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New volleyball coach ready for season at Rush CityBy Barbara Brown The Rush City volleyball team has a challenge before them. They are going to be charged with coming up with the goal for this year's team. New head coach Michele Dinius said she will teach the team everything the girls want to know. She will drive them to succeed, but she wants them to make the decision. "I'm interested to see what their expectations of the game, and of me, are," she said. Dinius, who was hired by the Rush City school district to head the area's volleyball coaching staff, said the least she will teach her charges is to learn the game and how to play up to speed against their competitors. "I could teach them a lot of things about the game," Dinius said. "But they are going to have to want it." She said her aspirations of a successful season are bolstered by the fact that the team is "really willing to learn." For the past three decades, the Tigers volleyball squad was coached by Candi Crippen. Crippen announced her retirement near the end of the past school year. Crippen said at the time that volleyball had always been her personal favorite sport to play and to coach. Dinius comes to Rush City after coaching at Monticello High School. She graduated from Bemidji State University two years ago where she played four years of Div. II volleyball against some of the best teams in the country. Her senior year, the team's record was 21-8. She has worked various substitute teaching positions around the area and still will substitute until a full-time physical education teaching position opens in Rush City, she said. Dinius said she knew full well the coaching job did not accompany a teaching post, but she is willing to be patient. "I can't imagine not coaching volleyball, or at least having something to do with it," Dinius said. "I hope to be working full time within the next couple years. I'll just have to be patient." Dinius, who will marry Rush City sixth grade teacher Paul Kirby in December, said that the next season will be a new experience for everyone. Last year's Tiger volleyball season ended with an overall record of 11-8 and a 5-6 conference record. Dinius is joined on the coaching staff by new junior varsity coach Scott Arcand and freshman squad coach Rick Kosloski. Practices begin August 12 and the first varsity volleyball game will be Aug. 27 at home at 7:30 p.m. against Barnum. ©ECM Post Review |