By JASON ROSSI
1,583: Increase in student enrollment Mark Orszula will experience as the coach moves from Westmont to Streamwood
wasn’t easy. “I built a number of relationships with the kids, parents and staff,” he said. “It’s always hard to leave and say goodbye. It’s tough ending those relationships, but I hope I made a positive impact.” At Streamwood, Orszula switches to a school that has four times the enrollment of Westmont (2,084 from 501), which will go long way to building the Sabres program. Westmont went 11-34 during Orszula’s stint, with a high-water mark of 4-5 in 2011. Streamwood was 13-33 during the same five-year stretch and made the playoffs in 2011, when it finished with a 6-4 record. “It’s a larger school with larger numbers, and that’s
Shaw Media file photo
Mark Orszula’s squad posted a 4-5 record in 2011, the program’s best finish in his five years as head coach. going to help us build a program and help us get to the playoffs. That’s the goal,” Orszula said. “At Westmont, we had a lot of kids going both
ways. The goal at Streamwood is to have 22 starters, 11 on offense and 11 on defense, plus special teams starters. “It’s going to be a little dif-
ferent [at Streamwood], but the overall philosophy is really going to be the same. It just comes down to coaching football.”
Local volleyball players prepare for 2 national tournaments SUBURBAN LIFE MEDIA
Photo provided
The Westmont New WAVE’s 16-year-old Rush girls volleyball team will play in Orlando and Dallas this month.
WESTMONT – The summer schedule rapidly filled up for the Westmont New WAVE’s 16-year-old Rush girls volleyball team. The June schedule originally was going to consist of a trip to only Orlando for the AAU National Championships Tuesday to June 26, but now the Rush will turn around just two days later and head to Dallas for the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships June 28 to July 5. The excursion to Dallas wasn’t planned, but the Rush certainly earned its way to nationals. Playing at the Minnesota Northern Lights qualifying tournament in mid-April, the Rush went 10-0, taking out
higher-seeded teams from California and Iowa to take top honors over 72 other teams in the 16 American bracket. New WAVE is based in Westmont, but players from several other suburbs and local high schools comprise the Rush roster, including Westmont High School student Gabby Slagle; Montini’s Jordan Bruscinelli, Mary Long and Gina Cappetta; Downers Grove South’s Katie Vondra and Alexa Acosta; Downers Grove North’s Selene Ushela; Hinsdale South’s Lizzie Niestrom; Glenbard West’s Robin Sackett; and Glenbard East’s Sarah Murphy. The team is coached by Jason Fox and Rachel Hartmann, and New WAVE is co-directed by Deidre Dunbar and Steve Dowjotas.
WMP
WESTMONT – After five seasons at the helm, Mark Orszula has stepped down as Westmont High School’s football coach. Orszula, a Lisle High School graduate and former assistant football coach there, will take Mark over the foot- Orszula ball program at Streamwood High School. The move became official in late May, but Orszula said the process of going from Westmont to Streamwood started in the early spring. “It got announced later, but the wheels started turning in the early spring,” Orszula said. “I saw the job, went in and interviewed, and it went really well.” While he is excited about the future at Streamwood, leaving Westmont behind
Big number
SD • Wednesday, June 12, 2013 • mysuburbanlife.com • Reporter | Progress
jrossi@shawmedia.com
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SPORTS |
New huddle hopes
Former Westmont football coach Orszula hopes to build program at much bigger school