Patrick Hall was recently hired as the new head volleyball coach at Barton Community College.
Hall, who will begin practice today, said there were several things that convinced him to come to BCC.
“Barton has a rich history, a high standard of excellence and a history of success,” Hall said. “Any coach is attracted to all three of those things.
“They have nice resources, great facilities. They have every component available to be a national power.”
Hall has spent the last five years coaching at Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division foe Pratt, a team that the Lady Cougars knocked out of the NJCAA Region VI Tournament last season.
In those five years, Hall put together a record of 84-92 with a conference record of 33-21. The Beavers won the KJCCC Western Division regular season title for the first time in school history last season, finishing with a conference record of 12-2.
Hall won the KJCCC West Coach of the Year award three times while with the Beavers, in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
Hall said that coming to Barton has been made easy by assistant coach Andrea Rasmussen.
“It has been an easy transition,” Hall said. “My assistant coach has been here for four years. She’s the director of HPER (Health, Physical Education and Recreation) at the school. She has been a tremendous help.”
Barton is returning six players from the 2010 team that earned a berth in the NJCAA National Tournament. Hall said that his team will handle the change well.
“I think there is an initial shock when a coach leaves,” Hall said. “There was an initial shock for players here and at Pratt.
“I think nowadays athletes are accustomed to change and adversity. They face adversity every game and just have to face the next opponent. Once athletes reach the college level, I think they are used to change.”
Hall said that he believes he is inheriting a solid team.
“I have already had a chance to work with over half of the athletes at our summer camps and it was great,” Hall said. “You don’t mess too much with success. We have six returning players, most of them were starters.
“Now we just have to take it one step farther.”
The Lady Cougars’ first match will be at home when they host the Barton Invitational on Aug. 26-27.