STONESS TAKES OVER WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
The Loyalist College women's volleyball team has a new head coach.
The Lancers athletics department is excited to announced that Ryan Stoness has taken over the helm from former coach, Dominique Dawes.
Stoness, a native of Kingston Ontario, joins the program after spending the previous two seasons with the men's team where he served as an assistant coach.
"I am excited to get started in this new role at Loyalist College," says Stoness. "I follow in the foot steps of some great coaches and players here, and I look forward to incorporating that rich history of volleyball success with a new and exciting brand of play and energy from our Women's program."
Stoness is an experienced team and individual coach with an array of diverse coaching certifications, including over 10 years of volleyball specific coaching experience. Having worked with students at nearly every level, Stoness has a background in both grass roots programs at the elementary level right through high school and into the college system.
A well-known "builder" of the sport, Stoness was an integral part of the growth and development of the substantial volleyball community in Kingston with his company, RYATT. RYATT hosts leagues and tournaments, both beach and indoor, with over 1000 active participants and 100 teams playing on a weekly basis.
"From a philosophical, technical and team management standpoint, Ryan fits into our program very well. His ideals and values emulate those of the entire Lancer program," says Athletic Director, Jim Buck. "He's been a valued member of our men's program for a couple of years now and we're thrilled to have his outstanding leadership on the women's team."
A large part of Stoness' volleyball and coaching philosophy focuses around strong communications and relationship building, a solid program and skill development plan, and a team emphasis on excelling at the most important things - fundamentals.
Stoness has already begun building his coaching staff, having brought on former Lancer standout, Jillian Hoftyzer. Hoftyzer is fresh off a terrific individual season where she was named an OCAA 1st team All Star, led the league in blocks and was in the top 5 in overall points. A fierce competitor and talented middle, Hoftyzer is a wonderful addition to the program.
Stoness and his coaching staff will be hosting Spring and Summer training camps in the coming months for new and returning players. Anyone interested in taking part can contact the team at womensvolleyball@loyalistcollege.com