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Nk volleyball doesn't need to rebuild |
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Wednesday, 02 April 2008 |
By ERIC RUEB
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NORTH KINGSTOWN – Joanne Fitts doesn’t believe in rebuilding.
If you look at the Hall of Fame coach’s resume, there hasn’t been much rebuilding in her time at North Kingstown and she’s planned it that way.
“You just rekindle, that’s all,” Fitts said. “We’ve been lucky to get the talent. We have a good coaching staff, kids come to play and you just always look for those four strong freshmen every year and it flows throughout the program.
“You don’t try to be senior-laden. I don’t every try to be senior-laden. I have four this year and I had five last year. You don’t rebuild if you don’t start six seniors.”
Fitts tried to start that many last season, but injuries and some player disagreements caused her to go to Michael Ohanian and Dan Tisser toward the end of the season.
After losing all-state middle hitter Mike Fanning, setter Jeff Siatti and outside hitter Aaron Stinson-Hall, the Skippers could have packed it in and called it a rebuilding year, especially on a team with a majority of underclassmen.
Instead, they’re calling themselves a state contender.
Ohanian and Tisser have stepped their game up from last season – thanks to playing club ball over the winter - and look like top-flight hitters. Brett Stetson has come from the junior varsity team to the starting middle hitter (11 kills in Monday’s loss to East Providence) and Brad Warburton and Sean Reisch look like the ideal setters for this team.
With J.P. Adley potentially stepping up as the No. 2 middle hitter along with Tim Batzinger as another hitter, NK has the weapons – and next year, only Batzinger will not be back.
“This could be our year,” Fitts said. “Or next year could be our year. We have a lot of firepower, we just need to work on plays more.”
The only other seniors are defensive players - Rob Nelson, J.M. Degidio and Corey Zapatka are solid defensive specialists and Nelson has shown the ability to hit when needed.
While it appears the Skippers have reloaded, they still have to learn to play together.
Tuesday’s loss to East Providence (X-B) made this even more evident, as the Skippers struggled with passing and it appeared no one was stepping up to lead the team in their 3-1 loss.
But it looks like early-season struggles are part of the plan.
“Were hoping to get better early,” Warburton said, “and then make a run in the second half.”
“Our goal is to get better every day,” Fitts said. “My goal as a coach is to make them a little bit better. Every day we talk about leaving practice a teeny bit better in at least one aspect.”
Hendricken is a traditional powerhouse. East Providence returns five of its seven regulars from last season’s state final team. Toll Gate might have the two best players in the state in Jeff Baker – an NK transfer – and James Roch. Chariho, Coventry, East Greenwich and South Kingstown are down from last season.
That leaves North Kingstown somewhere in between the elite and the not-so-elite, which is just the way Fitts likes it.
“I think we might sneak up on people,” Fitts said, “and I love being the underdog.”
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