Sports
October 09, 2008 09:40 PM
By: Mike Hayakawa
Winning 17 regional titles in 23 years as volleyball coach at Unionville High School, Ray Kong has a good handle on what it takes to be successful.
Looking at this year’s team, Kong says his troops are ready.
Rival teams in the YRAA won’t like this news. But Kong hopes his team can take things a step further than a year ago, when they got as far as the semifinals.
“I think we’ll be a good team,” he said. “It’s one I think will be one of the top four teams in York Region.
“But once you get that far, anything can happen. Hopefully we will be a team that wants (to win) more,” Kong said.
Through their first six matches of the Tier 1 season, the Wolves are undefeated and sit atop the standings in the East Division that also includes Stouffville District Secondary School, Markville Secondary School, Bill Crothers Secondary School, Milliken Mills Secondary School, Markham District High School, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Secondary School and Bur Oak Secondary School.
The Wolves’ most recent triumphs came Tuesday when they defeated host Bur Oak Secondary 2-0 (25-14, 25-17) and Pierre Elliott Trudeau 2-0 (25-18, 25-19).
Prior to the season, the Wolves participated in two tournaments.
In their home tournament, they made it the seminfinals.
The one at York they made the quarterfinals.
Athleticism is the key to this year’s team, Kong said.
His 11-player roster includes several veterans and first-year seniors from the Wolves junior team that reached the regional final last year.
“We have a lot of players who can jump. Volleyball might not be their first sport, but the guys we have are athletic.”
Anchoring the team are left side power hitter Darren Lee, who Kong describes as being one of their best defenders.
“He solidifies our defence and keeps the ball in play all the time. He can pick up almost anything at anytime,” he said of the Grade 12 student.
Other key returnees, he said, are Grade 12 middles Michael Ifefijika and Kevin Cornwall.
Among the first-year seniors who could play a role are Chen Wu, a Grade 11 right side or middle and setter Aleksa Miladinovic, another Grade 11 student.
While impressed with the athletic tools his players possess, Kong noted their skill level is equally good.
Not just with the veterans, but first-year seniors as well.
Kong acknowledges the work of junior coaches Brian Cho and Terry Wollenzien as well as Parkview Public School coach Carey Hewson.
Many of the players Hewson developed have gone on to star at Unionville High School.
While the ingredients are there, Kong said there are some fine points the team needs to work on if they want to win the regional title and advance to provincials.
“I never feel confident about winning,” he said. “If we are a strong or an average team, I always see that we have things to work on. Everything from blocking to serves and serve reception.”