BSU Volleyball Holds 1st Practice of Season With New Interim Head Coach | Lakeland News

Duration: 2:52 601 transcript words EN summary

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Bemidji State University's volleyball program has officially begun its preparations for the upcoming season with Hani Johnson taking on the role of interim head coach, marking a significant transition following the departure of former head coach Erica Buetz. This leadership change aligns with the philosophy that true progress comes from building new structures rather than clinging to old ones, as Johnson steps into the position after serving as an assistant and setting coach where she developed close working relationships with her teammates. Her first official practice session has already taken place, allowing players to adapt to a coaching style characterized by constructive feedback and kindness, which contrasts sharply with previous methods that might have involved yelling or micromanaging every mistake. The shift in Johnson's approach aims to foster greater player autonomy and team cohesion by encouraging athletes to identify their own areas for improvement rather than relying solely on direct instruction from the sidelines. During these initial morning practices focused on positioning and technical fundamentals, players are learning how to support one another internally so that they can collectively determine what needs work without constant external direction. This method is designed to build a more resilient team culture where communication strengthens over time, allowing the group to maintain high energy levels even after losing sets by viewing setbacks as temporary challenges rather than reasons to shut down or lose confidence in their abilities. Despite the new leadership at the helm, the roster retains significant continuity with only five members of last year's young squad departing, meaning most athletes are entering the season having already played together extensively during the spring term. This existing familiarity has cultivated strong chemistry and deep interpersonal connections that have made it easier for the team to transition into fall competition without a steep learning curve regarding personal dynamics or group trust. As they shake off summer rust through focused drills and game-like scenarios, these established relationships serve as a solid foundation for implementing new strategies while maintaining the momentum built during their time together in earlier months. Looking ahead, the Cougars are set to kick off their regular season on Friday, September 11th after participating in two key tournaments that will test their readiness early in the year. Their schedule includes a trip to U Mary for their first tournament of the season within less than three weeks, followed by travel to California for the Fall Cougar Classic before facing opponents throughout the fall term. As the team embraces this new chapter under Johnson's guidance, they carry forward lessons learned from previous coaching tenures while integrating her gentle yet effective methods into a program that values both individual growth and collective responsibility on the court.

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Socrates once said that the secret to change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new. This sentiment is what Bemidji State Volleyball hopes to embody this upcoming season as Hani Johnson completes her move from assistant to interim to head coach. >> I'm really looking forward to Hani being our head coach. I work a lot with her as she's my setting coach. So, like we're very close. I just think the team listening to what she says, helping her out when she needs help, and taking it step by step, but she's doing really well. >> Johnson filled the interim position following former head coach Erica Buetz' departure and held her first official practice ahead of the 2026 season as players adapt to the new coaching style. >> She gives you more constructive feedback instead of like not necessarily yelling at you, but she's just more gentle and kind of lets you figure it out yourself instead of like telling you every single mistake. We can realize what we're doing wrong, and then we can be more player-led instead of coach-led. So, our team can come together and tell each other what we need to work on instead of our coach telling us what we need to work on. >> These first couple practices in the mornings are going to be positional. So, that's when we'll really work on all the key factors and different moves and everything. And then, at the end of the day, we play a lot more, and then we can really put those into our game and implement that. >> Although the volleyball team will be seeing a new face at the helm, there's a lot of familiarity on the courts. After losing only five members of the young team from last year, the majority of the athletes are starting the season already having played together. >> Our communication and relationships have grown, and I think they will this next year and also the following. So, it's really nice that it's a big group, and we have a lot of connection. >> I feel like we already have kind of a chemistry. We all worked really hard together in the spring and kind of worked to build those relationships, and I think it's just really easy to carry over into the fall now. >> And while the first few practices are focused on positioning and shaking off any summer rust, athletes are also getting into the season mentality. >> It's very hard for us sometimes if we lose a set we kind of get down on ourselves and everybody shuts down. I think we worked on that really well with Erica on trying to get better at that and I think this last spring we really showed it to ourselves that we can do it and if we lose a couple sets it is what it is. We have three more to come back so I would just say keeping up the energy. >> The team will be headed to U Mary for their first season tournament in less than 3 weeks and then on to California for the Fall Cougar Classic before their regular season kicks off on Friday September 11th. >> Sports on Lakeland News is sponsored in part by Paul Bunyan Communications powered by the GigaZone one of the largest all fiber optic gigabit networks in the country with internet speeds up to 10 gig. Lakeland News is a non-profit news organization. Donate to Lakeland PBS today to support your local news team.