By Reagan Hoverman

Throughout the last two seasons, Allison Odmark has served in a variety of roles with in the Ellsworth athletic department and has been selected as the next head coach of the Panthers volleyball program.

When Odmark arrived at Ellsworth two years ago to take a job teaching math at the high school level, she quickly jumped at the opportunity to get involved with Panther ath – letics. During that first year, she volunteered with the high school basketball and softball programs. After gaining valuable experience in that first year, she took over as the JV volleyball head coach and now enters her third year at Ellsworth as the next head coach of the pro – gram. Odmark is no stranger to high school and even collegiate athletics.

When Odmark was in high school she was a three-sport athlete who participated in volleyball, basketball, and softball, and con – tinued her athletic career at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where she played soft – ball. While earning her degree at Eau Claire, Odmark student taught at an area high school where she volunteered with their volleyball program.

Odmark's familiarity with the sport and with the Ellsworth volleyball program made her the standout candidate during the hiring process. Now, with Odmark at the helm, she can run the program as she sees fit and try to turn around a program that finished the 2021 season with a 3-17 overall record.

"We are focusing on setting a standard of excellence with the things that we can do as a team and that we can control," Odmark said. "I've been talking with the girls about things we can control like attitude, euort, en –

ergy, all of those things that aren't necessari – ly sports-related but help the outcome get to where we want to be." Flexibility is going to be a mainstay for Odmark and the new Ellsworth Panthers volleyball program. Through her first cou – ple of seasons coaching at Ellsworth, she has gained valuable experience watching other head coaches operate and will use that infor- mation to benefit the volleyball program.

"I think understanding that each year and each group of girls is really diuerent and they're going to respond to diuerent coach – ing," Odmark said. "The way I coached my JV team last year is going to be very diuerent from how I coach the varsity team this year compared to when I coached C-team basket – ball. Learning what they need from a coach and how they need me to talk to them has been helpful." The Ellsworth volleyball team returns only four seniors, as most of the roster is younger players who have multiple years left in the program as the Panthers begin a rebuilding season. Ellsworth hasn't had a winning re – cord since the 2019 campaign and will look to make steady improvements throughout the 2022 season.

"I want us to improve and I want us to compete in every single game," Odmark said. "Winning tough games or losing tough games where we work hard. We finished last in the conference last year so I'm hoping we can move up to that sixth or seventh spot, being realistic. If we can move up a couple of slots each year, then it will be a couple of years and we will be back near the top." While incremental improvements will be the larger goal for seasons to come, Odmark has set a goal of being a .500 team this sea –

son, which would be a huge turnaround com – pared to last year's record. There are a couple of players who will be pivotal to climbing the standings and making a push for that .500 re –

cord.

"Our starting setter Ava Brookshaw is re – turning, she will be a huge asset for us this year," Odmark said. "Addie Snyder is com – ing up this year and is a very confident player stepping in. All of them are growing together and they're looking good and playing well together. Katelynn Sears is a senior returning as a middle blocker, we're going to be count – ing on her senior leadership this year." Despite last year's struggles, Odmark has been impressed with the girls on the roster this year and by all accounts, the Panthers volleyball team has had a great first week of practice. She spoke about what those first couple of days were like as the new head coach of the program.

"I thought the first day of practice was great," Odmark said. "The girls were work –

ing hard, having lots of fun, and were push – ing each other. For the first couple of days, I'm very optimistic that we'll be a competi – tive team." The Ellsworth volleyball team will be in action on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at a quad in Col – fax and will compete against other schools including Colfax, Clayton, and Melrose-Min –

doro. That match is slated to begin at 5 p.m.