Gail Mann was indoctrinated into the Spencerport soccer culture in the early 1980s and has made a career in the game. Now in her 28th season as Nazareth’s women’s soccer coach, she is the college’s longest-tenured coach. Among active coaches, she ranks tied for 43rd all-time in Division III in winning percentage (.672) and tied for 18th in wins (325).
It all started in the blue and gold where Mann excelled in soccer, basketball, and softball.
“Spencerport was soccer town when I was growing up,” Mann said via email. “Jim Gentile, one of the best players on the boys team at the time, was my neighbor. I loved soccer and attended many of the varsity games when I was younger. My best memories of soccer there is an easy question. Playing on the best field in Rochester! The natural grass field with the trees surrounding it was beautiful in the fall. Playing under the lights on that field was an amazing experience.”
Then it was off to SUNY Cortland where she was a starting striker on the 1986 team that reached the Division III Final Four among other accolades.
Fellow Spencerport grad Joan Schockow was three years ahead of Mann at Cortland and the two would form a lifetime bond.
“The summer before Gail entered her freshman year at Cortland, we happened to play in the same summer softball league up on Ridgeway (now Kimball) Park,” Schockow recalled. “Someone mentioned there was a girl attending Cortland in the fall and trying out for soccer who graduated from Spencerport. Of course, that spurred my curiosity, so I wanted to meet her. We started to chat after games in the clubhouse and then when she made the Cortland JV team in the fall, we continued to chat and shared rides back home and such.”
After graduating from Cortland, Mann accepted an assistant coach position with Schockow, who was the head coach at SUNY Brockport and launched her now-lengthy coaching career.
“Eventually from ride sharing and being college teammates, we became close friends,” Schockow said. “We stayed close after graduation and actually became best friends, something that we are even almost 40 years later! Therefore, when I was hired at Brockport, she was immediately my first choice as an assistant coach because she had (has) such a great soccer mind. It was a no-brainer to hire her.”
“I owe Joan everything, she gave me my start at SUNY Brockport as her assistant coach back in 1988,” Mann said. “She also asked me to be her assistant with NY West ODP. We had the opportunity to coach some great players from western New York, including Abby Wambach and Casey Zimney.
“I was fortunate to have that opportunity because it gave me access to all the best players in western New York. Many of these players obviously went on to play at the Division 1 level, however I was able to recruit a few to Nazareth including All-Greater-Rochester player of the year Michelle Urbanski in 1996.
“We (Joan and I) played together one year and then she was an assistant coach my sophomore and junior years. We played club soccer and Empire state games for many years and became best friends. She was the best keeper in the country in those days.”
Fast-forward 28 years. Mann has had 26 consecutive winning seasons while coaching 65 regional All-Americans and nine national All-Americans. In addition, Nazareth has either shared or won outright the Empire 8 Conference title 11 times since 1999.
Mann secured her 300th coaching win with a 4-0 win over Utica in September of 2017 passing her mentor Schockow, who retired with 299. Her 27-year coaching record of 325-144 ranks among the top active coaches in Division III. She has a record of 122-19-14 (.832) in conference games.
“I had no doubt that she would surpass my wins record,” Schockow said. “It was inevitable with her soccer IQ and her tremendous work ethic, especially with recruiting.”
In 2015, Mann was honored by the Rochester Press-Radio Club with the Jean Giambrone Community Service Award that is presented annually to a local person who has made an exemplary lifetime commitment to Rochester-area women’s sports.
COVID postponed the Golden Flyers fall season, but they hope to pick up their delayed schedule in March and April. It has also greatly affected recruitment.
“This pandemic has been difficult to manage, however this will eventually pass and we will get back to some sense of normalcy,” Mann said. “It is by no means the hardest thing I have had to overcome. We lost a beautiful teammate back in 2000, Emily Haskins, and that was by far the worst thing I have ever had to overcome. I cry on the date of her death each year and I always will.
“Recruiting has been a bit more challenging, however many clubs have been filming scrimmages and friendlies. I spend a lot of time watching games online. It is not the same but it works for now. Nazareth is open for in-person tours so many prospects have visited and met with me to discuss the program and tour the campus and athletic facilities.
“I believe touring a campus and meeting the coach is one of the most important things a prospect can do. It is so important to make a connection with the coach and see yourself belonging on a campus. When prospects visit Naz they are surprised and impressed with our campus. We are very fortunate to have the best grass stadium and indoor training space in Rochester.”
Despite the years of continued success, Mann remains humble and focused on the big picture, but still has the competitive edge she has used to gain and maintain success throughout her career.
“I can honestly tell you I have no idea how many games I have won,” Mann said. “I do not coach to win games, I coach to build relationships. I believe winning is a byproduct of your culture.
“We teach values like hard work, accountability, commitment, gratitude and GRIT. We believe in holding each other to a higher standard. Our goal is not to win, it is to become the best version of ourselves so that we can compete at the highest level.
“My success is measured in my players and alums knowing that I love them and would do anything for them. When I see them go on to become successful in their careers and personal lives, that is when I feel successful.”
