Sitting down with the coach

James Finley, the coach of the VCU Rams volleyball team said he is comfortable and confident going into his second season as a Division I coach.

Richard Sander, former VCU Director of Athletics, signed Finley on after his most successful season at Arizona Western in 2004, hoping he could turn the dormant volleyball team around. Last season, the Rams walked away as CAA champions under their coach, James Finley. With such results from a first-year coach, it comes as no surprise that seven out of ten of the league’s head coaches have voted VCU into the number one spot on the CAA Preseason Poll.

Because of the preseason polls, Finley said, “You get everyone’s best game.” He intimated that the preseason poll does have a tendency to put other teams on guard prior to facing VCU, knowing the Rams will be a

formidable opponent.

When asked about the pressure from skeptical volleyball fans, critics and enthusiasts who were not familiar with Finley’s past record, he countered, “We put the pressure on ourselves. It was actually people’s surprise at our success that the team resented, but you can understand why people might not instantly recognize that we were a good team.”

James Finley had four successful years at Arizona Western, where he and his team appeared three times consecutively at the National Junior College Athletic Association National Championship tournament. The Arizona Western Matadors were ranked in the Top Ten nationally each of his four years as coach and peaked in 2004 at number 3, just before he came to coach VCU in Division I.

“The only difference,” Finley said, “is that instead of playing a lot of bad teams, and then traveling all over the country to find the good ones, we are always playing on the upper level.”

Finley said he is confident in his abilities to tap into the potential of the volleyball team, but recognizes it doesn’t come easily. “I fear that, while they’re very good, there will be times when they drop their focus here and there, and one of my goals is to ensure they maintain that focus.”

James Finley has another goal, which is to someday host the very tournament he hopes to win this season.

On the other hand, he said, “Part of coaching is dealing not just with the game, but with the social, academic and emotional aspects of the players. For example, a player might have a professor who doesn’t think she should miss a class because of volleyball.” His advice? “Switch teachers,” he said with a smile. “It conflicts just a few times all season, but even so, there are sometimes those teachers

who disagree.”

Finley said the volleyball team set attendance records last year all year long and he expects them to keep growing because it’s worth seeing the unity of the team in action.

Of his recruiting class, he looked at his watch and said, “Natasha Franco, someone I believe will make a good universal player, just stepped off of her plane about four minutes ago from (Sao Paulo) Brazil, so she won’t be ready for the upcoming tournament, however.”

“Also, Ivana Rich, (Cumberland, Virginia/Cumberland HS) who had just two years of volleyball experience from high school, has made a huge turnaround in the last two weeks and is playing like the rest. Shannon Keebaugh (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) is a positive freshman setter, and Cat Juson (Long Beach, Calif.) is doing well.”

“I’m excited a lot about my seniors.” Renata Salvatori (Londrina, Brazil), Ludmila Francescatto (Fraiburga, Brazil), a star player, and Melissa Peterson (Ganado, Ariz.) are all strong and experienced players. Melissa Peterson attended Arizona

Western College.

Finley said, “I’m also very appreciative of the complete staff I have now, helping us train the team. I attribute that to the university.” Andrea Fischer assists Finley’s coaching, especially during their scrimmage matches, when she can coach one side of the net while he maintains the other.

Nils Daubers merits a mention, because he adds a whole new element to the practices, blocking the girls’ shots and presenting a challenge that might otherwise not exist if it weren’t for

his participation.

“He gives them a chance to play against a really tall blocker and they get better each time they get one by him, and feel good about it, too,” Finley said. Rightfully so, since Nils Daubers is six and a half feet tall, towering over the whole team.

Finley continues to look forward to the future, and displays optimism. “We’re going to the Duke Invitational tomorrow and I expect to win,” he said, “But Marquette and Duke will be tough.” Duke and VCU are two top-rated teams in the area, and Finley considers Duke to be a worthy opponent.