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Linn-Mar volleyball loses an all-stater, but ‘this doesn’t change our goals’
All-stater Kate Passmore is a notable absence at the first day of practice, but the Lions weren’t panicking
Aug. 12, 2024 4:05 pm, Updated: Aug. 12, 2024 4:32 pm
MARION — The news could have been crippling.
Last week, it became apparent that senior Kate Passmore (three-year starter, nearly 1,000 career kills, 2023 Class 5A first-team all-stater) would bypass her final season with the Linn-Mar High School volleyball team.
In the aftermath, Coach Nikki Rowland received a text from another key player.
The tone was anything but panic-stricken:
“One of the players — I’m not going to tell you who — said, ‘This doesn’t change our goals,’” Rowland said.
Linn-Mar was one of the state’s 350-some schools that got volleyball practice rolling Monday. For a select few, it will end Nov. 8 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, in the state-tournament finals.
The Lions opened with a three-hour session. From 8 a.m. to 9:30, it was skills-and-drills work. Then the seniors led practice from 9:30 to 10, followed by 45 minutes of competitive six-on-six games, and closed with 10 minutes of visualization.
“It was fun to be able to get our six-on-six going again,” said Kira Klesner, who — along with twin Kelsey Klesner — become the Lions’ offensive go-to players in Passmore’s absence.
Rowland has served as an assistant coach, both at Cedar Rapids Washington (her alma mater) and Linn-Mar, in a variety of sports since 2000.
She got her first opportunity as a head coach in the middle of last season upon the resignation of Alyssa Thomas.
The Lions went 19-14 last year, 12-11 under Rowland.
“She brings a lot of structure,” Kira Klesner said. “She doesn’t let us slack off.”
When Rowland was elevated last season, it wasn’t on an interim basis.
The job was hers.
“A lot of coaches reached out to me,” she said. “(Mount Vernon’s) Maggie Willems has been awesome. Tom Keating (former Dubuque Wahlert coach, now IHSAA executive director) ... who doesn’t want to listen to Tom Keating?”
Rowland calls herself “incredibly competitive,” but as time has passed, her priorities have shifted away from raw wins and losses.
“I want to develop kids to be their best,” she said. “I live by faith, and if my role is to be here, I want every interaction to be positive, and I want every player to feel loved and cared for.”
The Kluesner twins both stand 5-foot-11 and both will play at Wisconsin-River Falls next year. Kelsey averaged 1.80 kills per set last season; Kira added 1.23 kills and 3.03 assists per set.
Kelsey injured her right ankle at a team camp in Kentucky but was out of her boot in time for Monday.
Last year, Kira shared setting duties with Karsyn Michael, now a junior. Kira is hopeful that the Lions shift to a 5-1 attack, with Michael the primary distributor.
Michael is down with it, too.
“I’m definitely going to have to be the communicator, the quarterback,” she said.
Rowland is convinced she has a back-row gem in senior Emily Brunson, who “works extremely hard and keeps the ball off the floor.”
The Lions open the season Aug. 27 at Cedar Rapids Kennedy.
“It’s going to be different without (Passmore), because she’s been a big part of the program for the last three years,” Kelsey Klesner said.
“Nobody’s going to think we’re going to be any good without her, so we take that personally.”
Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com
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