Image courtesy of Merrimack Athletics
If you were at the Merrimack spring game last Friday night, you may have seen Michelle Hurzeler with a whistle during early stretches.
Not many people know her, but they will soon. Hurzeler is making a name for herself and is the newest member of the Warriors’ staff with an official title of Graduate Fellow Strength & Conditioning Coach. Hurzeller has also served in the same role for the swim teams and men’s lacrosse.
Hurzeler has made the trek over from Germany after serving as the head strength & conditioning coach of the FSV Frankfurt soccer team in 2020-2021. Before coming to Merrimack, Hurzeller interned at Robert Morris University (mostly with the football team) and she also spent some time last summer with the Boston College football program.
“I’ve always wanted to coach football,” Hurzeler said following the game last weekend. “It’s kind of my thing. I love it. I love the guys and I love being here. I used to be a pro athlete myself (judo) and had a lot of surgeries. So, I always knew I wanted to coach. It sounds kind of cheesy, but I’ve always felt I was meant to do that. When I had to stop my career, the system in Germany is just different, these opportunities here don’t exist in Germany. I also wanted to get out of my comfort zone and grow as a person, so I was like, ‘ok, I’m going to go to America.
“I never really planned this, but I’m a spontaneous person, so here we are.”
While American football may be slightly new to Hurzeler relatively speaking, she’s making sure she does as much homework as possible.
“I try to watch film on the guys and try to talk a lot to the coaches,” she said. “I try to get football lessons as much as possible. I know that I need to know a lot about it because I want to stay in football. So, I’m trying to get as much work in and as much education about the game in as possible.”
Some (myself included) might wonder how one decides to get into football after a lifelong career in judo.
“The first time I coached football was at Robert Morris and that’s where I got to know it and fall in love with it. You have so many different personalities, I love to be around all different types of people. I love getting to know how to work with different types of people and just learn about them. Also, the intensity – especially in the weight room – I like pushing people. Football is so physical, so my job is super important and I actually was pretty much the head coach in the winter offseason because they don’t really do anything on the field. All they did was work with me (in the weight room), so it’s an important role that I take a lot of pride in.”
Hurzeler is well aware that females in football is still considered “different” by some and she’s making sure she does everything in her power to earn the respect of everyone she crosses paths will.
“Being a female, there’s obviously some barriers you have to cross,” she added. “I’ve definitely had to work really hard to show that I belong. It’s tough. Gaining the respect and the trust is something I have to work for every day and I don’t want to make it a big thing. But, it is tough and it’s not easy. There are definitely moments where I wonder if I’m doing the right thing, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.
“There are little moments where guys will come up and want a selfie with you after a game or they’ll be excited about a personal mark they may have set or whatever it may be, if they want your advice, those are the moments I know I’m doing the right thing. On such a big team with so many different characters, I think you need a female, because imagine how many of those kids have been raised by single moms.
“They’re going to respond better to me and most of them have. I’m not your typical strength coach. I have long hair, I’m clearly a female. It’s different, but it’s good. I love the game more and more each day.”