"My name is Cory Hall and I graduated in 2015 from Berry College. If you are involved in the program, we have probably met because I try had to continue to stay involved after a wonderful 4 years at the school. I did not go to Berry College as a Curtis recruit, but when our coach moved on to another opportunity, I had the privilege to play for Curtis my final two college seasons. After the first practice, it was very clear that all aspect of my college lacrosse experience had been elevated (practice schedule, strategy, lacrosse IQ, performance expectations, etc). Curtis had an ability to own the room as an authority figure, but also put his hand on your shoulder and level set with you 1 on 1. I have read some harsh comments on here about Curtis being to hard on players… What I would like to ask is, “What were your expectations when committing to a program who prided themselves on Excellence.” Curtis could be critical (as he should be) but he was always fair and dealt out praise equally. I played with some of these keyboard warriors and their careers didn’t last very long. Curtis was fantastic for the program and taught me most of what I know about the game. I am very grateful we had him for the two years we did! "

"I played for Coach Gilbert for four full years at Berry. I had a great experience with him, and consider him a friend even now, many years after graduating. Coach Gilbert is a knowledgable and technically proficient coach with a strong understanding of the game and a bent for playing to the strengths of his players/team. Coach Gilbert is generally adaptable and comes up with good schemes/game plans based on in-depth study of opponents. Coach Gilbert is direct, sometimes to the point of being brusque, and a bit of a disciplinarian in some instances. That said, his directness is borne out of a desire to compete and to put players in positions to succeed. In all instances, Coach Gilbert clearly cares deeply for his players and tried to foster a culture of brotherhood among the players. Coach Gilbert made me a better player during my time on his teams and made me a better person. I'm thankful for my time with CG. "

"Coach Gilbert changed the trajectory of my life 17 years ago without his guidance and knowledge I would not have been prepared for the real world. I would also not have the career I have today or the experience I have with my own coaching career without the values he instilled in me all those years ago. Coach Gilbert is truly a leader of men and strives for greatness both on and off the field."

"I played under coach Gilbert all four of my years at New England college! To say he changed my life in a positive light would be an understatement! His ability to get the best and most out of each of us every single year was truly amazing. He had a winning mentality and created such an amazing culture. He was so knowledgeable at the game of lacrosse and did his very best to teach not only the sport but real world situations that I would have never been able to accomplish without his guidance. I am not only a huge advocate for him but would recommend him to any college or university if they are looking to better their program. "

"From day one I knew he was a good coach. The way he carried himself on and off the field is what you want in a coach. A coach that leads and shows you the right way to do things is not only making you a better lacrosse player, but a better person overall. He always had the team prepared for any game situation that would have come our way. He never was unprepared for our games. Even when it was game week and he was crushing film, his door was always open "

"Coach Gilbert is a passionate and intense coach who cares about developing the person just as much as the player. I played defense for him all four years. He focused on building real relationships between teammates, because he believed that trust between players was what actually won games, not just talent. His coaching style is old school in the best sense. Character and discipline came first, and skill development followed from that foundation. Practices were demanding, but he had a way of keeping them fun even when we were grinding through the same drill. He pushed hard because he wanted us to be better people, not just better lacrosse players. What stood out most was his accessibility. His office door was always open, and he meant it. You could go to him with anything, on the field or off, and he’d give you real time and real attention. He was also honest to a fault. If you needed to hear something hard, he told you straight, no sugarcoating. It wasn’t always comfortable in the moment, but looking back, that honesty is what helped me grow the most, both as a player and as a person. The culture he built was one of accountability and brotherhood. Four years under him shaped how I approach discipline, teamwork, and hard conversations to this day."

"Played four years for Gilbert and it changed my life. Despite my off field issues, he stood by and never quit on me. He is tough but fair, preparing players for the real world and genuinely caring about their long term well being. Gilbert was very supportive of a strong team culture, creating an environment where we built our own brotherhood of players unique to us. The environment is tough but fair. You get out what you put into it and more. Gilbert will push you to achieve your potential, and when you reach it there will be no bigger supporter than him. Speaking to many friends who also played college lacrosse, I have no doubt that the experience playing for Gilbert better prepared me for the real world and I’m grateful every day that I played my 4 years for him."

