WOLFPACK WVB YEAR IN REVIEW
 
(left: wohlford talks to players     right: WolfPack Women after final match of season)

For immediate release: Wednesday  February 11, 2009

Kamloops, BC- Less than a week after their Canada West season came to a close, the Interim Head Coach of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s volleyball team has had a chance to reflect .

Cal Wohlford was brought in to fill the shoes of Carrie Barrett during her maternity leave.  While she delivered a baby boy, Wohlford delivered the winningest season in the school’s four year CIS history.

“I don’t really look at the stats,” he said.  “Am I completely satisfied (6-14 record)? No.  I think  we could have done better in a lot of aspects.  We won more games this year than ever before.  Will they win more next year?  I think so. I believe the program is on the right track no matter who is coaching here.”

Wohlford came into the TRU situation knowing very little about the players.
“I truly feel when you come in as a coach. There are two things that are important. You have to be disciplined and you have to believe in what you are doing, “ he said. “ Then the athletes will buy into your ideas.” 

 Wohlford admits that it wasn’t an overnight process. “ You can say the same thing to an athlete over and over again. But someone can come into the gym, give the same message using a couple of different words and then it clicks. It wasn’t that I said or did anything different that what Carrie would have done.  They just seemed to listen. From there, we just tweaked and added to what they had learned before and we got more success from it.”

The WolfPack more than doubled the amount of sets they had won (12 to 29) from the previous year.
“The season was truly a rollercoaster ride,” he said.  “There were times where we didn’t believe in ourselves and our improvement. The athletes that we had this year as second and third year players had more of a taste of being in a fight. That’ll carry over to next year and they’ll want to finish off those opportunities where we’ll win those fourth and fifth set matches.”

The WolfPack struggled at times in the first half of the season. Wohlford admits that a split with SFU in the opening weekend of the season came back to haunt them when victories were needed to secure a playoff spot.

Personnel wise, he said he couldn’t pinpoint a most improved player.  “ I think everyone: from the red shirts to the fifth year players all got better as the year goes on. Some players had injuries coming in that they had to battle back. There were others who started coming out of their shell at the end of the season.”  He believes that outside hitters Anna Dyakawicz (2nd year ,Burnaby, BC), Amanda Frayne (2nd year, Kamloops, BC), Michella Domo (2nd year, middle, New West, BC) will be key cogs to the WolfPack’s future.  He also thinks that right side Kelly Asleson (2nd year, Richmond BC) and Amanda Loree (outside hitter, 2nd year, Armstrong, BC)  are ready to step into more key roles next year.

Wohlford hopes that if he doesn’t return next season, the legacy he leaves with the program is that the girls confidence in themselves will make them not only better players, but better students and better people down the line.  “I hope I brought in the lesson that you should never give up, no matter how tough the odds are.”

SERVICE ACES:  As it stands now, Wohlford’s contact as Interim coach expires at the end of March. Barrett, who did watch the teams last four league matches isn’t expected to resume her duties until the summer when her mat leave expires.   The WolfPack will have at least three holes to fill for 2009-10.  Libero Laura Plouffe (Sherwood Park, Alta) and outside hitter Richelle Walton (Langley, BC) have played out their eligibility. Setter Stine Christiainsen (2nd year, Ribe, Denmark) is returning home after the Danish Education Authority wasn’t clear on whether psychology courses she took in Canada would transfer over.  Aimee Seres (libero, Port, Moody BC) and Courtney Kaleta (middle, Quesnel, BC) did red shirt this year.  Wohlford, who has done all the recruiting for next year plans to sign a number of  high school players in the coming weeks.