By Sara Yarnell
Staff Writer
It has been an eventful start to the season for the Hammond volleyball team. With the departure of their head coach four weeks into the season, they have been put in an awkward position. But this setback has not dampened their spirit.
“I’m excited!” says Meghan Coleman, the newly appointed head varsity coach and English teacher at Hammond. “Even though I wasn’t expecting to be here, I feel prepared for this role.” She has an expansive amount of experience with high school, club, and intramural volleyball. Over the last three years, she has coached both freshman and junior varsity volleyball for the Golden Bears, allowing her to develop relationships with a number of the girls within the program already.
During Coleman’s prior years of coaching, the Golden Bears were led by experienced and seasoned head coach Anne Corey. Corey, who retired from coaching at the end of the last season, had previously coached the Golden Bears for the last ten years. Coleman credits Corey’s mentorship and influence on the team, saying, “I learned a lot from Coach Corey. She has built a strong program and atmosphere that focuses on building on the girls’ success.”
Coach Coleman intends to take the lessons she learned from these past coaching experiences and utilize those while simultaneously implementing her unique coaching style into the remaining season. She wants to solidify that positive and productive environment for the team, saying, “I want to refocus on developing players and setting achievable goals for the team. I want them to enjoy what they’re doing.” Incorporating effective and fun elements into games and practices is part of her coaching philosophy.
The resignation hasn’t been the only challenge the team has faced this season. The Golden Bears’ graduated seven seniors, including several starters, last year. Despite the big shoes to fill, Coleman says, “It has allowed people, who maybe were in the shadows last year, to step up and to reach their full potential as volleyball players.” This core of younger leadership will pave the way for the future evolution of the program.
Regardless, the team and the adjusted coaching staff are staying optimistic about the remainder of the season and beyond. Coleman says that the tests that the team has faced in the last couple of weeks have only made them stronger. Since Coleman has taken over, the team has rallied, surging forward to play more promising games against Centennial, Marriotts Ridge, and Mt. Hebron.
The Golden Bears’ next home game is against the River Hill Hawks on October 10th. Varsity starts at 6 pm in the main gym, as they look to win their first game of the season.
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