New starts and strategies for Chargers volleyball teams
January 9, 2008
The Camosun College Chargers volleyball teams will start the second half of the British Columbia Colleges' Athletic Association (BCCAA) season this weekend with matches against the University College of the Fraser Valley (UCFV) Cascades and the Columbia Bible College (CBC) Bearcats at St. Margaret's School.
The Chargers men are in need of a confidence booster after placing eighth in the Malaspina Mariners New Year's Tournament January 2-4. The holiday slump comes immediately following the departure of long-time head coach Linda Henderson, who is now living in Edmonton and working as the new Director of Athletics and Recreation at NAIT.
Newly appointed head coach Charles Parkinson is confident the team will be able to turn things around. "Linda is a great coach with 15 years of college experience behind her. This is still her team and her impact will be felt for a long time to come. I see myself as trying to complete her vision for the balance of this season, while implementing a few things that I think the team needs to be successful in the longer term," stated Parkinson.
Regarded a "technical guru", Parkinson has his game plan ready and is happy to have the opportunity to work with a group of athletes such as the Chargers who are open to new ideas and different ways of doing things.
"There are a number of things that we need to emphasize. Firstly, we have to block more effectively. Blocking is the first line of defense and right now is not where it needs to be. Secondly, we need to be more physical. As diggers get better and better, hitters have to increase the velocity of their hits and at the same time add more acute angles. We need to be able to jump higher and hit harder by being physically prepared. Thirdly, we are working to speed up our attack considerably. Getting isolations and finding seams is a recipe for success and is set up by a fast offense. The margin of error is greater with this kind of attack, but we think it's worth the risk. Lastly, connecting the offense and defense is the transition game. When we get opportunities either off the block or as a result of a great dig, we need to be able to convert in transition for points," reported the new head coach.
The Chargers women are also ready to step things up this season. "We have our first opportunity to set the tone for the second half of our season. This weekend will be good matches for our team versus UCFV and CBC. We have been working at establishing a fast paced offense to match our strong defensive abilities. This should lead to exciting games for all," said head coach Alison Hitesman.
Both Chargers teams are currently ranked #6 (women are tied for sixth) in the BCCAA with three wins and four losses. Matches are scheduled at St. Margaret's School as follows:
- Friday, Jan. 11: Chargers (#6) host UCFV Women (#5) at 6:30pm Men (#3) at 8:15pm
- Saturday, Jan. 12: Chargers (#6) host CBC Women (#4) at 1:00pm Men (#9) at 2:45pm
Contact
Graham Matthews
Recreation and Athletics Coordinator
Phone: 250–370–3601
matthews@camosun.bc.ca
