OKLAHOMA CITY – Oregon State softball’s Laura Berg and Marcie Green weren’t always destined to become coaches.
For a period of their adult lives, both thought they had careers in law enforcement. So much so, they briefly lived the life. For Berg, OSU’s head coach, she trained to become a police officer for Los Angeles Police Department. For Green, the Beavers’ pitching coach, five years as a prison guard.
Turns out it was an itch they had to scratch, but that’s all it was. Coaching softball was their calling.
“I got into coaching where I can actually make a difference,” said Green, who along with Berg is coaching Oregon State at the Women’s College World Series this week.
Green was dead serious about making a run at a law enforcement career. She earned a degree in criminology at Fresno State, and advanced directly to a position as prison guard at California State Prison in Corcoran.
Green was responsible for transporting and guarding the worst of the worst at Corcoran, known as lockup high security. Among prisoners she encountered was the notorious Charles Manson.
“I wouldn’t say I met him, but I escorted him,” Green said.
It was a dangerous job, because although Green worked in high security, and prisoners were often locked up and restrained, “so many things can go wrong,” she said.
Green ultimately left the position when an opportunity to coach softball was presented. Green, who pitched on three Women’s College World Series teams at Fresno State, said “I got the bug … to give back to the sport that gave me so much.”
Green didn’t see a lot of crossover in aspects of her prison job that she could use to help coach softball.
“Definitely not an uplifting job,” Green said. “I went into not fully understanding what it was. I wanted to be able to make a difference in people and help them, and that’s not what this was all about.”
Berg, OSU’s head coach since 2013, went through academy training with LAPD then served her probationary period. When then-Oregon State softball coach Kirk Walker called prior to the 2012 season to offer an assistant coach position, Berg decided she was better suited in softball than wearing a badge.
“I was very appreciative of my time at LAPD. It just wasn’t my passion. Not something that I really wanted to do for 30 years,” Berg said.
Berg’s time with LAPD lasted about 18 months, starting with six month of academy training. The appeal came from her police officer brothers Geoff (Long Beach) and Greg (LA County Sheriff).
“They always talk about how fun it is, the camaraderie. It’s almost like working with a team,” Berg said. “I thought, that sounds fun.”
Then came six months of academy training.
“I’ve never been so mentally and physically exhausted,” Berg said.
During her probationary period, Berg did a year of patrol work. In just a year on the job, Berg accumulated plenty of stories. One she recalls involves chasing a suspect after he threw chairs through a window, then took off on foot. Berg said she was climbing fences trying to run down the suspect. Tasers were involved in finally bringing him down.
“I remember my training officer telling him that I’m fast, because I ran right past her to get the guy,” Berg said. “Running after somebody, catching him in foot pursuit, it was almost like a movie.”
Berg had a month remaining on her LAPD probationary period when she accepted the OSU coaching position. Walker allowed her to finish before joining the Beavers.
Berg says aspects from her LAPD training such as camaraderie, teamwork and command presence are useful in her current job as softball coach.
“With the players, I try to teach them to have that command presence. You’re in an interview, you’re talking to your professor, it’s eye contact. You want their undivided attention,” Berg said.
–Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel
