Photo by Scott Johnson

Andrea Becker doesn’t have a degree in construction management, but the new Austin High volleyball coach is attempting to lay a strong foundation for what she hopes will be a successful program at a school without much tradition in the sport.

Thursday, August 19, 1999

Andrea Becker doesn’t have a degree in construction management, but the new Austin High volleyball coach is attempting to lay a strong foundation for what she hopes will be a successful program at a school without much tradition in the sport.

"I just need to plant the seed," the Redwood Falls native said Thursday at the Packers’ practice. "Everything we need is there. It’s just a matter of developing it. The potential is there."

Becker, who last coached in 1996 at the varsity level in Faribault, inherits a program with a rotating door at the coaching position, a situation that has weakened any ounce of stability and progress the program might gain during a year.

Without consistent leadership and a solid system in place, the Packers, despite having several good athletes in recent years, have languished near the bottom of the Big Nine and have made early first-round exits in the playoffs the past three seasons.

At Faribault, Becker faced a similar situation to the one she faces with Austin. The Falcons were without direction and multiple conference wins when she took over in 1994, but had developed into a middle-of-the-pack team only three years later.

With 60 players trying out for volleyball, Becker, along with her assistants Treasure Ranson, who will coach the junior varsity, Julie Luve, who will coach the B-squad, and Jennifer Stensrude, who will handle the ninth-grade coaching chores, is trying to sort out this year’s team.

"It’s been a real positive experience," Becker said of the first three days of practice "The AD has been real supportive and the girls have been real responsive.

"They’re taking it all very seriously and have done what I’ve asked them to do."

Although it has only a few days into practice Becker has made a positive impact with her assistants.

"She’s really organized and knows her stuff," said Stensrude, who is entering her third year of coaching Austin volleyball.

Luve said besides stressing fundamentals and conditioning workouts, Becker is trying to capitalize on individual strengths with the varsity players rather than a blanket approach that was tried last year.

Becker, a graduate of St. Cloud State University, said she wants to concentrate on fundamentals this year before moving on to more complex offensive and defensive schemes. She is also taking a realistic approach to the Packers’ success this season.

"We have high expectations, but I’m not going to come in here and say we’re going to win the state tournament," said Becker, who is aiming for a modest goal of finishing above .500 her first year with the program "Everything is not going to change in one year."

Besides implementing new techniques and going through conditioning drills, Becker is still trying to learn all the player’s names. Becker said team captains Brooke Gentzler and Erin Coleman have been helping practices run smoother while the she gets to know and work with some of the younger players.

"They’ve been great," Becker said of the captains. "Actually all of the upperclassman have been real good role models for the younger girls."

Becker lives in Owatonna with husband Jim and their 2-year-old son Jared. Becker will commute 40 minutes to Austin to teach and coach, and is taking a wait and see approach to decide if she wants to leave where she has lived the past nine years.