From the Sidelines: Meet Assistant Volleyball Coach Rod Wilde
August 09, 2005 | Volleyball
Throughout the summer, coaches, and staff at the University of Wisconsin will be profiled on uwbadgers.com in a get-to-know-you feature.
Rod Wilde, an NCAA champion as both a player and coach, is in his fifth season as an assistant volleyball coach at Wisconsin. Wilde, 48, was an alternate for the United States volleyball team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics. He broke his leg in match against Russia just six weeks before the games. Wilde was a three-time All-American at Pepperdine University, setting the Waves to the 1978 NCAA Championship. He returned to Pepperdine as the men's head coach from 1985'87 leading the Waves to the 1986 NCAA Championship. An active player, Wilde was named the most valuable player of the Men's Masters 45-and-Over Division of the 2005 USA Open Championships.
Nickname: Wild Thing
Family: Wife: Kris; Son: James
Years with UW: 4 years
Childhood Heroes: My parents
Favorite Food: Lobster
Magazine Subscriptions: Field & Stream; National Geographic
Last Book Read: A Pirate Looks at 50 by Jimmy Buffet
Musical Tastes: Old rock & roll
Staple of your DVD Collection: Jeremiah Johnson
Favorite Superhero: Spiderman
Dream Car: '62 Corvette
TV Show You Never Miss: 24
Hobbies/Interests: Fishing, hunting, anything outdoors
Favorite Sport: Volleyball
Favorite Charity: United Way
Favorite Vacation Spot: Cabo San Lucas ' fishing with my best friend Bob
First Job: Walking beans back in Iowa ' pulling weeds
First pro sports event you attended: a Lakers game at the Forum (1976)
First time on an airplane: flying to California for my dad's adult men's volleyball team
First time you started playing organized sports: age 8
Most famous person you've met: John Wooden, when I was coaching at Pepperdine
If you could have dinner with any three living people, who would it be and why' John Wooden, Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski
Best thing about Madison: the lakes
Favorite spot on Campus: On the water, looking back a the Capitol from a boat
Favorite Area Restaurant: The Old Mill, Mazomanie
The title of your autobiography would be: He Always Gave His Best
What reality TV show would you want to be on and how would you fare' The Great Race ' I would win!
One thing about you that would surprise most people reading this: that I have a 30-year-old son
In 10 years, what do you hope to be doing: head coaching a top program
Greatest Sports Moment: winning the NCAA championship as a player
Greatest Invention of the last 100 years: Antibiotics
