Hawksvolleyball team possesses winning attitude
By Darren Lum
Published Nov. 28 2017
Evenin high school when a sports season doesn’t compare to the marathonof pro sports the attitude of a team goes a long way toward successwhether it’s measured in wins and losses or just enjoyment.
Thisyear’s senior Red Hawks volleyball team is bound to be successfulafter its coach Dan Gimon has learned this team is very keen andloves the game.
Gimon said the 12-member team’s best attribute isattitude.
“They’re all very keen” he said.
Due to work heisn’t available to start practices so he relies on his team tostart with warm-ups and drills on their own which has happened.
Froma questionnaire which includes questions related to futureaspirations careers and goals the players have been consistentlyanswering they love volleyball calling it a great sport and want todo well.
One player who didn’t have any playing experienceaccepted the coach’s invitation to improve her skills and workoutwith the team because of her desire to just play.
The team is toonew he said to know the team’s offensive or defensive style ofplay. Basics are being emphasized. Less than two weeks to go untiltheir first league competition in December the team has been busyrunning through drills.
“Right now I’m doing a lot offundamentals to really engrain the basics and the proper techniquesinto them so that when they do get into game situations they don’thave to think about it. It will be automatic” he said.
He adds atthis level mistakes are costly.
“Force them to make the mistakes.Easy balls should be yours. Unforced errors. Try to minimize unforcederrors” he said .
Gimon has coached the past few years when hisdaughter Natalia started playing in Grade 7.
Prior to that there wereseveral years when Gimon did not coach. However his coachingexperience spans more than 10 years including time as an assistantcoach in college and then coaching and instructing at a sports campin Muskoka.
Concurrently he is also helping with the U17 OrilliaSuns a club volleyball team which his daughter and DakotaMacDonald another Hawk plays on. Natalia has already Gimon saidplayed for the Orillia Suns team at the left power position.
Theteam’s setter is Arden Harrop who returns at the position she hadlast year. Backing her up will likely be Freya Moran Gimon said. Asof right now this team will not have a libero a defensivespecialist. The captain or captains have not been chosen yet. Gimonsaid he will leave it primarily up to the team to decide with hisown input.
Gimon who is holding practices with the junior team froma collaborative effort with its coach Steve Smith acknowledges theteam is greatly supported with the help of faculty members JaniceScheffee Mike Gaffney and Will Arnup who is also Hawks alumnus.
Theteam will host Kawartha West schools (I.E. Weldon Lindsay CollegiateVocational Institute Fenelon Falls Secondary School St. ThomasAquinas Secondary School and Brock High School) on Wednesday Dec.13. This game is subject to change without notice.