Viking Volleyball Overcomes Death of Coach, Beats Longfellow

For the girls on the sixth and seventh grade volleyball team, this week has been anything but normal. Monday morning they came to school and found out their coach, Kristian Macariola or Coach Kris to the team, had died suddenly the previous Friday.

Tuesday, the girls played a match and won and Wednesday they went to practice with new coach Yvette Brown.

"The school did a really good job of calling the girls in," said Brown.  "The girls were with a grief counselor Monday morning."

Erlyn Fukushima's daughter Joy plays for the team. Asked how the news affected her daughter Fukushima said, "She sobbed. This has been a pretty tough year for her because she lost an uncle too."

"There are other girls who are more affected by it," said Fukushima.

The team hung a banner in memory of Coach Kris before Monday's match.  The B-team won their match 2 games to 1 and the A-Team swept away the competition winning 2 games to none.

Funeral details were not available, however there will be a wake at Skyview Memorial in Vallejo, Thursday, beginning at 5 p.m.