“I call it the ‘magic of spring.’ That’s where the growth takes place.”
That quote is from Taylor’s head volleyball coach Erin Luthy when referencing the postseason in her sport. As each season ends, a new mindset arises. Teams in the offseason work on personal growth, athletic potential and creating an atmosphere of success after previous seasons. Depending on the sport, certain news escalates beyond the team and into the public.
For sophomore Jackson Ullom, his offseason now consists of his basketball team finding a new head coach. On Apr. 24, Taylor University announced their new head men’s basketball coach, Andrew Peters. Ullom still looks to support his team despite the brand-new hiring.
“I was happy with myself (this past season),” Ullom said. “In this postseason, I want to work on improving my overall field goal percentage. I also want to work on improving my assists per game, just being more of a playmaker and facilitator.”
Over the last season, Ullom moved into the primary point guard role. As the year progressed, nearly every facet of his game increased. From points and minutes to steals and rebounds, he did not skip a step in furthering his on-court prowess.
Competing in open gyms with his teammates is Ullom’s preferred way of working out. For him, it is gratifying to see his teammates stepping up as leaders. He also wants to see an added level of toughness along with more resilience on the defensive side of the game.
Change can look very different in other sports. For Taylor volleyball, the biggest adjustment will be next year’s senior class, which boasts six seniors, far more than the two from the 2023 season. Of those incoming seniors, junior Jen Springer has received praise for her growth in play and adjustment to the game. In her first season, she transferred to the Trojans from Purdue Fort Wayne. In this last season, she stepped up her playing time, seemingly controlling the back row and showing off her hard work.
“We (the team) were really motivated this spring to get better,” Springer said. “We think we could’ve accomplished more, so we are really trying to take spring seriously.”
Springer accomplished many goals as her playing time increased. Nearly every statistical category has seen improvement, and she’s only looking to up her game even more.
Springer describes the offseason practices as ‘positionals’. These practices are specific to a player’s position, thus creating a more player-focused experience. Practices during the off-season are less frequent and more specific. This way, coaches can focus on areas of emphasis for each athlete, instead of doing team-based exercises.
Luthy leads these positional practices. With eight seasons of coaching the Trojans under her belt, she believes that every off-season presents different conversations amongst the team, as every season produces different results. The end goal is the same; pushing her players to get better.
“It’s in a process of analysis; asking a lot more questions and setting goals,” Luthy said. “Everyone is getting after it…training muscle memory, breaking things down from technique, team chemistry, competing…just loving each other well when they need something.”
Luthy loves to teach the game. In doing so, she uses a holistic approach when addressing what she needs to get out of her team. This involves conversations about what contributed to expectations falling short, what could get better and how to build confidence despite unmet expectations.
The women’s team ended this past season with a record of 15-19, a far cry from the season beforehand, ending 31-7. Luthy does not believe in comparing seasons by records. Each year is different and forces different methods of coaching.
As seasons end, new challenges arise. For freshman and women’s soccer defenseman Campbell Massey, last season was her first time in a collegiate postseason. She described her first year as surreal, especially now that she knows what is required from her.
“I know the expectations now, so there’s less stress,” she said. “There is a time to relax and a time to work on and improve new skills.”
Her biggest change entering her second season will be not playing with her sister, senior Claire Massey. While the elder Massey has finished her time, the young freshman is taking a big step in leadership and vocality on the pitch.
Massey was a bright spot for her freshman class, playing the most amount of minutes out of all defenders and in her class. Through this, she’s told herself to not settle with how much playing time she received. She’s also told herself that her spot could be taken at any time; encouraging herself helps her calm down and focus on getting better.
Whether it’s a new head coach, building on a set foundation or transitioning to a larger role, Taylor Athletics is proud to boast their players, their opportunities and their on-field skills while wearing purple-and-gray.
