Shelby Boyle realized she wanted to be a coach while attending Transylvania.
“After my junior year of college, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in college coaching,” she said. “I had a prior connection with Coach McNamee, so I reached out to her and asked for resume building advice. She gave me some recommendations and we stayed in touch throughout the summer and into my senior year. Lucky for me, Boston College had a graduate assistant position opening up after I graduated, and Coach Mac offered me the position in February of my senior year. We joke about it now, all of the ‘advice’ she gave me were actually tests to see if she should offer me the position. Thankfully I passed the test.”
Boyle began as a graduate assistant at Boston College in 2020. She feels it is a special opportunity.
“Being a graduate assistant is unique because you play a huge role in connecting the coaching staff and the players,” she said. “I have spent countless hours over the last two seasons helping our players develop their game. I also work closely with the rest of the staff on day to day operations such as practice planning, recruiting, structuring workouts, etc. Graduate assistants fill a lot of different roles throughout the season.”
There are many aspects to being a graduate assistant she enjoys.
“My favorite part of being a graduate assistant is working with the players,” Boyle said. “I love working day to day with them and helping them to reach their goals. I also enjoy getting to be a part of so many different aspects of the working environment. As a GA, one day you might be a practice player and the next you’re helping plan and execute an official visit.”
There are challenges as well.
“I wouldn’t call any part of my experience a struggle, however there are long hours involved with being a GA,” she said. “We are basically on call most hours of the day to be there for the players. It’s hard to be a graduate assistant if you do not have a long term desire to be a college coach.”
Being a graduate assistant has given Boyle some memorable experiences.
“One memorable experience for me was playing at Louisville my first year as a grad assistant,” she said. “When I was in college I used to buy cheap tickets to Louisville Women’s Basketball games and sit in the nosebleeds. To be standing on the floor a year later was a surreal experience that I will never forget.”
Boyle had an outstanding collegiate career at Transylvania. A four-year starter, she was also a team captain. She averaged 14.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. She helped the Pioneers win two Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season and Tournament Championships as well as advance to the 2019 Division III NCAA Sweet 16. The Pioneers went 25-3 in 2019-20.
“Playing collegiate basketball at Transylvania truly changed my life,” Boyle said. “I was so fortunate to play with some amazing people and for a prestigious program. The effect that my college coach, Juli Fulks, had on me is what steered me into college coaching as a career. If I am able to impact lives the way that she has, then I will consider my career a success.”
She attended the 2020 WBCA “So You Want To Be A Coach” program and also worked as an instructor at Eastern Kentucky Women’s Basketball Elite Camp as well as Point Guard College and the Nike Shooting and Skills Camp in Kentucky.
“Every experience I’ve been able to have has provided me with new perspectives that I’ve carried with me,” Boyle said. “It’s always great to be able to learn new drills and new ways of approaching teaching the game.”
Graduate school was more relaxed than undergrad.
“For me, graduate school was more ‘laid back’ than undergrad,” she said. “My graduate degree is in Sports Administration, and almost everyone in my program was a GA for a sport at Boston College. The professors were very understanding of our work load, which made it possible to do school and work at the same time.”
Being a graduate assistant and attending graduate school was hard at times.
“There were definitely moments when it became difficult to balance grad school and being a GA,” Boyle said. “However, being a student athlete in college well prepared me for this, and it reiterated how important time management is.”
Boyle has enjoyed her time near Boston.
“I’ve been able to attend a few Celtics games and go to the Cape,” she said. “In my free time I like to take the train into Boston and explore the city.”
Chestnut Hill is similar to a small town.
“Chestnut Hill, where Boston College is located, is unique because it’s a small community, but it’s only 15-20 minutes outside of the city,” Boyle said. “It has a small town feel and I can still see the skyline of Boston from campus. Being from Morgantown, it’s been great to be located in a smaller community but still have the opportunity to take advantage of living in a big city.”
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