When Carol Hofer returned to the coaching ranks, she did have some pause for concern.
Coaching is nothing new to Hofer — she first picked up a clipboard while still a university player — but she had stepped aside from her role as head coach of the Trinity Western Spartans women’s program, to focus on her new role in administration with the TWU athletic department.
“If there was a challenge, it was switching from women’s to men’s (volleyball) mainly because the men’s game is a little bit different,” she explained.
“I was a bit nervous when I started but once I got into it, I really paid attention to what guys like (TWU men’s volleyball coach) Ben Josephson were doing and I talked to some other coaches.
“A lot of the principles of coaching volleyball are still the same.”
It is fair to say that Hofer’s transition back into coaching — something she has done for 30 years now — has been successful.
Hofer received the high school coach of the year award at Volleyball BC’s Hall of Fame banquet on Saturday at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown. Seven new members were also inducted into the Volleyball BC Hall of Fame.
Hofer is being honoured for her work with the Langley Christian Lightning, a program she coached for three years, with the squad winning provincial gold all three times.
The Lightning were the 2015 junior boys champions and then won the BC 2A senior boys provincial titles in both 2016 and 2017.
“Once I got over that initial nervousness and we were flying, the boys were great,” Hofer said. “They listened and they wanted to excel as much as I wanted them to.”
A major factor in Hofer’s decision to pick up the clipboard once again was the fact she would get the opportunity to coach her eldest son, Brodie.
Hofer said the award does have a little extra significance to her because she did get these three years of coaching her son, with Brodie winning most valuable player honours at each provincial championships.
gary ahuja
