Coach Keylor Chan does not reveal his true feelings during games, regardless of how his team is performing.
Whether Northwestern is in the midst of a blowout versus the top-ranked team in the nation or in close games where the winner is not known until the final points, Chan is always a calm figure.
There are few outbursts of emotion except in the rare timeout or words from the sideline. There are no fits toward the referee, or even a chair toss, about a questionable call.
But take the opportunity to talk to Chan after a game and any indifference toward NU his body language presents is immediately contradicted.
When asked if he took any consolation in playing a team to the fifth set over losing in three, Chan’s answer was short and to the point.
“No,” he said simply.
And to him, that answer was good enough. Against every opponent, winning is always the ultimate achievement.
“We still fell short of our goals,” Chan said. “It’s a journey, I keep saying that. Our team is learning a lot of lessons this season and I make no excuses about that.”
The Wildcats’ tough schedule has provided plenty of opportunities for the team to learn. With a record of 7-14, 1-8 in the Big Ten, the team has had to focus on keeping its spirits up and forgetting yesterday’s battle to prepare to win the next. NU has gotten chances to play alongside some of the most respected programs in the nation and to compete with the best.
But the Cats don’t always view those lessons in a positive light.
“We’re disappointed. We wanted to finish the first half with more than one win,” junior Ariel Baxterbeck said. “We thought we were prepared for every game. We have the same preparation every week in practice. We’re mentally there, but sometimes we let a lot of little things add up.”
In a game of momentum, those little things can turn into deciding factors in a match. Regardless of the mistakes the team commits, effort is something that NU controls itself. Giving great effort every time out on the court is one thing that Chan constantly emphasizes.
The Cats will get plenty of chances to improve and climb up the rankings in the second half of the Big Ten schedule, which kicks off Wednesday at 7 p.m. when NU travels to Madison, Wis. to face No. 25 Wisconsin.
“You go out and play hard every match because every one is an opportunity to grow,” Chan said. “Our biggest goal was for them to learn how to push themselves and to play on the edge at every game. We want to be 100 percent committed to competing and we need to work on that some more.”
