October 14
October 14, 2008October 16
October 16, 2008
Anytime a new coach is hired, it generally takes three or four years for that coach to completely get things where he wants them.
Through perseverance, unity and a sheer bit of luck, the Nicholls State Lady Colonels volleyball team is giving fourth-year head coach Chris Laird the results he has been waiting to see.
The Lady Colonels season began on a sour note. They lost five straight games against Iowa, Alabama, Western Kentucky, LSU and Southern Miss. – all without winning one set.
However, just as the hurricanes rolled in and seemed to set back all sports in South Louisiana, the 11-day break forged a bond among the team.
On Sept. 6 the Lady Colonels won their first set and their first match against Mississippi State.
“I think a lot of the credit goes to the players themselves,” Laird said. “Motivation is internal. Power is given where power is perceived. The biggest thing about it is the girls have done a lot of it themselves, rallying each other, staying involved. We have a great group of kids. Our main thinking is to show them the way, guide them, and let them take care of the rest and they have done a great job of doing that.”
The result of this method: In their first two matches following the storms, the Lady Colonels fell to South Alabama and UNO. What followed were three straight wins over Jackson State (twice) and Southland Conference foe Southeastern.
When they were finally able to play in front of the home fans, they lost to Central Arkansas 3-2 on Oct. 3. However, they rebounded the next day, dropping Northwestern State for their second conference win in three attempts.
In that match the Lady Colonels found themselves down 2-0, and had to rally by winning three straight sets.
“Northwestern State was huge after an emotional loss the night before,” Laird said. “To be down 2-0 and come back to win three straight was huge because we were mentally and physically broken down. It was a big win for us. Just the fact that the fans were there it was a big help for us.”
Just as with every sport, Laird still sees room for improvement, as consistency has been the biggest hinder for the Lady Colonels this season.
He firmly believes that if the Lady Colonels had been just a little more consistent during the Central Arkansas contest, that his team could have started off the year 3-0 in conference.
On the opposite end, Laird said he has been pleased with his team’s effort and determination at this point in the season.
“The main thing in consistency,” he said. “We put ourselves in some tough positions. We’d serve the ball out or do something else to kill our momentum. The big thing is to make sure we play consistently and I think everything else will take care of itself.”
He still sees the Lady Colonels as a team that can remain competitive in conference play, and should be able to stay around third or fourth place. That’s enough to get them into the conference tournament.
“Playing how we did against Central Arkansas and Northwestern State, we could be anywhere in the middle of the pack,” Laird said. “We’re not quite up to the top because we have some great programs (in the conference). That doesn’t mean that we train any less.”
Laird attributed the early season success of the Lady Colonels to the team finally buying into his philosophy. He credited the returning members, especially senior outside hitter Mallory McInnis and senior libero Enjoli Ford, for making his job a little easier.
“Mallory McInnis has been a big part of our early season success so far. She has given us a lot of senior leadership and a lot of stability. She hasn’t always been on the court the whole time but she has been an incredible part of our team. Her and Ford have been here as long as I have been here. It’s been a rough first couple of years for everyone, but right now things are exciting.”
The two not only perform on the court, but have become true leaders off the court as well, Laird said.
He knows when it comes to crunch time, the two take on the role of being team leaders.
“After a while, players can turn off coaches,” he explained. “After a while you have to have the accountability and responsibility coming from each other. Players have to give players their own accountability. That’s what they are doing.”
He didn’t leave out the rest of the team though, saying that everyone contributes something in their own special way. Even newcomers Rachel Yezak, Danielle Daigle, Jordan Karst and Manieka Golden have experienced their fair share of playing time. He just hopes that as the team continues with the heart of conference play, success continues to find it’s way towards the Lady Colonels.
“The great thing about this group is they are a lot of fun to be around,” he said. “They are believing on the court, they are showing that they can compete in this conference and at this level. As long as we can remember that, we’ll be fine.”
He hopes that carries tonight against conference rival Lamar as the Lady Colonels currently sit in the middle of the conference with a 5-10 overall record, and 2-3 overall in conference having dropped two hard-fought conference games in a row.
Freshman Rachel Yezak goes for a block during a home game this season. Yezak has been one of the reason’s head coach Chris Laird has seen better play in his team this season. The Lady Colonels return home tonight against Lamar at 7 p.m. * Photo courtesy of DAVID MINKIN • InFocus Sports
