After finishing last season with under a .500 winning percentage, the Mount Carmel volleyball team was hoping for a new direction and a fresh start.  It got both with the announcement that long-time teacher and Athletic Trainer Doug Awe had accepted a new role as head volleyball coach.

With two years of prior volleyball coaching experience, Awe describes the sport as a”high, intense, and fast – paced game that really intrigues me.”  He plans to incorporate his coaching philosophy by essentially “improving my athletes to the best of their ability so I can improve the best way I can.”

After finishing last in the Chicago Catholic League Blue division, Coach Awe brings a new coaching strategy to the team in hopes that the athletes will respond and ultimately take the program to the next level.

The recipe for most successful coaches seems to include mainly accountability, discipline, and instilling fearlessness.  However, Coach Awe has an entirely new perspective regarding the qualities that make for successful coaching.  “I believe (in) good communication skills, practice (before and after games), and work ethic from the athletes as well as the staff.”

The first step will be to work on the basics.  “It is important that my guys develop proper preparation such as conditioning and drill instruction.”  Once that foundation has been set, his goal is to “instruct the players in proper sportsmanship and to work to the best of their own ability.”

As for the players, the goal in this first year under a new coach is not necessarily to win the division, but to finish with a better record than the previous season.  Still, they hope that with the new tactics that Coach Awe imports, the team can look forward to a bright season.