Co-head coaches take over helm of Vikings volleyball

By Danielle Strenke
This season, there will be a new idea in coaching at North Branch High School. The varsity volleyball team will have not one, but two head coaches.
Jim VanEerden and Larry Brodin ñ a relative newcomer to coaching and a veteran with 23 years experience ñ will team up to share the coaching duties of this yearís Vikings squad.
VanEerden, who started with the North Branch school district as a substitute in 2001, was first notified of the opening for head volleyball coach by then-coach Jodi Fanth.
ìShe told me she was leaving the position, but at the time I was happy with my current position as a half-time assistant coach,î VanEerden said.
He said after thinking about it, and realizing the district was in need of someone to coach with previous volleyball coaching experience, VanEerden considered pursuing the position.
When he discussed it with then-assistant volleyball coach Larry Brodin, VanEerden said made sense for both to coach together. ìI said Iíd be a lot more comfortable co-coaching with Larry,î VanEerden said. ìWeíre pretty familiar with each other from working with the team last year, and with the players coming back,î he said.
VanEerden started his teaching and coaching career as a student teacher and assistant basketball coach at Brooklyn Center.
He started as a middle school physical education teacher for North Branch in last year. This school year, he will split his time between the middle school and the new intermediate school in the Trinity Lutheran Church building.
Brodin is no stranger to coaching at NBHS. He has been an assistant coach with the volleyball program for 19 years and served as varsity softball coach for 23 seasons.
During the 2002 season, Brodin coached the Vikings softball squad to win no. 300 while he has been at the helm.
Brodin also put considerable thought into the prospect of co-coaching this year. ìThe district was looking for someone to fill the position first,î Brodin said. ìBut when they finished hiring and hadnít picked up anyone who was also a head coach, we decided to co-coach.î
He said he was happy as an assistant volleyball coach, and looks at this as a one-year position. ìIíll do it for one year, but because Iím head softball coach, I donít know if I want to be head coach of two teams during the year,î he said.
Brodin does not see any particular challenges with having two head coaches on the sidelines during competition.
ìThereís not a problem there. Last year, we had a head coach and a varsity assistant. We can work in both directions,î Brodin said.
The only challenges may come at the administrative level, he said, such as when a parent or someone else calls for the head coach or to discuss the volleyball program. Brodin said because he teaches at the high school, most calls will come into the high school and be directed to him.
As far as coaching styles, VanEerden said the two will work well together. Brodin said whether the coaches are particularly vocal during matches depends on the individual players. ìSome of them need that and can take it, but it all depends on the kids,î he said.
VanEerden and Brodin will head a team that took the conference championship last year, but also graduated five starting seniors. ìIt will be a little bit of a rebuilding year,î VanEerden said.
Brodin said it will be difficult to start with only two players with extensive varsity experience. ìBut the J.V. did quite well last year,î he said.
Both the varsity and junior varsity squads started practice Monday. Their first games will be Tues., Aug. 27 at home against Totino Grace, with junior varsity at 5:30 p.m. and varsity at 7 p.m.

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