{all photos taken by Michelle Dorman}
Volleyball is pretty exciting around here – have you come out to one of the games yet? Today Coach Tim Theule shares a bit about the Middle School Men’s team this season. Read on to get excited and encouraged about our Grizzlies!
Not totally sure how it happened, but I somehow ended up the lead coach of the SLOCA Middle School Men’s Volleyball Squad. And I must say . . . It’s been a BLAST!
Thankfully, I’ve not coached alone as I’ve been assisted by a group of amazing assistant coaches including Chad Theule, Paul Hazlebeck, Erik Anderson, and Andrew Warnock. Any many thanks to SLOCA Athletic Director, Erik Blaze, who’s done so much behind the scenes from scheduling to set up.
We’ve got a gang of terrific young men who have come together as a hardworking and skilled team. Some are brand new players, a few played last year, but this year is definitely different.
These guys are focused and getting some wins. Grizzly Volleyball involves solid serving, great passing, clean setting and some hard kills! Every single player is growing in their skills and is making a significant contribution. It’s been fun to see them grow, learn to play as a team and encourage one another. Not only have they been competitive in every match, they’ve exhibited our SLOCA character along the way.
It’s been fantastic to see our SLOCA cheering section for every match and it’s always bigger than our opponents.
A Word About Coaching at SLOCA . . .
Like most of us, I truly did not have time to commit to coaching this team, but it landed in my lap and I’m glad it did. I’ve had the joy of investing in the lives of these fine young men, seeing them develop as a team, and learning the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. With our oldest now in college, I’m more aware than ever how quickly these days pass. I know these hours spent coaching are a great investment. I’m making time for it.
As we continue to develop our sports program at SLOCA, we desperately need skilled coaches who are willing to make the time. If we don’t find coaches from our parent population, we can hire them from the broader community, but then you’ll miss the joy of spending time with these great kids. Parents, don’t pass up that opportunity.
A Word about the Two Track Challenge . . .
Our two track set up at SLOCA presents an interesting challenge in the development of our sports program. The past couple of years, most of our SLOCA Team Athletes have come from Track A. Down the line, we’d like to see that change. In fact, we need that to change! In order to fill these teams and become competitive, we need as many athletes from both tracks to jump in and make a commitment to SLOCA sports. This year, we’ve made the jump to 4 days of practice for Middle School and High School sports team, which definitely involves a commitment on the part of the families, but it also presents a level playing field for both tracks, as neither track is favored in the scheduling of practices. In the future, we’re striving for and hoping for a balance of Track A and Track B athletes.
It’s Not Too Late. . . .
If you’d like to catch some SLOCA Volleyball, you still can. We have a few weeks of games left. You can check out our remaining schedule HERE. We’d love to see you out to cheer for our Grizzlies.
Thanks for your support.
Coach Tim Theule
Thanks for this update and reflection, Tim. We appreciate the time and commitment that you give to these young men! Here are a few more photos of Grizzly Volleyball:
