By: Dave Ricci
When asked about the prospects of the 2011 season coach Gary Tocke smiled and simply said, “If I wasn’t excited I wouldn’t be here.”
As Tocke leads the Kenmore West Blue Devils boys varsity volleyball team into the season he knows there are plenty of question facing his young team. But he believes they can find the answers together.
Graduating 10 of 13 kids will indeed create plenty of questions. But the legendary Ken-Ton coach is certainly savvy enough to know how to dissect a new season and what to tell his boys to get them off on the right foot.
“I tell everybody, never sell us short. Everybody is undefeated (in camp).” Tocke said with a wink. “That’s what I told them. I said you’re gonna have to work hard because the level is going to be different than what you are accustomed to. So you’re going to have to put forth the effort. You’re going to have to just play with a lot of intensity. And if they do, then we’ll see what happens. But I always tell them I’ll tell you how we did in the season in November (at our banquet).”
Ben Bowler and Alex Keller are the two key departures from the Blue Devils roster.
Keller was an extremely intense and athletic young man who could seemingly play just about anywhere.
Bowler, meanwhile, was a four-year starter and was one of the best setters the program ever had.
Though a kid like Bowler comes along once every 10 years, if your lucky, the Blue Devils know it’s about looking to the future and making the most of the talent in camp.
Leading the way will be Tocke’s three senior returnees, Tim Kelly (outside hitter), Scott Lachut (right side) and Tyler Appenheimer. Kelly and Lachut are expected to see a considerable amount of playing time.
“I think Scotty Lachut and Tim Kelly can possibly take us a to a pretty good level,” said Tocke.
“They’re both sound players. They have limitations to a point, but they have a lot of other qualities that make them better than average. They’re the ones that have to sort of lead us down the road and bring the younger kids up.”
Knowing that he and Lachut will most likely be the voices of leadership on the floor Tim Kelly said that thought the team is young in varsity years, he feels the continuity built through years of friendship will help them succeed.
“Everyone works hard everyday,” said Kelly. “We all come in. We all get ready together and we just try our best.”
Junior Alex Schwagler, up from junior varsity, is one of several players that are in the mix to win the job of starting setter. Schwagler is looking to rebound after an injury cut his JV season short last year.
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