Spring sports are ramping up around the hill, and for the Badgers beach volleyball team, this spring has not only brought a new season but a new head coach as well.
With any new coach, there will be changes, and the badgers being able to adapt to another new head coach could make or break this spring season. Newly appointed head beach volleyball coach Sarah Senft believes things have gone well thus far, “I think the team has adapted very well, everyone has been very receptive and willing to learn.” Said coach Senft wearing her gray badger beach volleyball hoodie. “One of my goals is to continue the culture of the Spring Hill volleyball program. Going forward Spring Hill was the runner-up last year at the AVCA [American Volleyball Coaches Association] Division II championships in Tavares, Florida. Hopefully, in the next couple of years we'd like to bring home one of those national champions for the beach team.”
Coach Senft said she is looking forward to watching the team grow and develop. “We are a younger team and during indoor, I thought we did a really good job with everyone stepping up and filling in roles, so I’m excited to see where the beach team goes.” Coach Senft was also the badger's assistant indoor coach this past fall.
The Sandy Badgers may have gotten a new coach, but she isn't as new to the program as you might expect. “I think the transition from being their teammate to their coach has gone well. They are very receptive during drills and willing to do what I ask of them without question. I think we’ve done a really good job of communicating from both sides.” Junior beach player Mikayla Boyer said the team has nothing but respect for coach Senft, “We all respected her last year and respect her this year, nothing has changed.”
“Transitioning from being a player to a coach has gone very smooth, thanks to the girls.” But like any coach there will always be highs and lows, “I think the hardest thing for me has been having boundaries, I had previous friendships on the team. There are a few older girls that I have played with and was close with, so having boundaries with them has been difficult. I would say one of the easiest things for me has been recruiting because I went to the school so it's not hard to talk about how great this school is.”
The Badgers will open their spring season with their first games on February 25th-26th at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. For more information on the badger's schedule please visit the badger athletic website at shcbadgers.com.