Dowden pleased with young volleyball teams’ progress so far
Change is in the air this season for the Big Foot girls volleyball team.
And that starts at the top, where former standout Caitlin Dowden has taken over the coaching reigns from Jen Koplitz, who resigned at the end of 2013 to spend more time with her family.
That’s not the only difference, as Big Foot’s 2014 roster features several new faces who will attempt to build on the Chiefs’ strong tradition and add to its string of five straight Rock Valley Conference titles.
Dowden, formerly O’Leary, said in an e-mail last week that she’s been pleased with her young team’s progress.
“Things have been going well,” she said. “The girls seem excited to be back in the gym.
“We are a determined team. If we put an idea in our head, we want to get it done, and we will work hard to get it done.”
Leading the Chiefs will be senior co-captains Rachel Heidenreich (outside hitter) and Samara Enz (middle blocker). They are joined by fellow seniors Ally Mazur (setter-middle blocker) and Morgan Hoey (libero, defensive specialist).
Juniors on the varsity roster are Morgan Courier (outside hitter), Alyssa Zillmer (setter), Julia Gilstrap (opposite), Morgan Stalker (defensive specialist), Carly Snudden (right side, middle blocker) and Kaiti Kelley (right side, middle blocker).
The roster also features sophomores Kennedy Hehr (outside hitter, libero), Gloria Esarco (outside hitter) and Katie Santeler (setter-defensive specialist) and freshman Payton Courier (middle blocker).
“We are a young team when it comes to court-time experience,” Dowden said. “This also is a good thing for us because we are putting in place some new things.”
Dowden added she will lean on everybody on the roster as a potential leader, not just the captains and the upperclassmen.
“Our leaders are still developing,” she said. “We are a young team, court-experience wise), and so we are trying to see who ‘hatches’ out of their shells and takes the leadership roles.”
Dowden, who is married to another former Big Foot standout, Mike, who is the varsity boys head basketball coach, said she sees the race to the RVC crown as wide open.
Which teams emerge from that battle will be determined the next several weeks.
“Conference is up for grabs,” she said. “It all depends on how teams mesh and come together.”
Regardless of what happens on the court, Dowden said her goals in her first year as the Chiefs’ head coach remain the same.
Between now and the end, she just wants to see continued improvement on the court.
“(We want to be) working hard each day and make sure we don’t settle for anything less than our best,” Dowden said. “Meshing as a team and really focusing on the fact that we are one team with one mission (is important).”
Dowden, who had a baby last week, said she’s beginning to settle into her new role and is excited for what the future may bring.
“The transition has gone very well, thanks (in) good portion to how willing the other coaching staff has been in working with me,” she said.
Chiefs win two at invite
Big Foot opened its season last week at the Cougar-Viking Classic in Janesville and posted a 2-10-1 overall record.
The Chiefs defeated Madison Memorial 25-22, 25-12 and Parkview 25-23, 25-16. Big Foot tied Janesville Parker.
Leading the way in the win over Memorial were Payton and Morgan Courier with four kills; Rachel Heidenreich with our kills; Morgan Hoey with two aces; Katie Santeler with two aces and four assists; Esarco with two blocks; and Alyssa Zillmer with six assists.
Statistical leaders against Parkview were Esarco with 10 kills; Heidenreich with 11 digs and four kills; Payton Courier with three kills; Hoey with six digs; Santeler with seven assists and four aces; Samara Enz with three aces and three blocks; and Zillmer with eight assists.
Big Foot is back in action Tuesday, Sept. 9, when it travels to Beloit Turner.
