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Wittenberg University women's hoops coach Sarah Jurewicz brings new meaning to the phrase "the art of coaching."

In her second year on the bench for the Tigers, Jurewicz has temporarily ramped up the pursuit of one of her two life passions — basketball — while pulling in the reins on the other.

She admittedly is stifling her love of creating abstract art to pursue her dream of following her late collegiate coach, Pam Evans Smith, in the coaching ranks at her alma mater.

Yes, abstract art!

"It is a bit unusual," she admitted of her unique combination of passions. "It's something that's hard for (people) to see. They tend to think they are fairly disconnected, the artistic and athletic endeavors.

"They see a difference in how you approach the two," she continued. "They think of that raw aggression in sport. They think that seems so different to the introspective process toward art."

Jurewicz doesn't.

"There's a balance between the two," she said. "And that's the overriding philosophy of how I coach. You can combine a team dynamic in sport with something that is a little more self-reflective.

"Sport can be outwardly aggressive and art is inwardly reflective and introspective. But they do relate."

Her players can see that relation in their coach.

"They say I have a unique way of approaching things," she said. "I don't know if it is how I share motivation, or if it is how I teach the X's and O's.

"I hand-make things for them to use as a motivational component. When I can, I use those skills I have. If it is making a T-shirt or a sign for the locker room, I try to do something unique."

She's been "unique" for as long as she can remember.

"From a young age, I've loved looking at art and I've loved making things with my hands. Anything artistic, there's just something that gets inside me and I naturally react to it. That's the way I'm wired.

"To neglect that would be a tragedy."

She admits there are times when she misses her art.

"Full-time coaching takes a lot of my time, and I don't have as much time for my art," she said. "(Missing) it comes in waves. It's hard, because I am very passionate about it. But I am very passionate about coaching, too. I really love it, and my heart is 100 percent in it."

So she seeks, and has found, middle ground for the two.

"It's easier to implement the art in my life and be a coach, then the other way around," she said. "For me, that has been the best solution. I can utilize my skills in small ways. As a painter, I'm not going to sit and coach the canvas.

"I get to experience a little of both worlds."

Besides, she'll always have art as an outlet.

"When I feel it becomes overwhelming and stressful, I go to the palette," Jurewicz said. "Some people watch TV or read a book, I turn to my art. It helps me to get refocused and puts things in perspective."

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0364 or krowe@coxohio.com.