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Prep Roundup
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• Public Schools • West Iredell High School
2008 May-07
Warriors hire new coach to lead vaunted volleyball programBy Brian Meadows
The search is over. West Iredell’s illustrious volleyball program has a new coach. The school hired 2006 UNC-Charlotte graduate Abbey Szlanfucht, who met with prospective players for the first time Wednesday morning in the school cafeteria. Szlanfucht — pronounced ‘slon-foot’ — was a scholarship player with the Charlotte 49ers and played one season professionally in Europe. The 23-year-old replaces Kelly Burdeau, who resigned this semester and is now at Mooresville High. It will be Szlanfucht’s first high school head coaching position. She didn’t appear too intimidated about taking the reins of a program that advanced to the state championship match twice in the last six years. “I love pressure,” she said. “I feed off it. … I’m excited more than anything.” Junior Kalan Thompson, who helped the Warriors reach the 3A state final last fall, is happy the coaching search is over. The outside hitter is ready to move forward, preparing for a senior season she hopes includes another trip to Raleigh. “It’s been really hectic trying to get all the information you need on who’s going to be the coach, and how are we going to do open gym, and all of that,” Thompson said. “She seems really nice. I think she will be a great coach and she’ll lead us in the direction we need to be.” A native of South Bend, Ind., Szlanfucht began playing Junior Olympic volleyball at the age of 10. Her club team, Dunes Volleyball Club, went to nationals every year. Szlanfucht also played volleyball for Indiana’s Mishawaka High in 1998, when the team was the state runner-up. Recruited as an outside hitter, Szlanfucht helped make the 49ers competitive in Conference USA and the Atlantic 10. After college, she played one year in Austria for VC Tirol. Szlanfucht’s volleyball experience since that time includes coaching at Race City Volleyball Club in Mooresville. That is where she discovered the West Iredell vacancy. Including their two championship appearances, the Warriors reached the state semifinals five times in the last 10 years. That rich tradition appealed to Szlanfucht. “When I heard about West’s background, it definitely sparked my attention,” Szlanfucht said. “I heard the girls were great, dedicated, and that they had a great program. I’m competitive. I like to go for the best.” The Warriors finished 28-6 last fall after losing a heartbreaker 3-2 (20-25, 25-15, 21-25, 25-22, 15-7) to Greenville Conley in the 3A final. West graduates three Division II-bound seniors from that team but returns eight players, including three starters. “It’s nice to have a coach coming in that has experience and can relate to how you feel when you’re in certain types of game situations,” said Thompson, who ranked third on the team in kills last season. Szlanfucht learned a lot through her experiences, which she said would influence her coaching principles at West Iredell. “It’s not just the physical reps,” she said, “but also knowing it’s an emotional game. … You can be the best athlete on the court, but if your mind’s not there, you’re not helping yourself or the team. And it’s definitely a team game.” Szlanfucht said she will take the Warriors to Wake Forest’s team camp in July and will also urge them to participate in a summer camp she is running through Race City Volleyball Club. Szlanfucht will also be an instructor for Notre Dame’s summer camp. The Irish completed their 17th consecutive winning season in 2007 with a 15-13 record. Szlanfucht told players Wednesday morning she could help arrange for them to attend that camp, as well.
There is no reason why West Iredell volleyball won’t continue to accomplish great things, Szlanfucht believes, “as long as the girls trust me and stay as dedicated as they were last year.”
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