by Marty Zier

Sports contributor

Rebekah Hardee enthusiastically starts her second year as the head Viking volleyball coach. Hardee brought 23 years of coaching experience to the Vikings and has a very relaxed, positive attitude for the year.

“I am having so much more fun than last year,” she said. “I now know the girls and the parents. I work at the school and have lived here a few years and love it. The girls are all super positive, ready to work and have fun as a team. These girls have bonded.”

When asked about her first year and how the team played, Hardee was blunt.

‘Um, not good,” she said. “The girls were learning a new system from a new coach, which was difficult. But this year the returning players know the system, and I will have enough players on the court who know the system to help those learning. Our incoming players have middle school volleyball experience, so that helps acclimate them to our team.”

With only two seniors and six incoming freshmen, Hardee refuses to label her girls as a “young team,” a cliche Hardee often interprets as an excuse for not performing. She expects the league to have the same challenges as last year, with strong competition from La Conner and Friday Harbor, but remains steadfast in her direction for the 2016/17 season.

“No changes this year. We are sticking with our plan and we will do what we can,” Hardee said.