With a new leader, TOHS girls' volleyball team expects similar success
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

After three years away from the game, James Park started to miss coaching volleyball. This year, Park will take over a team whose level of play in 2005 didn't seem to be missing a thing.

In his new position, Park will have big shoes to fill, as he takes over the girls' volleyball team at Thousand Oaks High that was nearly flawless last year.

Before stepping down as the girls' coach, Yariv Lerner led the Lancers to an 18-2 record in 2005, including an unbeaten 14-0 record in the Marmonte League. After losing its first game of the year to Valencia, TOHS reeled off 18 straight wins before losing in the first round of the CIF-SS playoffs to El Toro.

"It will be a tough feat to repeat last year's success," Park said. "Last year was a different core of players and a very seniororiented team. Still, we expect to have a good year and repeat as league champions."

This season's Lancer team features five seniors, four juniors and three sophomores. They'll be led by senior captain Tori Boden, who plays the opposite position. Park described Boden as the team's most consistent player and a very hard hitter.

Deanna Elias, Rachelle Loehner, Halie Van Uden and Becca Clancy also return for their senior years to add experience for TOHS.

"I think the kind of success we had last year is going to carry over because of the seniors we have on this team," Park said. "When the crucial situations come up, that's when we will expect them to lead."

The seniors will be paired up with a couple of sophomores, including Hannah Clancy, who Park said has shown a lot of maturity for a young player and also listens very well.

"I'm a little nervous playing my first year of varsity volleyball, but after a while, you get used to it," Hannah Clancy said. "The seniors have helped out and they don't exclude us from anything."

Even though it's still early, many of the seniors have been impressed with the play of the sophomores and juniors.

"Of course, I already miss a lot of players that were on last year's team, but it has also been great playing with all these new girls," Elias said. "It's been nice because it seems like they want to prove they belong and they have a hunger to succeed."

Park, a math teacher who had a previous stint coaching the boys' volleyball team at TOHS, believes he, too, has something to prove this season.

Park coached at Moorpark High and Cal Lutheran before deciding to take some time off to help run a family business.

After three years in the business world, Park was itching to get back into the game. When he heard a rumor that Lerner may be stepping down from the girls' team, he let Thousand Oaks know he was interested in the job.

Last April, Park was offered the post and accepted.

The players seem to be handling the transition of a new coach well, and many players, including Boden, like what Park brings to the team.

"I like both Yariv and Coach Park, but I think they are very different in how they coach," Boden said. "Where Coach Lerner was more relaxed, Coach Park is very strict and the practices seem to be more structured. Also, this team seems younger, so I think that will make it easier to adjust from last season."

Elias thinks the team will be able to perform just as well in '06 as the team did last year because of Park.

"Physically, his practices have been harder and more intense," Elias said. "I had never really experienced two-a-days before this season, and we all love to complain about it. But I really like him, and I think he will help our team."

While Park is new to the team, he thinks TOHS should be familiar once again with the level of play it takes to win league.

"I know that it's probably very tough on them to have a new guy in here after the year they had last season," Park said.

"One of our strengths is that we have a lot of kids that have already

played together (on club teams), so the chemistry is very good," he said. "I know it's not easy on them with me coming in this year, but talent wise, overall, I think this is one of the best teams I've ever coached and we should be fine this year."