Milestone at long time coming for IC's Field
What do 800 wins mean to Jean Field?
Here's the short answer.
“It means you're old,” joked Immaculate Conception's girls volleyball coach.
All kidding aside, Friday was a day to remember for Field. Now in her 37th year on the Knights sidelines, Field became the seventh girls volleyball coach in IHSA history to reach the 800-win milestone.
IC went 4-1 over the weekend to win the Timothy Christian/Westmont Tournament.
“To have that kind of number means you've been doing this for a very long time,” Field said. “You sit back and think of the kids who have come and gone and the people you work with. It's a nice marker.”
Field has witnessed the growth of girls volleyball from the early days of Title IX to now, when the girls volleyball talent around DuPage County rivals any other sport.
Field, who played basketball, volleyball, softball and field hockey at Quincy College, remembers piling eight players and a driver into a station wagon for college road trips. Girls got $5 a day for meal money and purchased their own uniforms.
Field started as IC coach in 1972. Her first season they played all of six matches. The season ended when boys basketball began and needed the gym. After two seasons away from the sidelines, Field returned for the 1976-77 school year. Field and the Knights went on to win state championships in 1981 and 1984, with runner-up finishes in 1979, 1980 and 1982.
Field, formerly a PE teacher, has been a guidance counselor at IC since 1991. She also coached girls track for 13 years. The best part of still being in the coaching business is watching her ex-players go on to coach or getting the opportunity to coach those players' kids.
“There's been a lot of changes, that's for sure,” Field said. “It's such a more powerful game now, faster and quicker.”
Raiders play small ball:Kim Deprez was called into unfamiliar duty last weekend.With Glenbard South outside hitter Jane Trzaska away at a softball event, Raiders coach Chad Grant petitioned his 5-foot-3 libero to fill in outside.#8220;She thought I was joking at first,#8221; Grant said, adding #8220;she loved it.#8221;Glenbard South didn't really miss a beat. The Raiders, also missing middle Angie Briggs, went 4-1 in taking fourth out of 12 teams at the West Aurora Invite. Deprez, her conference's Player of the Year at libero last fall, was third on the team with 16 kills.Teresa Scheet took Deprez's place at libero.#8220;She jumps high, but she's still small,#8221; Grant said of Deprez. #8220;She gets high enough to hit the ball.#8221;Lions, hear them roar:Experience is paying off big-time for Lisle in the season's early going.The senior-laden Lions are 9-0 coming off a first-place finish at the Rochelle Invite over the weekend. Lisle followed that up with a two-set win at Coal City Tuesday.#8220;I got eight seniors who are carrying the load, and they're having a lot of fun doing it,#8221; Lisle coach Matt Hrubesky said. #8220;It's been a joy to coach these girls.#8221;Lisle, second at Rochelle last year, avenged a championship-match loss to Sterling with a two-set win over the Golden Warriors in Saturday's final.As expected, Vanessa Abenante has been Lisle's go-to hitter when it comes to scoring points. Hrubesky pointed out that fellow senior Becky Fuys has stepped up her game and Beth Plucinski is providing strength and leadership on the right side.Hrubesky calls setter Anita Urban a #8220;workhorse#8221; and libero Frankie Parrillo Lisle's #8220;rock#8221; in the back row. Middles Darian Payne and Shelby Kretman have grown as players, but Hrubesky believes they can make even more strides.#8220;It's been a phenomenal team effort,#8221; Hrubesky said. #8220;Everybody that steps on the floor is contributing.#8221;Next up is defending conference champion Westmont at home on Thursday, a match always circled on Lisle's calendar. #8220;My kids are looking to exact some revenge,#8221; Hrubesky said. #8220;They're hoping to continue to play well and I am too.#8221;