Strides in offensive transition, defensive coverage noticeable

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

The Wheaton volleyball team has finished its season with a 9-16-1 record, and first-year coach Kacy Whitley said the Lady Bulldogs made progress in many areas that will help shape the program’s future.

Whitley said the team’s biggest improvement came in offensive transition and defensive coverage, two areas she said can be difficult to develop in a single season.

“These areas are extremely difficult to accomplish within one season, but these young ladies worked extremely hard and learned how to play as ‘one’ on the floor,” she said.

Two victories stood out as signs of that progress. Wheaton earned a 3-2 win at McAuley, where Whitley said the Lady Bulldogs began putting pieces together and showed significant improvement in transitional coverage.

“The girls capitalized on their mistakes and put some big rallies together,” she said.

Wheaton also earned a 3-0 home victory over Seneca, with Whitley pointing to the support from the Lady Bulldogs’ pep club as a key part of the atmosphere.

“We had great pep club support that allowed our girls to play with intensity and determination,” she said.

As a first-year coach, Whitley said her goals extended beyond the win-loss column. The Lady Bulldogs needed to adjust mechanics and fundamentals, with progress measured through daily practices and smaller accomplishments that did not necessarily appear in statistics.

“I focused my expectations on doing things the correct way — play by play,” Whitley said. “It didn’t always show up on the scoreboard.”

Whitley said the team’s seniors also helped establish expectations through their leadership on and off the court, accepting challenges and helping set a standard for next year’s returners.

“These seniors have left some shoes to fill with leadership on and off the court,” she said. “They accepted every challenge I presented them with the determination to improve. They are great young ladies that I hope learned some valuable life lessons they can take with them beyond the classroom.”

Wheaton’s underclassmen also gained experience under the same practice expectations as the varsity team. Whitley said that approach should help prepare younger players for the transition from junior varsity to varsity.

“Our underclassmen had the opportunity to learn what my expectations were and what I hold them accountable for,” she said. “They went through the same level of practice my varsity did, and I expected nothing less than hard work and effort.”

Looking ahead, Whitley wants to continue building a program centered on daily improvement while strengthening the foundation at the junior high level.

“We look to build a program that focuses on the determination to get better every day and building a volleyball mentality,” she said. “We also want to develop a strong junior high program that allows a smooth transition into what I am expecting for the high school/varsity level. This season gives me a better perspective on what and how to train in the off season,” she said.

With morale high, Whitley said Wheaton is looking to build on the progress made this fall.

“As a coach, I’m always proud to be a Bulldog; I will continue to set high standards and work to improve our volleyball program by developing cross-sport athletes that are determined to get better every day,” she said.