James Rodriguez and Dana Lambert (Image: Jeff Taylor)

EL PASO, Texas – The idea of family isn’t just an idea that’s thrown around by the UTEP softball team. It’s a belief that’s practiced day in and out by the players.

The family concept isn’t limited to the players, though. It’s also something that is practiced by the coaches, figuratively and literally. This is clearly evident by the relationship that Coaches James and Kathleen Rodriguez share with assistant coach Dana Lambert, which has a long history.

Their relationship began out of necessity. Lambert, who was a basketball and softball player at Eastern New Mexico, served as a link between the coaching staff that had departed the school and the incoming Rodriguez coaching duo.

“I was kind of stuck in limbo waiting to start my graduate degree and waiting to see who they were going to hire. In came Kathleen and James and I met them and started helping out,” Lambert said.

“I let them know who the girls were, gave them background on everything, and have now been with them for twelve years,” she continued. “I was lucky that they kept me on their staff, I think, because I kind of knew what was going on (at ENMU) and over the years we have grown into best friends.”

Lambert’s role as a coach has only been one part of the relationship. During that time span, Lambert was part of a staff that led the ENMU Zias to the Division II national tournament. It was a very successful year for the Zia’s and a high point Lambert’s young coaching career.

What’s makes this memory particularly special, in addition to the tournament, was that Lambert was part of the extraordinary gift of life as the Rodriguez’s gave birth to their second child.

Kathleen Rodriguez puts Lambert’s position in the family eloquently when she says “She has been coaching with us since our twelve year old was ten months old. She’s baptized my youngest daughter; she was our middle son’s sponsor for his first communion.”

“She is a huge part of our family and a big part of our coaching staff,” Rodriguez said.

A modest Lambert credits her knowledge of the game and development to the Rodriguez’s, saying her education on the field has been with them.

“I’ve learned the game from two people to have devoted their lived to softball and to the kids that we coach. I had two, three years of experience coaching by the time I met them,” Lambert said.

“I have to say that I was lucky because most people learn the game when their kids and their growing up. They kept me on and I learned the game in reverse, but there aren’t two better people I could have learned from,” Lambert continued.

As the team prepares for the Conference-USA tournament, Lambert reflects on the season and over her career with the Rodriguez’s and knows that family it the number one trait and characteristic of the coaching style.

She knows that it is this UTEP team is unlike any other she has been with, not only because of the talent, but because of the kind of persons they are.

“We look for certain types of kids we know are going to fit the mold of what we are looking for. They not only have to be a good athlete, but they have to be good people,” Lambert said.

“This group, the way they get a long and play with each other, there’s no question they are going to look to the person next to them and know they are going to play hard for them.”

Lambert helps facilitate this in a number of different ways. It is her beliefe that everyone has a role on the coaching staff and hers is to make sure everyone works hard, but has a good time doing it. It’s her goal to make at least one person smile a day, either during practice or on game day.

“I’m kind of the one who keeps the mood light,” Lambert said jovially. “I had a coach in college that had a card where his first goal of the day was to make one of his players laugh. I’ve kept that in my mind because that’s a pretty good goal for a coach to have every day. It helps keep the mood light and helps keep the players relaxed.”

“Coach (Kathleen) Rodriguez has always said she was going to be the one that has to tear into them if something has to be said. My role is to be the one who pushes them along and helps keep them going.”

When UTEP take the field against UCF, Lambert will be there sitting next to Kathleen Rodriguez, constantly learning and helping mold the Miners into a championship team, facilitating in any way she can.