Kodiak women’s volleyball bringing a higher IQ into this season

By Lethbridge Herald on October 24, 2024.

Herald Photo by Justin Seward Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks' Aideena Wickstrom digs up a ball, while Reese Hanusich controls a ball in her hand during practice on Wednesday.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks women’s volleyball tea begin a new ACAC season tonight with a sense of a high basketball IQ from this roster.

The team  had a busy preseason  playing  some teams that they normally wouldn’t play in league in U Sport schools and Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference schools.

“It was really a goal for us to go into a lot of these preseason games blind and see how … we learn and develop our IQ as the game goes on without any information beforehand,” said Anna Schwark, Kodiaks head coach.

That approach was implemented to work on their mental game in order to help build confidence in executing game plans.

“I think it boosted everybody’s confidence mentally and I think in the game of volleyball, it’s huge just to get in there confident,” said Schwark.

“Sometimes it’s not so much the skill, it’s just the heart and the will power to get you through.”

Schwark said everybody’s  just firing on all cylinders.

“I can confidently say I’m the most confident in the overall IQ of this group than I have ever been in the last nine years,” said Schwark.

“They work extremely hard, they are lifting their weight, they’re eating well, staying hydrated, they’re all getting their hours of sleep in.”

Schwark sees the success coming from the mixture of new athletes with some of the more seasoned players.

“I think it’s creating a nice mix of taking what is working from the girls that understand our system and know what to do,” said Schwark

“But the younger girls that are coming in with not a whole lot of  playing experience, whether it’s with this team or not, they’re kind of able to add some new flavour to how we play. Our pace is a little bit faster; our back row is doing a really great job at moving on serve-receive, (and) coverage has been really great.”

Schwark will look to rely on her setters of Taryn Bach and Reese Hanusich to help with their success.

“They’re both running a very similar pace and placement which is what we want,” said Schwark. “And they both really become leaders for everybody on the team in their own right.”

Aideena Wickstrom is completing her final year of eligibility with the Kodiaks;

“One of her goals is just (to) put in the work, so that this year is just fun, so that she just feels rewarded, that her cup is full and that she left a legacy for this program when she’s done.”

 said Schwark.

Wickstrom sees potential in the team this year.

 “I think we have the potential to do very well this year,” said Wickstrom.

“We have a lot of, like Anna said, young talent and everyone is just showing a lot of grit and resilience this year despite the injuries we’ve had so far. So I think we have the potential to go pretty far this year.”

The Kodiak women begin with a home and home with the Medicine Hat College this weekend with the first game on the road tonight before returning home on Saturday at 6 p.m.