"Coach Gilbert was everything I and our team needed while balancing academics at Berry and getting as much out of ourselves in the athletic sense during my college career. Honest and tough, which made each of us honest and tough adults. "

"* Knowledgeable: Understands the game deeply—offense, defense, transition, clears, rides, man-up/man-down, and situational strategy. * Demanding but fair: Sets high standards and expects players to meet them, while holding everyone accountable equally. * Player-focused: Recognizes that different players need different coaching. They know when to push, when to teach, and when to listen. * Great communicator: Gives clear instruction and meaningful feedback instead of simply yelling when something goes wrong. * Builds confidence: Helps players believe in themselves, especially after mistakes or tough games. * Develops fundamentals: Emphasizes throwing, catching, shooting, dodging, footwork, positioning, and lacrosse IQ—not just complicated plays. * Creates a team culture: Builds toughness, trust, discipline, competitiveness, and brotherhood. * Leads by example: Shows up prepared, energetic, disciplined, and passionate. * Adapts: Can change strategy based on the opponent and adjust coaching to the strengths and weaknesses of his players. * Teaches life lessons: Uses lacrosse to teach accountability, resilience, leadership, work ethic, and how to handle adversity."

"Coach Gilbert is an extremely knowledgeable lacrosse coach. He takes an old school mentality approach when coaching and developing. It truly is a “best player” is going to play type of environment and competitive. "

"He is a good coach who has had a positive impact on the program. It’s important not to let one situation define a person or overshadow the culture and relationships they have built over time. A coach should be evaluated on the full picture of their leadership, character, and impact, not a single moment."

"To put it in perspective, not often does a head coach and assistant coach leave, and an entire team stay including incoming freshman. This is a representation of what Berry Men's Lacrosse has been built on during my four years and the couple of years after, strong brotherhood, held together partially by a shared displeasure of the former Head Coach Curtis Gilbert. He definitely does care for the game and is a good guy in the office and family man, but on the field his emotions run unchecked which leads to ineffective coaching. He constantly "challenges" players which in reality means putting them down and quasi bullying them, without motivation to rise out of a slump. He can't run a drill for more than 2 minutes without stopping and yelling over the most minute mistakes. It got so bad he made it known that no one was allowed to bash him anymore in their final goodbye message to the entire team. However one thing I have noticed is he has been able to routinely produce good defenders through simple fundamentals, probably due to his background as a pole. At the end of the day if your looking for a no nonsense guy who can teach a team the fundamentals and deeply cares, he' may do fine. If your a program like Berry who has plateaued, especially offensively, and now is trying to claw back into being a contender for a conference championship, he is the last guy you want. Also if you do hire this guy make sure he isn't syphoning allotted meal money to any assistant coaches. "

"Played four years for Gilbert that changed my life. His style isn’t for everyone. It’s tough, demanding, and pushes you to be everything you can be. It however is fair, consistent, and with love. You will get out what you put in to the relationship. Whether you like his style or not, it is for the betterment of the players and team and is what turns boys into men. Gilbert stood by me when he had no reason to, and his support changed my life. If you want to be pushed to achieve your full potential, if you want a program that will develop men of character, he is your guy."

"The one clear positive has been the brotherhood among the players, which exists largely independent of the coaching and due to their mutual dislike of the coach. Most importantly, there is noticeable dissatisfaction among athletes, with some considering leaving the program because of the coach. At this point, it may be time for a change in leadership to better support player development and the overall experience. Until these issues are addressed, families should carefully evaluate whether this program aligns with the experience they want for their athlete."

"Coach Gilbert leads with a very intense, confrontational style that relies heavily on public criticism, sarcasm, and high emotional pressure after losses. While he may be trying to demand accountability and competitiveness from his players, his communication often comes across as harsh and poorly delivered, and at times his judgment around demonstrations and player welfare may cross into behavior that players experience as degrading or unsafe. The overall impression is of a coach who is passionate and demanding but who struggles with self-regulation and constructive communication under stress."