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Court is Now in Session: JPII begins volleyball practice with new coach
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
The John Paul II volleyball team started practice this week, as it does every year.
But for the first time since the program began play in 2005, Sherry Olivares is not the person leading the practice or patrolling the sidelines for the Lady Cardinals.
That job now belongs to Nicki Gonzalez.
Olivares was placed on administrative leave with pay with four matches remaining in the 2011 season and never returned to her position as head coach.
In her place steps Gonzalez, a graduate of Texas A&M-Kingsville who had been the head volleyball coach for the past six years and athletic director for the last four years at San Antonio Incarnate Word. At Incarnate Word, Gonzalez experienced the success John Paul is seeking as The Lady Shamrocks won four district titles, advanced to the state tournament five times and played in the state finals two times (2008, 2011) during her tenure.
Gonzalez became aware of the John Paul job as the 2011 season wound down.
"I heard it was possible that job would be coming open at the regional meetings," she said. "You are always looking for ways to improve yourself as a coach and I saw the mission statement at John Paul and really agreed with it from an academic and athletic perspective."
Despite the distance separating the two schools, Gonzalez was familiar with the Lady Cardinals.
"We were both in the Pearland Invitational last year, so I got the opportunity to see John Paul play," she said. "They showed a lot of intensity on the court and that is what you always heard about John Paul; they have girls with good character that show a lot of heart and intensity on the court."
That being said, the decision to depart Incarnate Word wasn't easy.
"It is always difficult to leave a program you have been with for so long and care so much about," Gonzalez said. "It was a big help that I was familiar with the program and it is a good situation here. John Paul has been successful pretty much since the program started and they are growing even now, so I feel like this opportunity was a blessing from God."
Even with those positives, there remains plenty of work to be done.
That work began in full Monday with the official start of practice.
"It's been very challenging for the girls, especially because they have put in a lot of time and work over the summer trying to get better," Gonzalez said. "These girls know that skills don't change overnight, but they also know the goals and direction we are looking to head in and I have faith in them achieving those things because this is a great group of girls that want to play for themselves as well as for the pride of their school."
The direction John Paul would undoubtedly like to head is to the state tournament.
The Lady Cardinals advanced to regionals in 2008, 2009 and 2010, but have yet to get the final win needed to make it to state.
"Any team that is serious should at least talk about the state tournament," Gonzalez said. "But when you set big goals, it is important to set smaller ones as well. One of our goals on that front is to improve in district; we want to win more games and finish with a higher seed this year."
John Paul placed fifth in TAPPS 1-5A last season, a district frequently noted as being the best in the state. Don't expect argument from Gonzalez as Incarnate Word's two state finals losses came to Bishop Lynch and Trinity Christian Academy, now district foes.
"In this district we will be competing every day," she said. "But I'm a competitor and I like to compete, so I am definitely looking forward to the new district."
District play is still a ways away, but the season begins in earnest next week.
"We have a goal in mind and everyone in this program is focused on moving toward that goal," Gonzalez said. "Right now we are working on being able to finish because we expect to be in some tough matches and want the girls to be able to push all the way to the end."
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