The skill level. The sitting on the bench. The living on his own.
It was a year of adjustment for Vernon volleyball star Charles Oduro, 18, a 6-foot-4 left- and right-side hitter for the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack of Kamloops.
Oduro was one of many rookies with the WolfPack, who won their final eight matches to qualify for the CIS playoffs, where they lost in the first round to Langley’s Trinity Western Spartans.
Oduro, a former all-star with the Seaton Sonics and a provincial U17 team member, spent a lot of his freshman year watching and learning.
“Overall it went pretty well,” said Oduro, who is studying business administration.. “It was a shaky start but I adjusted pretty well. My first year was very enjoyable.”
The biggest challenges for Oduro were the pace of play and the talent pool.
“The transition from high school and club to university ball was huge,” he said. “It was definitely overwhelming at the beginning. All of the athletes, their skill level is so high, but with time I adjusted and my skill level improved.
“My confidence has also gone up and I’m smart on the court now.”
For that, he credits two things: playing together with a bunch of fellow first-year players and WolfPack head coach Pat Hennelly.
“I felt better that there were a lot of guys at the same level; we were all training together to improve and, together, we did improve,” said Oduro. “We have a great coach. He likes to push guys, but he knows his limits. He definitely helped us all.”
Hennelly was already a fan of Oduro which is why he recruited the lanky power hitter to TRU.
“Charles has been a great addition to our program,” said Hennelly. “He has fit in very nicely with the guys on the team, and continues to make big strides on the court and in the weight room.”
As exciting as it was to watch the WolfPack get red-hot at the end of the year to qualify for the playoffs with such a young squad, Oduro did mostly that: watch.
And for a kid used to playing nearly every point in high school and at the club level, that takes some getting used to as he and the fellow rookies found.
“We knew that coming in that we weren’t going to get a lot of playing time because we’re first years,” said Oduro. “Having to experience sitting on the bench for the first time was definitely a change and a little heartbreaking. I’m hoping to get more playing time next year which I think I will.”
Said Hennelly: “I believe Charles has the potential to be a starting player in our program, and a top player in the CIS. I’m glad he chose TRU for his post-secondary career, and I look forward to watching his development.”
Oduro laughs when asked about the adjustment to university life away from the volleyball court.
“Living on your own is a little challenging,” he chuckled. “You don’t realize how much responsibility you have until you’re living your life.”
With that, Oduro is hoping to pick up a few tips this summer as he works in the restaurant at Sparkling Hill Resort.
Oduro will also spend the summer hitting the gym and the beach, competing in beach volleyball competitions to prepare for his second year at TRU.
“Our team goal next year is to again make the playoffs,” he said. “We have a lot of strong returning players and a lot of good rookies coming in. We look pretty healthy as a team.”
