Equestrian coach loving job, team camaraderie

Jenny Passow couldn’t be happier with the job her Mustang equestrian team has done this year.

“The job they’ve done so far has easily exceeded my expectations for them already,” she said. Now in her second season as head coach, Passow has the equestrian team currently sitting in third place in Region VII of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association’s Hunt Seat Regional Points standings.

“The fact that we’re third speaks volumes to our riders,” Passow said. Undoubtedly, with perennial powers Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and LSU all in the Region VII mix, the team’s current ranking further enhances their accomplishments — and the coach’s. And team is also speaking volumes about the job Passow has done.

“Jenny is a wonderful coach who is very experienced with horses,” senior captain Katie Kotchka said. Kotchka, who was also captain of the team during the inaugural 2003-2004 season, explained that both her teammates and Passow have grown and learned together.

“Last year was a learning year for the team and for Jenny as well,” Kotchka said. “It was great because Jenny got to experience everything for the first time with the team as well. This year, everything is very organized and Jenny is prepared for any situation.”

This year’s organization has not come without countless hours of busy work though. Passow, who initially came to SMU as the assistant dean of student life, said she had no idea the work that would be involved in coaching.

“The paperwork of coaching is surprising,” she said, “and the job is 24 hours a day.” Passow explained that her responsibilities range from caring for the riders to helping maintain the stables at the Las Colinas Equestrian Center, not to mention scheduling workouts and practice times for each athlete — horses included.

Women on the team travel to Las Colinas twice a week for practices, depending on their academic schedule. But their schedules aren’t the only ones considered.

“We also have to factor in horse availability and how much a horse has been worked during the week so we can spread out training,” Passow explained. To compensate for the time that would otherwise be lost, the team has two workouts a week in the Loyd All-Sports Center, and two yoga sessions a week, a unique aspect to any equestrian training regimen, but one that Passow says is great for the athletes.

“In equestrian the ‘perfect rider’ is tall and long so she can essentially wrap around the horse,” she said. “Yoga is great because it both lengthens and strengthens.”

With all the workouts, the team is together much of the time, which Kotchka says has helped the team chemistry.

“This is the first time I have been a part of an equestrian team, and although riding is an individual sport, we spend a lot of time together as a team, so we are able to bond with everyone and it gives us more of a team atmosphere,” she said. “The team is great this year. We have great girls on the team, each of whom is unique and has wonderful and different qualities. Whether it’s fixing each others’ hair before a rider goes into the show ring to giving people rides to the barn for lessons, all of the girls are willing to bend over backwards for each other.” She also said that she is proud of the fact that the new girls felt so welcome on the team.

Kotchka added that it wasn’t just the time together as a team that has helped them to grow, but the efforts of her coach as well “Another unique thing about Jenny is that she attends everything we do. Most teams just have a practice or two a week. We have six-plus practices (two workouts, two yoga classes and two lessons for each rider). Jenny is always there with us at 7 a.m. for workouts and she spends a lot of time at the barn watching and helping with everyone’s lessons… all on top of running the administrative aspects of the team.”

Talking to Passow, though, it seems as though the work is less labor and more a love for her sport and her team. She explained how she loves seeing the team cheering one another on when they are performing in the ring, unconventional as it may be for equestrian.

“I love to see and hear the girls cheering when another teammate is the ring. It’s funny because the judges and other people in the audience might not see it as fitting for a traditional sport like equestrian, but I’m not going to go up in the stands and tell my team to stop supporting each other,” Passow said, grinning.

Kotchka further explained that Passow is also partially responsible for this supportive, exciting attitude on the team come show days.

“Besides sweatshirts and workout clothes, she also got us a banner to hang at the shows that is just so much cooler than everyone else’s,” Kotchka said. “Her style of coaching is unique and interesting because she is very serious about what she does and about the team, yet she can still have fun with us. She encourages everyone to help each other out and she is confident that we will.”

If her schedule wasn’t full enough, Passow has even squeezed in time to recruit some top riders to come to SMU. Two of the top prospects that have signed letters of intent include Californian Lauren Hester and Hailey Hyland from Virginia.

While Passow said that she is excited about these extremely talented athletes coming to SMU, this year’s riders will continue to make strides.

“We come out of the woodwork at the big shows,” she said. “I couldn’t be more impressed with this year’s team.”

The equestrian team will compete this Saturday at the West Texas A&M English Hunter Show in Canyon, Texas, and again Mar. 5 and 6 at the Texas Tech Western Horse Show in Lubbock. Both Passow and the riders are confident that they will continue to gain ground on the top teams.

“Any time we can make a serious dent in the powerhouse teams, I’m happy with our performance,” Passow said.

Equestrian coach loving job, team camaraderie