Volleyball coach Aubuchon retires after 26-year career
By CADE KENNEDY, Sports Editor
During volleyball practices inside Percefull Fieldhouse, there was one piece of advice that lingered through the arena: be where your feet are.
After a 26-year career of coaching, volleyball coach Fred Aubuchon will be where his feet are, as he steps onto the green grass of retirement.
Aubuchon’s career has taken him to several places, but his first coaching job landed him in Perrysburg, Ohio, at Owens Community College in 1996. When the season started, it was just like a normal season for Aubuchon.
“Retirement wasn’t a thought of mine during the season last year, not even during the holidays,” Aubuchon said. “But just after Christmas, my wife heard of an opportunity for a promotion within her job setting.
“She looked into it, and as this semester progressed, she ended up getting that promotion. But that promotion required her to move to Topeka, Kansas.
“Several times in my career, in advancements in coaching, I’ve had to move and change locations, and my wife without hesitation supported that decision, packed up the house and moved. I just feel that, after 30 years of doing what I’ve been doing, it’s her turn.”
Throughout Aubuchon’s coaching career, he had 19 seasons where he won at least 20 games.
Aubuchon also led eight of his teams to national tournaments in their respective leagues.
Aubuchon spent three years coaching at Northwestern and finished with a record of 42-37, making him the winning-est coach in Northwestern volleyball history. Wins are not all Aubuchon got at Northwestern, as he made memories that will last forever.
“On my first ever trip to Arkansas, when we took the team, we stopped off to have dinner in Arkansas, and it was near an outdoor shopping mall,” Aubuchon said. “The girls seemed like they wanted to go shopping, so we cut them loose for 90 minutes, and they ran all over God’s green Earth shopping at all these different stores. Our bus came back with a ton more packages than it left with.”
In his time here, Aubuchon said he has learned as much from his players as they have learned from him.
“I’ve learned to be where your feet are,” Aubuchon said. “Be in the moment, and focus on what matters most at that moment.”
What matters the most right now to Aubuchon is his family, and he’ll be there with them.
