Colorado State University Athletics
The ?Other? Spring Practices
4/2/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
With the excitement that comes with the beginning of spring football practices at Colorado State, another fall sport is also in training.
When the football team began spring practice on Tuesday, the volleyball team had been holding spring practices since March 17, and have been hard at work since long before then.
When the volleyball team?s season ended last year on Dec. 5, after a loss in the first round of the NCAA tournament, their off season began.
The team trained throughout the winter, with a variety of different workouts.
The women did weight training, conditioning, and individual workouts for six weeks leading up to spring break. Spring practices then began on the Monday after spring break with a focus on getting back into volleyball mode and playing as a team. The team also recently traveled to Tucson, Ariz. to participate in a tournament, the first of four before the fall season begins.
With spring practices well underway the team has already started to look toward next season. Although no team goals have been established yet, the coaches are very excited about next year?s team.
?We (coaches) are really focused on spring practices and improving in the areas where we need the most help,? said Assistant Coach Karrie Larsen. ?I am looking forward to having so much time with this team.?
Head Coach Tom Hilbert, who will begin his seventh year at Colorado State in the fall is also excited about this year?s team but he is not looking too far ahead.
?We hope to improve our ball handling skills and work on the little things this spring. It is the little things that make a big difference,? Hilbert stated. ?Our team isn?t as big this season, so we will have to play hard and fast.?
The Rams lose only one member from last year?s squad, which should play in their favor. The coaching staff is looking for each player to step up and contribute to the team in their own way and are especially looking to redshirt junior middle blocker Katie Jo Shirley and junior libero Lindsey Kerr to provide leadership.
?Lindsey (Kerr) is already a leader on this team,? said Hilbert. ? I will also be looking to Katie Jo (Shirley) and Melissa (Courtney) to emerge as team leaders next year.?
Coach Larsen also spoke about leadership as well as utilizing talent being key factors in the upcoming season.
?The team is talented and they are beginning to put it all together. The only challenge facing us right now is finding that one person to fill the void that Michelle Knox leaves,? said Larsen.
Experience should bode well for them as they hope to make a run at their fourth straight MWC Championship and a return to the NCAA tournament.
?The biggest difference from this season and last is we will add defense to the five returning starters. We won?t be gaining more athleticism but we will gain skill and become better at playing the game of volleyball,? Hilbert said.
The volleyball team opens their season at home, when they kick off the 13th annual University Park Holiday Inn Classic Aug. 29 in Moby Arena. Other teams participating in the tournament are: Bradley, Florida A&M, and nationally ranked Stanford.
?This is a team that can easily win another Mountain West Conference Championship and be successful in the NCAA tournament,? said Larsen.
by Nick Kiger
Student Assistant, Media Relations
