New Coaches Try To Put Spikers Back On Winning Track

New ideas are always welcome when you’re trying to change a losing culture.

And having a coach who had success wearing the same uniform as Evanston’s volleyball players certainly can’t hurt, either.

So one of the first moves new girls head coach Mike McDermott made when he was hired last spring was to get Casey Durham back in the fold.

Durham, who was a freshman reserve on the only ETHS team ever to qualify for the Illinois High School Association state finals, has joined the staff as an assistant coach following a successful career at the University of Pittsburgh and as an international player. Durham was an assistant coach at New Trier the past two seasons.

McDermott and his new aide are taking on a large task, trying to turn around a program that was 4-30 last year --- the worst record in school history --- and one that hasn’t won a conference match since 2021 and hasn’t had a winning season since 2014.

The Wildkits hope to put that past behind them starting Monday with their 2024 season debut at Maine East.

McDermott takes the helm after working under 5 different coaches on the girls side as an assistant. He headed the ETHS boys program for 14 years and he’s eager to take on a new challenge.

“I think it’s going to be a fun and exciting year,” McDermott said. “I know the girls well and it’s important for them to have some continuity, especially because the seniors have had 3 varsity coaches in their 4 years.

“I’ve got a great new assistant coach in Casey Durham. I think she’ll be a great role model, because it’s important to our girls for them to see what success looks like. She’ll bring a lot of fresh, new ideas and I know she’s going to be a big help.

“I don’t think the culture ever really broke down year even though we didn’t win much. The girls supported each other all year and it didn’t break down into cliques or anything like that. They still worked hard, and right now I think a lot of them are right on the cusp of being good varsity players. So far it’s been really difficult for us to determine just who’s going to step up. It’s exciting to see them so on point --- and ready to go --- after such a disappointing year.”

Ten players are back from last year’s squad, so inexperience won’t be an issue. Still, even with that experience, McDermott and his staff have taken a “back to the basics” approach in a sport where fundamentals are the building blocks to any individual or team success.

“We want to help those girls make the most of their senior year,” said the coach. “We’ve gone back and broken things down to the basics, including how to prepare mentally. We’ve always reacted out on the court, we haven’t anticipated. Moving your feet and being ready for the ball is a basic concept, we just don’t want to react all the time. It’s a matter of preparation for those split second plays. That has to become instinctive.

“We’ve also focused on their hitting approaches. We can’t just rely on trickery to score.”

Lack of a go-to hitter has been an issue for the Wildkits since Durham graduated more than 10 years ago. Senior Frankie Taylor, an opposite, could fill that role as one of the most improved players on the squad. Middle hitter Gillian Colledge is a three-year starter with the offensive skills to shine, and sophomore Nora Williams is moving up from the JV level to deliver some punch in the middle, too.

Taylor has developed a connection with returning setter Lina Hauser, a senior, and McDermott sees the same kind of connection growing between his daughter, junior setter Casey McDermott, and Williams.

“Nora’s so young and she’s still growing into her body,” said the coach regarding the 6-foot-1 sophomore. “She’s going to be an explosive player. She’s gotten so much better and she’s already the second best middle in the program, that’s why we moved her up. She’s more experienced, more confident and she understands the game more.”

Senior Sofia Lindroth is a veteran libero/outside hitter who figures to join the starting lineup and lacrosse standout Kylie O’Connor might also emerge as an impact player. “Kyle played club volleyball for the first time this year, and now she looks more relaxed out there,” McDermott noted. “She’s put in a ton of time and I’m so glad she chose to play volleyball.”

Defensive specialists vying for playing time include Audrey Low, whose leadership and serve receive abilities have caught the coachs’ eye, along with Cat De Los Reyes and junior Siena Bowen.

Contributions at the outside hitter slots are expected from juniors Vivian Mitchell and Jazmyn White-Pratt, and Siena Livatino, a junior, provides depth at the setter position.

Help should also come from seniors Maeve Locher and Sarah Key, plus juniors Vivian Mitchell and Veronica Hayes.

“We do have a lot of questions at outside hitter,“ McDermott said. “Over the last couple of weeks I’ve written down 2 or 3 different lineups. It’s an organic process. We want to be peaking for the (Illinois High School Association) state playoffs, but we have to grow every day to get to that point.”