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Bob Draginda
I wasn't the best man for the job—I was the only one. That's how I became the coach of the senior boys' volleyball team.
I have always prided myself on being an "artiste," so this new experience was certainly outside my comfort zone. I was used to directing stage plays, not sports plays.
The learning curve was steep. Well, actually, it was straight up. My previous knowledge of the sport was basic—I knew that kids wore running shoes and the players hit the ball back and forth over the net.
If the ball went out, it was a loss of serve and no points were awarded, and if it touched the net on the serve, it was a dead ball. Of course, those were the old rules. Today, you can return the volleyball with your foot!
At one tournament game, I decided to clarify the rules with the referee and asked: "How many substitutions are we allowed?"
"Twelve per set," he answered.
"Thanks," I replied, and started to walk away. Then I turned back and asked: "What's a set?"
I was always amazed at tournaments to see the other coaches writing things as they watched the game. What were they scribbling down? I figured there was no point in writing "Good play" or "Shucks, the ball didn't go over the net."
The highlight of the season was when we won two tournament games 25-0 and 25-0. My wife and others were less impressed when they realized that the other team failed to show. I sputtered a lot and said, "It still counts!"
At one game, I forgot the practice balls, so I suggested that the students play with imaginary ones. I thought I could incorporate some drama with volleyball.
I have learned a great deal of information about the sport—the height of the net for junior boys is 2.24 metres and 2.14 for girls. Now, if I can just remember how to rotate players on the court, I will be in business.
Other than the fact that I lost one of our new volleyballs at our first away game, I was lucky. I led a team of boys who were happy to be playing. I had parents who were supportive, and I had two former students who ran practices.
After our last season game, I was driving some of the players back to school when one boy asked, "Mr. Draginda, are you going to coach basketball?"
"I don't think so. I don't know much about basketball," I answered.
He replied, "You don't know much about volleyball either, but that's okay. You're cool!"
After teaching for 27 years, it is strange how a casual off-hand remark from a boy in Grade 9 can mean so much.
I didn't coach basketball but I will coach volleyball again next year. I just need to learn more about running systems, doing lines, reading signals and rotating players.
It's never too late to learn new skills and take new risks. That's what lifelong learning is all about.
This article first appeared in the March 27, 2001, ATA News. Bob Draginda is the principal and senior boys' volleyball coach at École Rudolph Henning School in Fort Saskatchewan.
