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Marist’s Vidovic 2024 VolleyballMag Boys Excessive Faculty Coach of the Yr


Chicago Marist Excessive Faculty boys volleyball coach Jordan Vidovic

Nice coaches in sports activities do the little issues nice — the intangibles that by no means see the sunshine of day within the public’s eye.

Chicago Marist Excessive Faculty boys volleyball coach Jordan Vidovic is a textbook instance.

“The factor that stands out probably the most is his dedication to this system,” Marist junior exterior hitter Nathen Toth stated. “He has spent hours upon hours working with us, planning for the season, and ensuring the group was probably the most ready we might presumably be.”

Toth wasn’t fairly completed together with his Vidovic dissertation.

“Whether or not it’s early on a faculty day or late on a Sunday, he’s all the time keen to fulfill us on the gymnasium to work on our sport,” he added. “This by no means stops, not throughout the summer season, the ladies season throughout the fall (Vidovic can also be Marist’s women coach) or the winter. He all the time is trying to assist his gamers.”

And this 2024 season was no exception. Vidovic, the 2024 VolleyballMag boys highschool coach of the yr, directed Marist (39-2) to the Illinois Excessive Faculty Affiliation boys state title, trapped in a continuing twister of elite opponents — the whirlwind exit culminating with a two-set finals win, the group’s 20th victory in a row.

Coach Jordan Vidovic with Christian Teresi and Nathen Toth

The VBM nationwide coach of the yr honor is Vidovic’s second with Marist since 2019 and third general (he additionally has one VBM women highschool coach of the yr accolade to his credit score). This yr’s crown was the RedHawks’ fourth in program historical past, together with the 2019 Vidovic-directed first-place end.

“Coach Vidovic deserves the coach of the yr title,” Marist junior center blocker Griffin McElroy stated. “He places in all his efforts to make sure our success. He’s an incredible coach due to his consideration to element and his willpower to push us to enhance.”

McElroy went as far to say Vidovic’s dedication “shocked the group throughout apply,” he stated, “displaying us that we had somebody who believed in us, boosting our momentum for every sport. We had an early season assembly with him. It set the tone for the season and motivated me to provide 100% in apply every single day.”

Vidovic, 285-43-1 in 9 seasons on the boys’ helm, had nothing however the highest of reward for this yr’s RedHawks’ crew, one which not solely carried out effectively on the ground however did so in opposition to the very best of the very best from Illinois and in addition exterior the state. Marist, for the primary time, ventured west to a match in Santa Barbara, California — believed, he stated, to be the primary Illinois group to ever play in a regular-season match within the Golden State. One among Marist’s two losses there got here to conventional California and nationwide energy Mira Costa out of Manhattan Seaside, California.

“It was superior all the best way round,” he stated. “It was a particular group with nice items and components. We undoubtedly scheduled as troublesome and difficult a schedule as we might. That gave us some superb perspective and confirmed us the issues we would have liked to give attention to and work on as we obtained to the top of the season.”

And Marist was prepared on the finish of the season, surviving an all the time powerful Illinois closing eight match, with two pressure-cooker matches on the ultimate day in opposition to two groups from the identical west-suburban-Chicago convention, perennial state energy Glen Ellyn Glenbard West (three-set win) and a very good Elmhurst York squad. Marist had misplaced to West earlier within the common season and in addition owned a regular-season three-set win in opposition to York. Marist downed West for the 2019 state title.

“The final day of the season was in opposition to two extraordinarily powerful opponents,” Vidovic stated. “I used to be impressed with the best way the blokes competed. They have been powerful. And I preferred how they performed after the 20s (20-point mark in units). It was particular to see. They put within the work. We had a number of nice leaders. I bear in mind speaking for greater than 90 minutes about what we have to do to provide ourselves an opportunity for all of this to return to fruition.”

Marist thrived in a 6-2 system, chaired by setters Christian Teresi (junior, Ohio State commit) and Ethan Kuziela (senior), who had loads of offensive choices to select from with six RedHawks gamers registering greater than 100 kills. Teresi nonetheless discovered time to prime 300 kills, whereas Toth and senior exterior Luke Brannigan have been north of 200. Teresi, Toth, Brannigan and junior libero Rorey Donnelly (greater than 300 digs) have been the group’s major passers.

“It was thrilling the best way they did it. We performed a special model than the group that had gained it earlier than,” Vidovic stated. “We have been undoubtedly extra explosive and far more athletic and aggressive. We had reasonable risk-takers who stepped up within the greatest moments. We undoubtedly tried to push the tempo of play as quick as doable. We knew we wouldn’t be the most important group, so we let it swimsuit our strengths and let our athletes unfold out throughout the online. We have been a risk-reward group.”

There’s all the time the controversy, notably, in Main League Baseball, as to how a lot a head coach/supervisor impacts a group’s win-loss proportion. Within the case of Vidovic, the reply, as his gamers inform it, is important.

“Coach deserves as a lot recognition as anybody else,” McElroy stated. “We’re a part of a group. All of us stayed constant all through the season, but it surely wouldn’t have been doable with out him. Whether or not it was further reps or lifting after apply, each effort contributed to our season’s success.”

Toth added: “He deserves a ton of credit score. He went above and past with each apply plan. He made positive to scout earlier than each sport. He even labored within the offseason to encourage a bunch of us to face out from the remainder as leaders. This dynamic is what set us as much as accomplish the whole lot we did this previous season.”

Vidovic, not surprisingly, tried to downplay his function in yet one more RedHawks’ banner season.

“It was me coordinating,” he stated. “I let our guys do their factor. A bit of little bit of managing, however extra strategic. Once we obtained to the top of the season, we have been tremendous locked in. The group performed its hardest, was optimistic and ready. We let the blokes be themselves on the court docket.”

Questions, feedback or updates: Please e-mail mike@volleyballmag.com

Sarah Thompson
Sarah Thompsonhttps://usdailysports.com
Sarah Thompson, an expert in tennis and golf, has covered numerous Grand Slam tournaments and PGA Tours. Her sharp analysis and player insights are a staple of her reporting. Sarah loves playing recreational tennis and is an avid golfer who enjoys weekend rounds with friends.

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