Senior volleyball coach seeking answers

Adrian Chapman would be happy to discuss how his Muskie senior boys’ volleyball team is going to fare this season—if he knew himself.
“I don’t know,” Chapman said simply when asked about his squad’s chances at winning NorWOSSA this season after a difficult four-set semi-final loss to the Kenora Broncos in last year’s playoffs.
“I won’t be able to tell until I see them in action,” he remarked. “But from my past experiences as a coach, this is an exceptional team in every area, with great attitudes and great hustle.”
Chapman has a perfect balance of six veterans and six newcomers, including three starters from last year who will need to come up even larger this season.
“Kurtis Wepruk was our MVP last year,” noted Chapman, whose team hits the court here tomorrow to open their regular season against Kenora. “He’s an excellent player, with a lot of power, and he’s a leaper.
“He’s a big defensive player for us, and he seems like he’s becoming a bit more of a leader this year, too.
“Matt Gamsby is a solid player who thrives on hard work and has a lot of talent,” Chapman added. “And Cullan McGinnis is terrific defensively, and his offensive game is through the roof.
“He’s made a great improvement since last year.”
Gamsby said it’s essential to have enough young players on board to take over as the seniors graduate from year to year.
“How will next year turn out if you don’t have those younger players this year?” he wondered. “That’s how you create team leaders.
“It’s hard to say how we’re going to do,” he admitted. “But our team chemistry is good, we’ve got tall and quick guys at the net, and defensively, we’re able to do it all.”
Chapman believes his veterans really began to hit their stride at the end of last season and has faith that upward trend will continue. He’s taking a wait-and-see approach with his rookies, though.
“I haven’t had much of a chance to work with them, yet,” he explained. “But they seem to be soaking up what I’m teaching pretty quickly, considering this is the ‘Cliff notes’ version of volleyball with the season starting [tomorrow].”
< *c>Youth movement
On the junior side of the ball, head coach Greg Ste. Croix will have to compensate for the fact only a trio of players from last year’s NorWOSSA silver-medalists will be around this year.
“Having only three veterans is going to be a bit of a disadvantage early in the season,” said Ste. Croix, whose group lost in four sets to Kenora in the NorWOSSA final last year and faces the Broncos in a rematch tomorrow afternoon to begin their regular season.
“I’m very confident, though, that by the end of October, our young guys will have made the step up,” he remarked.
Ste. Croix evaluated his team as being bigger and faster this year, and is especially impressed with their strength up the middle.
“We’ve got great size in guys like [veterans] Andrew Dobie, Jerome Tuesday, and [rookie] Boyd Badiuk,” said Ste. Croix. “They’re three monsters. They’re tall, athletic, and can jump.”
He also is hopeful about his prospects at the power position—Grade 9 player Tyler Johnson and Grade 10 addition Ryan Lawres—but sees a bumpy road ahead for his setting duo of veteran Kevin Empey and rookie Sean Love.
“It’s going to be a tough year for them,” Ste. Croix predicted. “The learning curve is going to be very steep. I’m confident they’re going to be able to do a lot more things by the end of the year.
“On the off side is where we’re struggling,” he added. “We have the bodies, but now we have to make the puzzle fit together.”
Serving proved to be somewhat of a thorn in the team’s side last year, and there’s no avoiding the fact the Muskies’ play behind the backline will have to be consistent if the black-and-gold expects to contend in NorWOSSA.
“Anyone can serve in practice,” said Ste. Croix. “Now I have to wait and see who can do it in a game.
“My philosophy for the first two matches will be to get everyone into the game so they can show me what they can do. If you can serve inbounds, you’ll play. If you serve out, you may see yourself sitting on the bench.”
A NorWOSSA championship is a goal Ste. Croix figures is within reach.
“Definitely, if we decide that’s what we want to do, it can be accomplished. I have no reason to think otherwise,” he said.