By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
On Saturday, the Dowagiac varsity volleyball team will kick off a new era.
The Chieftains, who were 16-20-5 last season, will be playing for their fifth coach in five years when Carl Greulich takes the helm of the program.
Greulich is not stranger to rebuilding programs.
He coaches at Clay in South Bend, Ind. and turned that program into a solid volleyball team in just a matter of a couple of years.
What Dowagiac does lack is experience.
The Chieftains return senior starter Brittney Reist and juniors Kim Luthringer, Lindsay Tyler and Anne O'Keefe.
The Chieftains must find a away to replace Ashley Brewer, Erica Knapp, Brianne Reist, Michele Pilot and Jenny Pilot, all of whom were lost to graduation.
The remainder of the 2004-05 roster includes seniors Ashley Urbanski and Denise Jackson, juniors Jill Billingham, Jolynn Hawkins, Kim Rutkowski, Beth Tomczak and sophomore Brittany Bruens.
Reist will co-captain the squad along with Wood. Greulich said that Wood was also a good leader.
Being hired just prior to the start of the season, Greulich knows that he is behind in preparing his first squad. He also knows that Dowagiac is well behind other volleyball teams in the area.
Greulich went on to say that he knows that with time this squad will play well.
Being the fifth coach in five seasons, Greulich says that it is important to provide some stability to the program.
He plans to do so. He also noted that junior varsity coach Julie Tyrakowski and freshman coach Kim Sampsell will help provide that stability.
Greulich also has set into motion a plan to increase attendance at matches.