At Illinois, coaching goes far beyond X’s and O’s. It’s about shaping character, fostering resolve, and building legacy on and off the field, course, or court. We wanted to go beyond the whistle with four of our head coaches: Bret Bielema (football), Shauna Green (women’s basketball), Tyra Perry (softball), and Mike Small (men’s golf). Each of these leaders brings a unique journey, a deep love for their sport, and an unwavering belief in the power of mentorship. Coach Bielema kicks off the start of this series.

The interview below was condensed for length and clarity.

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What was the defining moment that made you fall in love with your sport?

I had an older sister and two older brothers who were competitive athletes, and I followed in their footsteps. When they began to play, I followed their athletic careers closely. My first competitive sport was swimming. We were the Prophetstown Piranhas. The first time I played football was in seventh grade. That’s the earliest you could play in my town at the time — there was no Pop Warner League. So, in seventh grade, junior high football, we were the Wildcats, and I was a quarterback and inside linebacker.

What were you like as a student-athlete?

When I got to college, I was 185 pounds. Once there, my size, strength, and ability exploded. I jumped up to about 225 my freshman year, then about 245 my sophomore year, leveled off with about 250/260, and played defensive line. I was one of those underdeveloped younger players who came along quickly. I took to the game mentally; I remember being in meetings, and some of my teammates never really picked up the calls as quickly as I did. I had a more advanced football IQ than others. More than anything, I always tried to play hard and worked to be a good teammate.

How did you get into coaching?

I go back and think about it all the time; it came from a coaching moment that has nothing to do with football. When I was in my second year of college, during the middle of our season, we played a game at Michigan, and on the plane ride home, unbeknownst to me, my sister was taken from us. With no cellphones back then, my defensive line coach broke the news. Every day, every coach in that building checked in on me. That same spring, I also tore my ACL, and I lost my grandmother. In 1989 and 1990, I don’t think people knew what mental health was. I saw the impact that my coaches had on me, and that greatly affected who I am today.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The most poignant moment in a relationship with a player is not when I’m standing beside him. It’s actually when we’re standing behind him, with both hands on his back, holding him up when they have a chance to fall.

Do you have a message for Fighting Illini football donors?

Live in the moment. There wasn’t one tackle, touchdown, or turnover from last year’s season that carries into this year. Every season, especially now in the transfer portal world, is so much more unique and real. We have a lot of great players coming back. More importantly, we have almost the entire coaching staff coming back, which has been a huge asset for us during this offseason. I like this group. They’re opportunistic, coachable, and humble kids. We just finished our fourth straight semester with an average GPA over 3.0, a University of Illinois record for football. That’s something I’m really proud of because once they’re done playing, it’s our responsibility to make sure they’re taken care of for life.