I owe everything to Springfield. And I make no bones about that.”
Photo by Springfield College Athletics