Twenty questions with Martin Luther volleyball coach

Drew Buck

Beginning Friday, the Martin Luther Knights -- the UMAC regular-season champions -- will begin their quest for the UMAC postseason tournament title -- a goal that eluded them last year. In his 18 seasons as head coach of first Dr. Martin Luther and then MLC, Drew Buck has become an unlikely volleyball success story. The former pitcher in the Detroit Tigers' farm system took the position at DMLC with no volleyball experience, but learned quickly enough to win a National Small College Athletic Association volleyball title in 1986. Buck sat down with Journal Sports Writer Bob Varmette to talk about the season, the Knights' expectations for the UMAC tournament, the media and how they cover women's sports, and why baseball is only boring to boring minds.

Q. Why volleyball?

A. Actually, it's a sport that kind of came with the job. At the time that I took it, I knew absolutely nothing about volleyball other than the ball was white, it was round, it went over the net and you scored points somehow. I actually got the job two weeks before school started, which meant about three weeks before our first contest. I had some serious studying to do.

Q. Is that why you've been so successful?

A. I have put a lot of time and effort and energy into it. I still, to this day, go to clinics to try to upgrade what I do. ... I also get a good brand of kids here.

Q. What makes this year's squad so successful?

A. You hope you have something to do with that. I put a lot of effort into picking the team. I don't always pick the top athletes across the board. I think it's important to get a mix of one or two kids in there that are the "rah-rah" type -- the glue that's kind of going to keep you together. As long as they understand their role, they're as important as the ones getting all the accolades.

Q. Are you happy with how this season has gone?

A. Very happy. Last year, we went 27-4 -- the best record we'd ever had. This year, we increased it by one, and I actually stepped up the competition. But we're older, we're an older group.

Q. You have good team chemistry, solid fundamentals, but this is a short team. What are your thoughts on that?

A. We are short. We are, if not the shortest, one of the shortest teams in the league, and we're one of the shortest teams of the teams we have played against. But we've got decent athletic ability as far as vertical jump. We spend a lot of time with agility-type work in our practices. ... They've got to be smart as to where to hit through blocks, off blocks -- we spend some time talking about if the block isn't set where's a good place to make your contact. And they're very good as we find weaknesses in defenses to be able to use what gifts they do have by playing tougher defense. Your size for defense is immaterial.

Q. What are the team's expectations heading into the UMAC tournament?

A. Last year, we came so close to winning the conference tournament. The winner of the tournament gets an automatic berth to the regions. I think (last season) left a bitter taste in our mouth ... after winning the (regular-season conference title). They're bound and determined that that is not going to happen again.

Q. Who do you see as your toughest competition for the title?

A. Definitely Northwestern (Roseville). We've played them three times year, beaten them twice. But they beat up on us pretty good at their place. They beat us in three games, kind of caught us off-guard.

Q. To win the UMAC tournament, who do you have to have good matches out of?

A. Our outsides are going to give us what I need. For us to be able to advance and do well, our middles are going to have to step it up. Christa Holub (2.4 kills/game, .319 kill efficiency) has had her best offensive effort in her four years. We just need more of it. Rachel Kramer (2.7 kills/game, .282 kill efficiency) lately has been hitting the ball very well, but still struggles at times, and it'll affect her blocking (1.4 blocks/game, 1st UMAC). When she's not blocking every ball that comes over the net, she gets frustrated and she's got to understand that even by making people hit around her then she's doing her job.

Q. The Gawrisch girls (Kelly and Lisa) seem like they've been around MLC forever. What are your thoughts on having them on your team?

A. I've always enjoyed having them. They're very hard-nosed, they work very hard. I always talk about Kelly (2.5 kills/game, .167 kill efficiency) as the kind of person that if I told her to go through the bleachers to get a ball she would find some way to do it. ... Lisa (3.0 kills/game, .255 kill efficiency) is pretty much the same way. She was (UMAC) player of the year last year and is having another very good year.

Q. You also coach the MLC baseball team. Are there differences in coaching men and women?

A. I would have to say it's easier for me to coach women. They show their emotions and you can deal with that. You know when they're up and when they're down. And you can deal with that, where with guys, it's just like they toe the line and you're not quite sure.

Q. What's the biggest enjoyment you get out of coaching college baseball?

A. The fact that I can stay with a sport that I've played my entire life. A lot of people say baseball's a boring game. That pat answer to that I've heard is that baseball's a boring game for those with boring minds. ... There is so much going on with every pitch. ... I like to get caught up with those games within the game. That's something that's always intrigued me.

Q. What do you think about the re-entry rule?

A. I guess I'm not in favor of that. ... I guess I would like to see the game played more straight. That's just my personal preference.

Q. What do you think about the DH?

A. I don't know -- I've probably gone full circle with the DH. I guess I like the fact we can only use the DH for the pitcher. I never was in favor of DHing for, like, your shortstop. ... At times, I'm glad that it's available, but wouldn't be averse to it not being there.

Q. Fundamentally, does playing on plastic and indoors insult the integrity of the game?

A. I think it's an easier game to play. Is that the way it's supposed to be played? I don't think so. I would like to see it played in the elements, played under adverse field conditions, and see what you're really made of.

Q. Do you think athletics is important to the college experience?

A. Personally, I think athletics is very important for any individual. Extracurricular activities, in general, I think are important. (Athletes) seem to be more rounded, and I'm talking about once they leave here, once their playing days are done, they still seem to be well-rounded individuals. ... They do learn a lot of life lessons with athletics -- they learn how to deal with problems, they learn how to overcome situations.

Q. How important is it for you to coach at MLC?

A. You get a totally different perspective here because of the nature of the college and what it stands for, its purpose. ... I've enjoyed my stay here. I'm one that actually married into the faith and came through the back door so to speak. ... I appreciate the fact that my kids can go to Christian dayschools and were able to go to a Christian high school. I feel confident that they have a good background that regardless of what they're going to do that they're going to be able to handle themselves well.

Q. Your daughter Emily plays volleyball at Minnesota Valley Lutheran. This is her first year playing on the varsity. Is it hard not to see her practice or play as much as you would like?

A. It's difficult. You want to try to attend as many as your kids' activities as you can. ... I try to get to as many as I can, or parts as I can. She's worked hard to get to the position where she's at.

Q. Since the inception of Title IX, from what you've experienced and observed, how much progress have girls and women's athletics made?

A. Huge, huge steps. I've had some good teams, but if I were to compare what I had then with what I have now, they've come a long way.

Q. You have a volleyball program that is arguably the most successful fall program of any in this area -- high school or college. The media tend to neglect women's athletics. Do you think that's inherently unfair?

A. If I'm on the receiving end of that? Probably. ... (But) we are in a situation where you guys have a ton of towns that all play sports and everybody wants their piece of the pie, and I don't know how you do it, to be honest. You don't have enough space nor the personnel. ... I think the media do what they can for the women's sports, but they just don't hold the attention of football or basketball or baseball.

Q. Regarding fan support, do you think the fans are paying enough attention?

A. No. I'm guessing from what I'm hearing from fans is our games our boring. ... They know what's going to happen -- why go watch some poor little team get beat up on? At the same time, I'm saying, 'I haven't had it like this for a long time. Let's enjoy this for a little while ... because in the next two years, I lose 10 players. I'm going to be right back down there.' Is that what's going to make the games fun for them? ... I think people are missing out, I really do.