There’s an old saying that Rome wasn’t built in a day. That phrase can also apply to the William Fleming volleyball program, as first year-head coach Terri Craig looks to turn a traditionally losing program into a winning one.
“William Fleming High School is beginning this year with a brand new school building, a brand new staff and a brand new attitude…simply stated, this is a new beginning for our volleyball program,” said Craig. “We are working hard to build a new foundation for this program. We will make the necessary changes to reestablish our program in the Western Valley District.”
Craig is a rookie head coach but a veteran when it comes to the sport of volleyball. The self-described pseudo-tomboy grew up taking dance lessons and racing four-wheelers and motorcycles. Once she started high school at Northside, she fell in love with volleyball. During her junior and senior year as a Viking, she was an All-Timesland and an All-State honoree her senior year. She then attended Spartanburg Junior College in South Carolina and then returned a short time later to go to Lynchburg College.
While at Lynchburg, Craig was forced to quit school due to health reasons and her sports life stopped for a while. After years of working she decided to take another stab at college and her beloved volleyball. At the age of 23 Craig returned to both college and volleyball at Ferrum College, majoring in Recreation and Leisure.
She soon became the team’s setter under coach Kelly Caputo. While at Ferrum, she was named Player of the Week several times and was also honored in the Dixie Conference as a Featured Athlete. Craig continues to hold the school record for assists in a season and is in the top three for career assists.
Craig attributes much of her love for the game to David Turk, formerly the coach at Salem High School, and to Wayne Clark, a long-time VHSL volleyball referee. She started her coaching career as an assistant immediately after her senior year at Northside, working alongside Coach Beth Dunman in the fall and as an assistant coach for the Lady Vikings soccer team. She later was the Varsity Assistant coach for Staunton River High School, where she was teamed once again with Dunman.
Craig then went completely out of her element and became JV softball coach for William Byrd High School in 2001 and years later she went back as JV Volleyball Coach. She was then an assistant coach at Hidden Valley High School and at East Montgomery High School. Last year she worked as JV Coach for Tamalyn Tanis, the four-time State Champion Volleyball Coach at Cave Spring High School. Craig says she is indebted to Tanis, who was instrumental in giving her superior coaching guidance and recommended her for the William Fleming High School position.
Now she has undertaken the task of rebuilding a program that is known for losing. One reason: many of these young ladies at William Fleming have never played the game of volleyball until the first day of practice.
“There are no volleyball programs in the recreation league [at the] middle school level,” said Craig. “They don’t start learning the game until they hit the JV level. Craig also attributes some of the problem to a lack of money. “Most of them come from single-parent families and they just don’t have the money to go to camps, play club ball or play [off season] Junior Olympics like the kids at other schools.”
Craig is planning several fund-raising events that will allow the team to raise money, enabling the Colonels to attend skill camps. Its all about getting better says the new head coach: “my … philosophy incorporates using a player’s self-determination, skill, motivation, dedication to the team and personal pursuit of education to develop a program that promotes well-rounded excellence both on and off the court.”
How do the players feel about their new coach and her philosophy? “She’s a breath of fresh air,” said senior middle-hitter Lara Turner, who has been playing since she was a freshman. “She offers you encouragement and pushes you to make yourself better.”
Senior setter Briana Cabbler, another four-year player, echoed those same thoughts: “she encourages you to get better. She doesn’t put you down or criticize you. She treats everyone the same and shows no favoritism.”
Both players agreed there is more unity and the team is a lot closer under their new coach. The Colonels, who went 0-18 last season, have high hopes of turning things around under Craig’s leadership.
“All good things take time and this team will see that I plan to be here as long as the school keeps me,” added Craig. Rome wasn’t built in a day – and neither will the William Fleming volleyball program.
By David Grimes [email protected]