Volleyball teams aiming for OCAA medals
It's that time of year again where the air is colder, the leaves are changing and the nights are getting longer. But for coaches Josh Westgate and Lloyd Rumble it's time to get out the volleyballs for a new season.
The men's and women's volleyball teams walked away with 3-0 set wins this week in both of their season opening games against the Sheridan Bruins. For both teams this is a very solid start to the beginning of the season.
For the men's team this is the beginning of what is expected to be a very promising season. At this year's fifth annual Fanshawe college kickoff tournament, the men's team walked away with the first place trophy raising expectations. But according to Westgate, this win could also be a curse.
“The guys played well for the beginning of the year, but we need to do a whole lot better if we want to get a [OCAA] medal,” said Westgate, “We are a very experienced team, with nine returning players. The expectations for us as a team are high, while we did win the tournament and our game against Sheridan; we have to play against the St. Clair Saints and because we beat them in the semi-finals of the tournament, the guys might get too confident. This year is not going to be easy, the level of competition is very high, and if we want to be first we need to be playing our best volleyball by January and February.”
Another thing that Westgate stressed was the team's work ethic. Two to three days a week the team meets in the gym at 6 a.m. for workouts and then practices three days a week, two weight training sessions as well as a game.
“The guys are student athletes, and being a student comes first. We haven't had a guy flunk out in the two years I have been head coach and I want to keep it that way,” noted Westgate. “If we can instil a solid work ethic in these guys on the court it should carry over into their academic lives and into the futures in their lives and careers.”
And so now we wait upon the next five and a half months to see whether or not this group of guys can gel as a team and improve their skills to hopefully bring home the gold.
The men's and women's volleyball teams walked away with 3-0 set wins this week in both of their season opening games against the Sheridan Bruins. For both teams this is a very solid start to the beginning of the season.
For the men's team this is the beginning of what is expected to be a very promising season. At this year's fifth annual Fanshawe college kickoff tournament, the men's team walked away with the first place trophy raising expectations. But according to Westgate, this win could also be a curse.
“The guys played well for the beginning of the year, but we need to do a whole lot better if we want to get a [OCAA] medal,” said Westgate, “We are a very experienced team, with nine returning players. The expectations for us as a team are high, while we did win the tournament and our game against Sheridan; we have to play against the St. Clair Saints and because we beat them in the semi-finals of the tournament, the guys might get too confident. This year is not going to be easy, the level of competition is very high, and if we want to be first we need to be playing our best volleyball by January and February.”
Another thing that Westgate stressed was the team's work ethic. Two to three days a week the team meets in the gym at 6 a.m. for workouts and then practices three days a week, two weight training sessions as well as a game.
“The guys are student athletes, and being a student comes first. We haven't had a guy flunk out in the two years I have been head coach and I want to keep it that way,” noted Westgate. “If we can instil a solid work ethic in these guys on the court it should carry over into their academic lives and into the futures in their lives and careers.”
And so now we wait upon the next five and a half months to see whether or not this group of guys can gel as a team and improve their skills to hopefully bring home the gold.
