Heading into the 2020 fall season, along with all of the changes that COVID-19 has brought, the Marion Giants will have a new face at the helm, as current McCulloch English teacher Dara Richards gets set to take over the program from the departed Larry Hinshaw.
A Mississinewa graduate, volleyball has always been a big part of Richards’ life. She was primarily a setter during her high school days, and while she was in college, she began her coaching career at RJ Baskett Middle School in Gas City. After that, she spent time at Mississinewa as the JV coach as well as a club coach with Lori Elson at the Grant County Volleyball Club.
This year, Richards made the switch from Mississinewa to McCulloch, joining their English-Language Arts program, and when the position at the high school opened up, she was approached by Marion Athletic Director Steve Moritz about taking the job.
Originally, she did not think she was ready, but as the calendar changed to July, she had a change of heart, and just as the state opened back up for summer workouts, she accepted the position.
“I talked with Steve, I talked with Rachel, the assistant that was already in place, and we felt like it could be a good fit,” Richards said. “So, here I am.”
With all the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has created, the biggest one for Richards was the inability to spend much time with her players before workouts began. While attendance has been steady, she has not been able to get to know the girls beforehand as much as she would have liked.
“I feel like I still don’t know the girls well enough,” Richards said. “We start regular season practice on Monday, and I don’t know who is playing where. We are still playing with things, and I am still trying to get to know them.
“Some of them are stepping up and getting put into positions that they are not used to. [They are] stepping out of their comfort zones, which is great. I love it. I love the enthusiasm I am seeing as we are trying out new things, but I definitely feel like we are at a definite disadvantage right now because I don’t know them well enough to put them where I want to put them.”
However, despite this, she and the girls have continued to put the work in, particularly on ball control and making that strong first pass, which spurs the offense into a rhythm.
Overall, Richards has been impressed with the improvement she has already seen.
“We can’t do anything else on the court, effectively, without a pass first,” Richards said. “We spent a lot of time on ball control, passing, and then we have slowly added in other elements. Ball control and team unity have been my big pushes this month.”
The Giants do have some roster turnover, particularly in the front row with the departures of Ra’Shaya Kyle and Kirsten Lockwood. While those are big holes to fill, Richards believes that this group’s seniors – Isabelle Benton, Lucia Persinger, and Aylivia Mellon – will do an excellent job of leading the Giants during this time of transition. All three have logged significant time on the court at the varsity level, and Richards will rely on them quite a bit this season.
“Isabelle Bento, Lucia Persinger, and Aylivia Mellon – those three have been the most consistent, and they have really stepped up as leaders,” Richards said. “They are holding their teammates accountable on the floor.”
Along with that, younger players like sophomores Aylssa Lockwood and Culeeya Jones, together with incoming freshman Kaitlynn Lindsay, form a solid nucleus that Richards hopes can form the foundation of a winning culture.
“I just really hope we can start building the program and developing a love for the game,” Richards said. “I think a lot of them like it and enjoy it, but not enough of them love it. That’s what I want them to have. They need to love it, because that passion will show up on the court, and that makes a difference.”
“We are just trying to do everything we have to and being as compliant as possible so that we can get out on the court,” Richards said. “Until we can get out on the court and play, I don’t think we are really going to know what we are capable of.”
Marion begins their season on Tuesday, August 18 against Northfield.
“I think we are going to go out to every game and put forth 100 percent at every game,” Richards said. “That is going to be our goal.”
