Walking tall

Posted by admin on Oct 20, 2009 in Sports | 0 comments

What do you get when two of your Spartan women’s volleyball players play for national teams, three others play in the Canada Summer Games, and three more play provincially all in one summer? The
answer: Pressure.

Spartan women’s volleyball is back and looking hungrier than ever after last season’s fifth place finish at the CIS National Championship, which followed a 14-6 record. The team is coming off an impressive campaign in 2008-09, which was followed by a busy summer of activity that has the women’s team looking stronger, but slightly tired coming into training camp. Head coach Ryan Hofer is looking forward to being back and thinks his team has the potential for a great season. The women are looking at avenging a second place finish at the Canada West Championships and a first-round loss at the
national tournament.

“We have a very, very strong team. We have a solid group of girls, and a decent group that is returning. We‘re hoping to make it to nationals again, but it will be hard,” says Hofer. Hofer believes Manitoba and Calgary will be tough competition, as well as UBC, who are the defending national champions. TWU has lost eight players over the past two seasons, which for any other program would likely mean a rebuilding phase to allow for development. But Hofer does not believe that to be necessary for his team. “We have depth, we have a solid bunch of girls.” The women will see some spots up for grabs more than others. Fifth-year rightside Kim Klassen and fourth-year libero Andrea Ball will be the foundation for the team this year.

The Spartans also bolstered their administrative side of the program, adding new assistant coach Mike Gilray to help take on responsibilities of player development and scheduling. Hofer, a long time friend of Gilray, spoke highly of his new assistant coach. “I know him quite well, we complement each other well, and we will
thrive together.”

The one spot to watch for this season will be through the middle. “Everything is up in the air right now. If there is going to be a breakout player, it will be in the middle,” says Hofer. While he notes that the team have even players across the board, the middle position is a spot that will be a battle for playing time and he is looking for someone to step up and win the
spot outright.

Overall, the Spartans will be looking to bring their height into their style of play this year. With Lindsey Dykman at 6”2’, Nicole Basin being 6”0’, Kara Jansen Van Doorn at 6”0’, Chelsea Hudson and Klassen coming in a 5”11’, it’s a style of play that may work to their advantage. “We need to block them tough and have great shots in order to score,” says Hofer.

The Spartans kick off their regular season on Oct. 23 at Simon Fraser with back-to-back games against the Clan with their home opener a week later versus UBC on Halloween weekend at the Langley Events Centre.