University of South Carolina (Upstate)
NCAA DI • NULL
Date: August 29, 2026
Would Recommend
Tags
Coach Sharif Saber set a pretty high standard for me as an athlete. I transferred programs, and I’ve had a lot of people ask how the new program compares. I don’t really think it’s fair to say one is better than the other and I’m not trying to make this a review of my current program. But I will say that what I had with Coach Saber was hard to replace. He was big on details, consistency, and actually holding you accountable. If something wasn’t good enough, he didn’t pretend it was. At the time I definitely didn’t appreciate every correction, but looking back, I get it. He was making us better because he loved us. I also think he was really good at knowing his athletes. He knew what he could get out of me and didn’t lower the standard just because something was difficult. My current program has been a good experience in its own way, but the level of coaching and the expectations I was used to with Coach Saber are not really the same. That’s probably the biggest adjustment for me. I’m glad I got the chance to be coached by him. Definitely one of those things you appreciate more after you leave.