ZEELAND — There is a new face leading Zeeland East volleyball this fall, but the expectations surrounding the program haven’t changed much.
Jake Szetela has taken over as head coach of the Chix varsity volleyball program following the departure of longtime coach Sara Mulder, and the first two weeks of competition have provided an encouraging start to the transition.
Zeeland East enters the next stage of its schedule with a 10-1 record, highlighted by a championship at the Cadillac Varsity Invitational.
It’s an impressive beginning, but one Szetela and the Chix aren’t looking to make more of than it is.
There is a lot of volleyball still to be played.
Szetela took over the program this offseason after Mulder stepped down following 11 success-filled seasons as Zeeland East’s head coach. During that time, Mulder helped establish the Chix as a consistent presence in west Michigan volleyball, leading the program to conference championships, its first district championship and developing numerous all-state players.
Szetela inherited that foundation rather than approaching the job as a rebuild.
“I am excited to get to work building upon the strong tradition of integrity, excellence, commitment and teamwork that coach Mulder cultivated during the last 11 years,” Szetela said when his hiring was announced in May.
For Szetela, the position also represents an opportunity to lead a program in a community his family already considers home. His three sons are future Chix, something he highlighted when accepting the position, along with his desire to serve the Zeeland East community and continue developing the program.
He arrived with experience at both the high school and club levels. Szetela previously coached junior varsity volleyball at Wyoming Potter’s House, Kenowa Hills and Forest Hills Eastern and has coached club volleyball with Aim High and most recently, FarOut Volleyball Club. He is joined by assistant coach, Ali Bastianelli, whose volleyball resume stretches as far as France, and JV & Freshman coaches Abby Winn and Lexy Jankowiak, respectively. Szetela believes he has a staff that will not only challenge the girls on the court & support them off it but serve as a foundation of the program’s new era.
But taking over a varsity program brings a different responsibility.
The first few months have meant learning a new group of athletes, establishing expectations and finding the right balance between introducing new ideas and respecting what has already made Zeeland East volleyball successful.
So far, the results have followed.
The Chix have won 10 of their first 11 matches, with the early highlight coming Aug. 22 when they traveled north for the Cadillac Varsity Invitational.
Zeeland East finished first in its pool with victories over Cass City, Calumet and Manton, earning a top seed heading into bracket play. The Chix continued their run from there and eventually captured the tournament championship.
It was the type of day that required contributions throughout the roster.
Seniors Olivia Valenzuela and Camille Louwerse provided important performances during pool play, while freshman middle Elise Hoeksema and sophomore setter Samantha Murphy contributed key rotations against strong competition.
The tournament also included a three-set victory over a Forest Hills Eastern team that entered the matchup unbeaten and looks to be a formidable program this fall. Zeeland East later defeated host Cadillac in straight sets, 27-25 and 25-20. Cadillac had won its first five matches before facing the Chix.
More important than any individual result, however, has been the opportunity for a new coaching staff and returning group of players to begin establishing how they want to play together.
An early-season tournament championship is encouraging. A 10-1 record is encouraging.
Neither guarantees anything in October or November.
That’s particularly true for a Zeeland East team that knows the level of competition waiting ahead. The schedule will continue to provide tests, and the Chix will eventually have to navigate conference play and the pressure that comes with the postseason.
For now, though, the first two weeks have provided a solid starting point.
There are areas to improve, rotations to refine and plenty for the coaching staff and players to learn about one another as the season progresses. That’s part of any season, and particularly one involving a coaching transition.
The early wins are a positive sign.
The Cadillac championship is something the players can be proud of.
But 11 matches into Szetela’s tenure, this is still much closer to the beginning than the finished product.
That’s probably the most appropriate way to view Zeeland East’s 10-1 start.
Not as proof of what the Chix have become under a new coach, but as an encouraging first chapter for a program trying to honor where it has been while pushing for new levels of greatness this fall.