Spring Break
Volleyball: Canale, Kluempers add helping hand
Brandy Provaznik / Staff Reporter
Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: Sports
Eastern head volleyball coach Alan Segal didn't have to go that far to find help for the Eastern volleyball team.
Segal said he went into the training room one day and the trainer told him Eastern seniors Ellen Canale and Lindsey Kluempers wanted to come to practice.
"It was kind of out of the blue," Segal said. "But I was like well, call them and tell them to come. I wasn't really sure what to expect but they really have been a great addition to the team so far."
Canale and Kluempers, who finished their Eastern basketball careers in March, are assisting the volleyball team in practice.
There are only eight players on the team, and only six are healthy to play.
Segal, who was named Eastern head coach in February, said this spring season has been a bit of an adjustment and learning experience for everybody not just the basketball players.
Four of the 12 returning players are no longer part of the team, and Segal said he plans to recruit more people.
But having Canale and Kluempers is important.
Sophomore outside hitter Kelsey Orr said she loves having Canale and Kluempers playing alongside her because they bring a lot of excitement and energy to the team.
Canale and Kluempers both played volleyball in high school and had been talking about wanting to play since they arrived four years ago.
"We are really just out there to have fun, cheer them on and help out," Canale said. "But it is really like a dream come true for us."
Because volleyball is such a leisure sport to most people, Orr said Canale and Kluempers have reminded the team of how much fun it can be.
"When it's your sport you play all year long its one of those things where like you kind of trudge through practice sometimes and get kind of lackadaisical about stuff but you have these two girls coming in who make it so much more fun," Orr said.
Orr said it is also a bit of a competition thing.
"You can't let some basketball girl come in and outdo you, so you have to step up and play a little bit, like I can't have them beat me out in my own sport," Orr said.
Orr said Canale and Kliempers get so excited about a play or a hit that the rest of the volleyball team or the coaches overlook as just everyday stuff.
"It is kind of like showing your younger sibling a new trick where they just think you're the bomb, and it's really not that big of a deal," Orr said. "I can make some hit I think is normal and not a big deal and Ellen is over there yelling, 'wow, awesome hit!' and clapping away."
Canale said the positive energy is something Kluempers and her have transferred from basketball.
"In our experience with basketball and (Eastern head coach Brady Sallee), we've learned to really focus on those little things that people don't always notice," Canale said. "It's those little things that add up and win big games."
When Orr found out about the coaching change she said she was warned this could be the hardest thing in her college career, having to learn a whole new style and way of doing things.
"It's like a culture change," Orr said. "Everything changes: environment, attitude, everything. And we are definitely changing for the better. We get a clean slate and a fresh start."
Canale said the senior class was a part of the women's basketball transition and turaround thinks that volleyball is going through a similar change right now.
"They are doing a lot of things and taking a lot of steps we took a few years ago," Canale said. "I think they are well on their way to being a whole new team."
Orr said Eastern's volleyball program has been looked down upon a lot in the past, but thinks this upcoming season is going to be a lot different.
"We are going to be the team people have written off in the past, and now, we are going to be turning heads," Orr said.
Remaining roster:
# / Player / Pos / Ht / Year / Hometown/High School
2 / Brittany Wallace / DS/L 5-5 / Fr. / Trenton/Wesclin
3 / Kelsey Orr / OH / 5-10 So. / Forest, Ind./Clinton Central
6 / Shaina Boylan / DS/L / 5-7 / Jr. / Highland Park/Highland Park
8 / Erin Hake / OH / 6-0 / So. / Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar
9 / Jessica Wheeler / OH / 5-10 / Jr. / Gurnee/Warren Township
10 / Jorie Dieter / MB / 5-10 / So. / Joliet/Joliet Township West
11 / Alex Zwettler / OH / 5-11 / So. / Madison, Wisc./Edgewood
18 / Lauren Schutte / S / 6-0 / Jr. / Louisville, Ky./DuPont Manuel Mag
Brandy Provaznik can be reached at 581-7944 or at blprovaznik@eiu.edu.
