In practice, which the MSU volleyball team has been doing twice a day for almost three weeks, new MSU head coach Cathy George is showing sophomore outside hitter Katie Johnson that she needs to keep her hands up and be ready to attack.
That is what senior middle blocker Megan Wallin said she admires about George, a former Western Michigan head coach.
"She's very enthusiastic," Wallin said. "She has an advantage because she used to be a player. She knows what it's is like to compete.
"She can explain, but she can show you also. You hear it and also get a visual of it."
George's résumé may prove that she's ready to live up to the challenge.
The MSU program turned to George when Chuck Erbe decided to retire after 12 seasons at MSU.
"I had always admired the program at MSU," George said. "The volleyball program and the university as a whole."
George has had her share of success in the NCAA. She left Western Michigan with an overall record of 187-131. In her 18 years as head coach, she complied a 367-216 record and was placed among the 50 winningest coaches in NCAA Division I.
George received Coach of the Year in every conference she coached in and for the past 10 years her teams have earned a grade-point average of 3.0 or better.
She was also the first woman to coach in the NCAA Division 1 Final Four in 1989.
To help complete her coaching staff, George bought along former Western Michigan Assistant Coach Russ Carnery and Ron Arenz.
Last year, the Spartans' volleyball season didn't go as expected with a 12-16 record and the loss of key players to injuries. George realizes there are many things the team needs to work on, including team chemistry.
"We're working a lot on defense, serve reception and limited mental errors," George said. "We want to have a solid defense and be a solid team in all skills."
George said she doesn't feel any added pressure because she's a woman coach.
"I don't look at it as pressure," she said. "I believe there's not a lot of pressure. Expectations are high, we want to be the best team we can be and prove that preseason ranking wrong."
George promised fans that they won't see her wearing the same suit or doing anything out of the ordinary. She said she is done being superstitious.
"I used to be superstitious," she said. "After doing that for a while, I realized we have to play ourselves."
As for looking ahead, George said she feels the Spartans have a bright future.
"I enjoy this team," George said. "They have been working extremely hard and I believe the wins will come if we work hard to achieve them."
