Wedding season is officially in full swing, and with so many couples considering this year’s 7/7/07 date especially lucky for nuptials, U of T expects their latest partnership to be a mutually beneficial one. In keep with tradition the Varsity Blues have chosen to go with something old, new and borrowed – in announcing Ed Drakich as the new athletic instructor and coach of the men’s volleyball program.
Brother of current U of T women’s volleyball coach Kristine Drakich, Ed Drakich graduated with honors from U of T’s Chemical Engineering program in 1985. The Blues hope he can come up with the winning formula for a team that has been eliminated in the OUA quarterfinals three years in a row.
Drakich enjoyed considerable success when he played for U of T: a fourtime OUA All-Star and three-time CIS First Team All-Canadian, he was inducted into the U of T Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, and again in 2006 as a member of the 1982-1983 men’s volleyball team. Returning to familiar haunts in a new capacity, he will attempt to match that success this time at the coaching level.
Bruce Kidd, Dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Health, expressed confidence in Drakich. “Ed possesses all of the fine qualities we look for in a leader and in a teacher, and we are thrilled to see him return to his alma mater to lead the Blues during this important time of renewal.”
The U of T alumnus, who began his university coaching career in 1986- 87 as an assistant with the Calgary Dinos, comes with great credentials and much-needed experience. Most recently, he coached the men’s team at Seneca College, where he was honoured as coach of the year on two separate occasions. Under his guidance, the previously struggling team turned around to capture numerous provincial medals.
Drakich replaces Jeff Chung, who guided a young Blues team to a respectable 36-25 record in his three seasons at the helm. It is unknown whether Chung will remain with the program in any official capacity, but the athletic department clearly saw this as a critical juncture in the program’s development, and did not hesitate to make a change of direction.
“We are so excited and proud that Ed has accepted the position of athletic instructor and head coach,” said Liz Hoffman, Director of Athletics. “Ed’s passion and commitment to volleyball, to the University and to the Varsity Blues is second to none, and his experience as one of Canada’s elite volleyball players, as the Technical Director for Volleyball Canada, and as a club, college and university coach solidified our belief that he is the right fit for the Varsity Blues.”
With such effusive praise, the athletics department seems to have taken a page from the ever-relevant Seinfeld, adopting its “Love the Drake” dictum. The sentiment is appropriate for wedding season, but let’s hope this marriage turns out a little better.
