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Independence, MO —
Good isn’t enough anymore for the William Chrisman volleyball team.
The 2011 season was a major breakthrough for the Bears. Chrisman finished 19-13-1 – the Bears’ first winning season since 2003 – and placed third in conference and second in districts.
A standout season by any measure, but the expectations are higher this time around.
“That’s not OK,” Chrisman coach Vanessa Jones said. “We want to do better. We want first in conference and first in districts. We have that on our mind and that’s how we’ve been practicing.”
After a season of success, Jones said she’s finding it easier to convince her squad to think about long-range goals. She’s noticed a confidence that wasn’t there in the preseason a year ago.
“I think it is different because we don’t want to settle,” Jones said. “We had 19 wins and we know that we can do it. I think a lot of the older girls kind of have that built in them now. They know this is something that can happen. Even our upperclassmen have really raised their expectations. The seniors want to end this year with a bang and do some good things.”
The Bears are working to find a specific focus each day as Jones starts every practice with a quote that provides a theme for the day. So far, she’s liked what she’s seen.
“I’m impressed,” Jones said. “We’ve worked really hard this summer and I’m impressed with our work ethic this first week (of practice). They’re determined.”
BACKUP PLAN: John Crutcher isn’t overhauling his playbook. But the William Chrisman football coach said there will be some changes made so the Bears’ offense is more versatile.
Last year, Chrisman’s offense was never consistent as starting quarterback Dylan Cole was lost for the majority of the year with a shoulder injury during an 0-10 season. But, Crutcher said, that wasn’t because backup Kreig Jarnagin wasn’t a capable replacement.
The two QBs are different players, Crutcher said. Cole – now a junior – is a true passer with the ability to scramble. Jarnagin, a senior, is a run-first signal caller who gained 257 yards last season on 78 carries.
“I think last year at times we did a bad job of preparing our No. 2 quarterback,” Crutcher said. “... We’ve changed up the offense a little bit to make sure we’re OK in that situation if something were to happen and we were to lose Dylan again.”
Of course, the Bears hopefully will not face life without Cole, who Crutcher has hyped as one of the city’s top quarterbacks since taking over starting duties as a freshman.
“It’s a learning process for him taking care of the little things,” Crutcher said. “That first year that he started for us, we were just happy to have him here. We weren’t as hard on him as we are now.”
Good isn’t enough anymore for the William Chrisman volleyball team.
The 2011 season was a major breakthrough for the Bears. Chrisman finished 19-13-1 – the Bears’ first winning season since 2003 – and placed third in conference and second in districts.
A standout season by any measure, but the expectations are higher this time around.
“That’s not OK,” Chrisman coach Vanessa Jones said. “We want to do better. We want first in conference and first in districts. We have that on our mind and that’s how we’ve been practicing.”
After a season of success, Jones said she’s finding it easier to convince her squad to think about long-range goals. She’s noticed a confidence that wasn’t there in the preseason a year ago.
“I think it is different because we don’t want to settle,” Jones said. “We had 19 wins and we know that we can do it. I think a lot of the older girls kind of have that built in them now. They know this is something that can happen. Even our upperclassmen have really raised their expectations. The seniors want to end this year with a bang and do some good things.”
The Bears are working to find a specific focus each day as Jones starts every practice with a quote that provides a theme for the day. So far, she’s liked what she’s seen.
“I’m impressed,” Jones said. “We’ve worked really hard this summer and I’m impressed with our work ethic this first week (of practice). They’re determined.”
BACKUP PLAN: John Crutcher isn’t overhauling his playbook. But the William Chrisman football coach said there will be some changes made so the Bears’ offense is more versatile.
Last year, Chrisman’s offense was never consistent as starting quarterback Dylan Cole was lost for the majority of the year with a shoulder injury during an 0-10 season. But, Crutcher said, that wasn’t because backup Kreig Jarnagin wasn’t a capable replacement.
The two QBs are different players, Crutcher said. Cole – now a junior – is a true passer with the ability to scramble. Jarnagin, a senior, is a run-first signal caller who gained 257 yards last season on 78 carries.
“I think last year at times we did a bad job of preparing our No. 2 quarterback,” Crutcher said. “... We’ve changed up the offense a little bit to make sure we’re OK in that situation if something were to happen and we were to lose Dylan again.”
Of course, the Bears hopefully will not face life without Cole, who Crutcher has hyped as one of the city’s top quarterbacks since taking over starting duties as a freshman.
“It’s a learning process for him taking care of the little things,” Crutcher said. “That first year that he started for us, we were just happy to have him here. We weren’t as hard on him as we are now.”
