To hear Capilano Blues women’s volleyball head coach Cal Wohlford describe his team this year, you might just think he’s discovered the fountain of youth.
A big part of that is the fact that his lineup features several new faces after the departure of basically an entire starting lineup of top players before the 2017-18 season. Last season the Blues had four fifth-year players on the roster – a rare feat in the world of PacWest volleyball – as well as two other elite players who moved up to the U Sports level this season. Coaching so many long-serving players allowed him to fall into some familiar routines, said Wohlford.
“When you coach athletes that you’ve had for such a long period,” the coach said, “they know your philosophy, they know what you’ve said, they’ve heard it all.”
The team has a much different look this year, with seven rookies on the roster and only three players with more than two years of experience at the post-secondary level. With so many new players stepping in to fill the lead roles this season, Wohlford said he’s feeling younger himself as he’s had to jump back in and get back to basics.
“I’m rejuvenated,” he said. “With this new group I find myself re-excited because I’m back coaching again and these kids are pretty excited. … They’re learning, and I’m coaching a lot of the technical stuff again. It’s pretty exciting. It’s an exciting year and I’m really enjoying the team. The team has very good team chemistry going on right now.”
It’s even been good for his personality, he said.
“I think I’m a lot more patient, in a sense,” said Wohlford. “I know there’s going to be a lot more mistakes, a lot more errors, where last year I was wanting a bit more perfection. … It’s a different mindset, but very enjoyable. I’m having a good time and I think the girls are having a good time.”
The Blues may have fresh springs in their steps, but they haven’t bounced right to the top of the league standings. Through the first semester the team posted a 6-6 record to sit in fourth place in the league. They finished strongly though, winning three of their last four matches. Considering the new crop of players coming to Capilano, Wohlford said he expected to be right around the .500 level at this point.
“I’m not disappointed at all,” he said. “I’m happy where we are and happy for the second half. I think the second half we’re going to really start showing the true colours of our team and be able to build up and hopefully be very good come provincials.”
Third-year players Tyneille Neufeld, Zoe Mydansky and Argyle grad Meghan Koven have all taken on leadership roles, with Neufeld leading the offence from her outside hitter position, sitting second in the league in kills and total offensive stats.
Koven and Mydansky have both made monumental switches this year, moving from the libero and power hitter positions, respectively, to play middle blocker. Both have blossomed at the net, with Koven ending the first half as the league leader in blocks per set. They help lead Capilano’s defence, which is the team’s strength so far, said Wohlford. Libero Tracy Ewashkiw, Neufeld and power hitter Isabella Lima all are in the top-15 in the league in digs.
“We pass well and we’re very aggressive serving,” he said. “Offensively we’re getting stronger at the end of the season here. I think we started out very well defensively and we’re keeping that train going.”
Lima, a Brazilian player, is back with the team after fighting off a scary virus that attacked her nervous system. She and power hitter Emma Schill help drive the offence with Neufeld.
“They all pass well, they all hit well,” said Wohlford.
There’s much that is new with the Blues, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the final expectations for the team, said Wohlford.
“Our goal all the time is to go out there and win provincials,” he said. “I expect them to be up there, I expect them to be fighting for it. … Just because we have younger players and newer players doesn’t mean I expect any less of a performance from our program.”
The young Blues will be right back at it this weekend when they host a pair of matches against Columbia Bible College. The action starts on Friday with the women hitting the floor at 6 p.m. followed by the men. On Saturday the same two teams will be in action at the Capilano Sportsplex with the women starting at 5 p.m. with the men set to follow.
