A look at the legacy and impact of Algonquin Wolves women’s volleyball coach Everton Senior
Photo credit: Mickey Banks
On Jan. 31, Everton Senior, head coach of the Algonquin Wolves women’s volleyball team, recorded his 300-career win, defeating the Loyalist Lancers 3-2 in Belleville.
Sabrina Berger, who’s in her first year playing for the Wolves, said she didn’t realize Senior had reached this milestone during the game and found out after on Instagram.
“When I actually understood it was his 300 win, that’s definitely something to be proud of, that’s insane,” Berger said.
Grace Pate, who’s played for the Wolves for three years, said the team has been sure to remind him of the win.
“We have the poster that they made of him on our whiteboard in our locker room,” Pate said. “It’s pretty funny to tease him about it, because he doesn’t like attention like that.”
The Wolves went on to finish third in the East Division with a record of 11-5, bringing Senior’s tally to an impressive 301 wins and 126 losses in 25 seasons.
Senior’s coaching journey began after playing volleyball for four years at the college.
“It just seemed like a natural transition for me,” Senior said. “I love sports so much and when my playing career was done, I wanted to continue to be on in some capacity.”
Senior said he was a tougher coach in the beginning but time and experience has lightened his style.
“I’m not a big yeller,” Senior said. “I try to hold the girls accountable, but I try not to embarrass anybody, and if I need to speak to somebody about something, I’ll do it away from the team. I guess maybe they would say I’m a player’s coach.”
Courtney McNaughton has been an assistant coach with the Wolves for almost a decade. She said working with Senior has taught her many things, with patience being at the top of the list.
“We come from different coaching backgrounds but I really enjoy working next to him,” McNaughton said. “He makes me want to be better for the girls, be better for the team as a whole.”
Senior is a passionate and fun presence on the court.
“If you ever watch one of our games, you’ll see that he gets pretty into giving a ball back when we have three balls on the court,” McNaughton said. “He gets pretty into it with his dance moves slash kicking styles. So that rounds him out as a whole, very competitive in a game, but very fun, easygoing and laid-back.”
After a quarter of a century, Senior’s drive to continue with the Wolves comes from the players.
“They’re young, they’re bubbly, they’re infectious,” Senior said. “I look forward to coming to practice, I look forward to seeing the girls and when that fire burns out, then I’ll know it’s time for me to step back.”
For Senior, the most rewarding thing about coaching are the bonds that he’s formed over the years.
“When all is said and done, I’m still in contact with ex players, I’m getting invited to weddings,” Senior said. “I’m seeing these girls turn into young mothers, and they reach out to me and tell me how much I’ve been an influence in their lives. That’s really nice to hear and it’s big for me.”