Sahvanna Jaquish is one of the most decorated players to ever step into Tiger Park, but this season she’s up for a new challenge.

The four time all-American joins LSU’s staff this season as a student coach, following her four record breaking years as a Tiger.

“It’s different,” Jaquish said. “I’m happy I’m apart of the team in a different way, but not being able to play is kind of weird. I do miss it obviously, who doesn’t miss being in purple and gold and representing the greatest school in the nation, but it’s cool to be able to impact the team in a different way.”

In her time at LSU, Jaquish played in all but three games in the entirety of her career, splitting time between catcher, third base, shortstop and designated player.

She broke the all time school record for RBIs at 268 and finished in the top five in career slugging percentage, on base percentage, doubles, home runs, total bases, walks, intentional walks and sacrifice flies.

“She’s a really talented coach,” LSU coach Beth Torina said. “You know she’s a talented player but she also just communicates well. She can play any position on the field so she can help us all over the place, whether it’s offensively, in the infield, behind the plate, whatever it is.”

Jaquish’s talents were recognized when she was drafted to the Chicago Bandits as the third pick overall in the 2017 National Pro Fastpitch draft. In her rookie season, Jaquish had a .322 batting average and .430 on base percentage, with 30 RBIs and four home runs.

Jaquish made a quick return to Tiger Park for the NPF Championship series, where she played in both games before the Bandits fell to the USSSA Pride in the semifinal game.

“I felt like it was a home game for me,” Jaquish said. “I know my teammates were a little confused about that but, it was definitely like a home game. I loved our fans. They’re the same as always, just great energy and great support.”

She loves the university and Tiger Park so much that when she returned to finish her undergraduate degree in Sports Administration, she had to be apart of the team in some way.

When she started coaching in the fall, the biggest shock for Jaquish was the first time she was asked to give her opinion to the coaches.

“The biggest difference, I would just say, is the relationship between me and coach is not player-to-coach anymore, it’s coach-to-coach,” Jaquish said. “You know she values what I say, not like she didn’t before, but it’s just in a different way. I can actually alter practices.”

Jaquish doesn’t describe herself as a hands-on coach, but rather a lead by example type of coach. That doesn’t stop her from leaving herself open to help players that may be struggling with pressure or expectations.

Jaquish says that she coaches some of the most talented players in the nation and describes it as a privilege to be able to coach them.

She’s enjoyed her experience so much that she has considered extending her coaching career even further after her professional career.

“I’m accidently good at coaching, so I guess I’ll stay with it,” Jaquish joked. “I love just seeing the girls improve and helping them whenever they need it.”

Torina likens Jaquish’s coaching abilities to her playing abilities.

“You can just say ‘Hey Sahvanna, go show them how to do this’ and it looks amazing, you know,” Torina said. “It’s great having her here with us. What a great representative of LSU softball to be here with us every day.”

Her presence is incredibly helpful to the coaching staff. She provides both physical examples and extra eyes and ears on the staff.

Student coaches often provide a segway to better the players and the rest of the coaching staff.

Jaquish isn’t the first player-turned-coach that Torina has brought on during her tenure at LSU. Former players Rachele Fico and Bianka Bell were also student coaches following their collegiate careers.

Torina doesn’t just hand out coaching jobs to past players though. Jaquish, Fico and Bell were people that Torina saw could develop to coach just as well as they played.

“I think it has to be the right player,” Torina said. “I think it has to be the player that can draw some separation between themselves and the team or that’s well respected enough that people are going to listen to them. So I think it has to be the right person and the right player and I think Sahvanna is definitely that.”