Norwalk, St. Paul focus on the message

NORWALK — A welcome trip back to school. Over four days this week, Norwalk and St. Paul head volleyball coaches Sarah Kipp and Angie Kalizewski, along with their respective assistant coaches, are taking it all in. The Truckers and Flyers are participating in their annual camp with each other for three hours Monday through Thursday at NHS under the direction of NCAA Division II college coaches Katie Kuhn and Hannah Zuchowski. Kuhn stepped down last season after three seasons as the head coach at Ashland University, where Zuchowski was an assistant on staff. Zuchowski is now the head coach at Lake Erie College in Painesville. Both coaches were also previously at Div. III Ohio Northern University in Ada. "It's always nice for the girls to get things explained using a different terminology than they are used to hearing," Kipp said. "We may be thinking the same thing, but to hear a college coach present it in maybe a different way is always beneficial." Other than open gyms, this week is the first time St. Paul has done anything in the summer with another school. "This is our first chance to take a look and see what these kids can do, or how much they've improved after the JO season in the spring," Kalizewski said. "It's just a first look to see how we could put those puzzle pieces together and see who is able to do what while letting them play together." Throughout the camp, both Kuhn and Zuchowski have been holding players accountable from both teams. It's a role both high school staffs have been able to take a step back from and also learn themselves. "We make sure we note the drills and new ways to say things," Kalizewski said. "I think it's important for kids to hear multiple ways to say something that ultimately means the same thing. "We always call it the 'light bulb' moment, but that way we know what clicked. Because that won't be the same for each kid. I will soak up as many different ways of saying something as I can." Kipp echoed that sentiment. "It's just a different approach, which allows both the coaches and kids to also take a step back in our own way," she said. "Yes, we may be saying essentially the same thing, but having someone else explain it differently is one of the many benefits of working with Katie and Hannah." Kalizewski said she wants her team to learn something new from a different coach but also be confident in and around each other. "We are always anxious when we come in here because we don't do summer league, but it doesn't matter," she said. "There is nothing on the scoreboard. It teaches them to relax, and I like that part of it. "I want them to walk away with an ability to handle pressure. That's what is great about going against another team." For Kipp, she wants her NHS players to learn how to have fun together. She cited a moment during a scoring portion of play Tuesday night where her team was joyous after a big point. "I told them that is the most fun we get out of this as coaches," Kipp said. "Watching them get excited for someone else when they do something well is where it starts. I think that is truly what will drive us late in September and into October. The fun they learn to have together and the way they appreciate their work for each other and what they can accomplish … this is where it starts. This is the beginning of that foundation." Kipp also noted how unique the entire camp has become. Not only do two teams learn from college coaches, but they also just have to drive their own vehicles or be dropped off. "There is no getting on a bus or riding together in vans for this," Kipp said. "We get to compete against another school where, obviously, the girls all know each other and interact with each other. Many of them play on the same club teams. "But it really is a unique opportunity to get in the gym with another varsity and JV team and learn how to drive home that competition early in the season." Both teams are slated to compete in separate divisions at the Summer Spiketacular on Monday and Tuesday next week at the Cedar Point Sports Center in Sandusky. Norwalk then heads to AU for a day-long tournament next Saturday (July 25). Official practices across the state are set for Aug. 1. Two weeks later, the two teams will meet in a preview scrimmage with a unique twist — as it will be played outdoors at Contractors Stadium on Aug. 15. "Next week we go to Sandusky to be competitive and see how we are going to do against schools that we don't always normally face," Kalizewski said. "I love that part of it. With other teams in different divisions during the season, it's a chance for us to get the kids on the floor and learn to play each other a little bit before we come back in for August and really break it down. "You can sometimes get frustrated and start picking it apart and breaking it down slowly, but here, they get to become more comfortable with each other before we do any of that."