Starting fresh

Losing seven seniors hasn't been easy for Central, but this year's Bears are learning to believe in themselves.

By Izzy Gould
Published September 5, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - Vicki Weaver knew the dropoff was coming. ¶ That's what happens when you lose seven talented seniors, girls responsible for carrying the Bears to a state tournament berth. And after reaching the elite eight in 2004, winning was expected.

Today, Weaver spends more time teaching than coaching. She has brought up a ton of former JV players to fill the gaping holes and promoted a promising freshman in Brooke Wardlow, a promotion that would have come midway through the season.

Some girls have to think really hard to remember a new teammate's name, but sets and kills have improved thanks to summer conditioning and a camp.

By Weaver's estimation, her girls are three weeks from believing in themselves and taking a crucial step in development.

Starting over has been a slow process, and there's little time for self-pity.

"The girls are so young," Weaver said. "They don't believe yet. They don't have enough confidence to say we're as good as them. Skill-wise, they are. Maturity-wise, we're not."

The Bears lost in three games to perennial power River Ridge on Tuesday and face rival Hernando tonight at 7.

Central entered Tuesday's game with a 1-2 record, and perhaps nothing was more telling of where this year's group stands than a loss to Lecanto in a match that almost didn't take place.

"When I called Lecanto to get a match with them, the coach said, I don't think you want us to come down there," Weaver said. "They didn't whoop us; they beat us."

Central's dip in talent was not a closely guarded secret, and some players want those keeping tabs to know this is a different team.

There also was a scare that the Bears had lost their talented twins - Blair and Amanda Morris - one to an undisclosed illness and the other to a sprained foot. Both have returned, though Blair still hasn't fully recovered from the ankle injury.

The dip in experience forced Weaver to seek out advice. She got some at a camp at Florida Southern where Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney helped Weaver devise a new strategy given the big change in personnel. Central learned a new defense, and its coach is constantly looking for an edge at tournaments.

"I steal," Weaver said with a laugh. "You have to and you should. If you're not doing that, you're not growing. I'm learning and I'm constantly trying new things. It's hard when they're still working at the JV speed."

So far she's happy with her pair of setters in Amy Mihok and Angela Wooster.

"They're the two quarterbacks of the team," Weaver said. "They really run it."

Mihok was a freshman during the region final run in 2004, but traveled with the team. Obviously, she'd love for this team to make it. She sees promise in the 10-foot line sophomore Quynn Fonseca hits in practice and how sophomore Carly Territo has brought strength to the back row. She's happy with Wardlow's efforts to catch up to the varsity level after going 7-1 and winning a championship in middle school a year ago. Bears junior Kady McCandless smashes the ball with vigor across the net, and having the twins back has been a boost.

"We're still meshing," Mihok said. "Once we hit that point we'll be better."

Weaver keeps saying the skill and the talent are there, and if the maturity level improves then anything's possible entering the second half of the season.

"As a whole we're not there yet," Weaver said. "I have to keep reminding myself to give them that time. I need to keep pushing them, but I have to give them that time."

Izzy Gould can be reached at izzygould@gmail.com or (727) 580-5315.

The Bears, by the numbers

6 juniors (Angela Wooster, Philomena Petro, Danielle Bogulski, Kady McCandless, Amanda Morris, Blair Morris)

3 seniors (Ashley Jackson, Amy Mihok, D'sirre Oliver)

3 sophomores (Carly Territo, Jessica Pittman, Quynn Fonseca)

1 freshman (Brooke Wardlow)

[Last modified September 4, 2007, 22:53:28]