Segal said he went into the training room one day and the trainer told him Eastern seniors Ellen Canale and Lindsey Kluempers wanted to come to practice.
"It was kind of out of the blue," Segal said. "But I was like well, call them and tell them to come. I wasn't really sure what to expect but they really have been a great addition to the team so far."
Canale and Kluempers, who finished their Eastern basketball careers in March, are assisting the volleyball team in practice.
There are only eight players on the team, and only six are healthy to play.
Segal, who was named Eastern head coach in February, said this spring season has been a bit of an adjustment and learning experience for everybody not just the basketball players.
Four of the 12 returning players are no longer part of the team, and Segal said he plans to recruit more people.
But having Canale and Kluempers is important.
Sophomore outside hitter Kelsey Orr said she loves having Canale and Kluempers playing alongside her because they bring a lot of excitement and energy to the team.
Canale and Kluempers both played volleyball in high school and had been talking about wanting to play since they arrived four years ago.
"We are really just out there to have fun, cheer them on and help out," Canale said. "But it is really like a dream come true for us."
Because volleyball is such a leisure sport to most people, Orr said Canale and Kluempers have reminded the team of how much fun it can be.
"When it's your sport you play all year long its one of those things where like you kind of trudge through practice sometimes and get kind of lackadaisical about stuff but you have these two girls coming in who make it so much more fun," Orr said.
Orr said it is also a bit of a competition thing.
"You can't let some basketball girl come in and outdo you, so you have to step up and play a little bit, like I can't have them beat me out in my own sport," Orr said.
Orr said Canale and Kliempers get so excited about a play or a hit that the rest of the volleyball team or the coaches overlook as just everyday stuff.
"It is kind of like showing your younger sibling a new trick where they just think you're the bomb, and it's really not that big of a deal," Orr said. "I can make some hit I think is normal and not a big deal and Ellen is over there yelling, 'wow, awesome hit!' and clapping away."
Canale said the positive energy is something Kluempers and her have transferred from basketball.
"In our experience with basketball and (Eastern head coach Brady Sallee), we've learned to really focus on those little things that people don't always notice," Canale said. "It's those little things that add up and win big games."
When Orr found out about the coaching change she said she was warned this could be the hardest thing in her college career, having to learn a whole new style and way of doing things.
"It's like a culture change," Orr said. "Everything changes: environment, attitude, everything. And we are definitely changing for the better. We get a clean slate and a fresh start."
Canale said the senior class was a part of the women's basketball transition and turaround thinks that volleyball is going through a similar change right now.
"They are doing a lot of things and taking a lot of steps we took a few years ago," Canale said. "I think they are well on their way to being a whole new team."
Orr said Eastern's volleyball program has been looked down upon a lot in the past, but thinks this upcoming season is going to be a lot different.
"We are going to be the team people have written off in the past, and now, we are going to be turning heads," Orr said.
Remaining roster:
# / Player / Pos / Ht / Year / Hometown/High School
2 / Brittany Wallace / DS/L 5-5 / Fr. / Trenton/Wesclin
3 / Kelsey Orr / OH / 5-10 So. / Forest, Ind./Clinton Central
6 / Shaina Boylan / DS/L / 5-7 / Jr. / Highland Park/Highland Park
8 / Erin Hake / OH / 6-0 / So. / Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar
9 / Jessica Wheeler / OH / 5-10 / Jr. / Gurnee/Warren Township
10 / Jorie Dieter / MB / 5-10 / So. / Joliet/Joliet Township West
11 / Alex Zwettler / OH / 5-11 / So. / Madison, Wisc./Edgewood
18 / Lauren Schutte / S / 6-0 / Jr. / Louisville, Ky./DuPont Manuel Mag
Brandy Provaznik can be reached at 581-7944 or at blprovaznik@eiu.edu.
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