Wittenberg’s Labrador, Calvin’s Bindon named Coaches of the Year
In a slight change in protocol, Wittenberg’s Paco Labrador has been voted the AVCA National Coach of the Year. Calvin’s Laura Bindon was named the AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year.
Last weekend Labrador’s Tigers won their first national title in his ninth season at the helm. It was Wittenberg’s first championship trophy since the 1977 football team’s title and the first Walnut and Bronze for any women’s sport at Wittenberg. However, Labrador was not one of the eight regional Coaches of the Year who, in past years, formed the candidates for the national award. Labrador deserves the national award, but the language from the 2011 regional awards said, “Each of the (eight regional) honorees will represent his/her region on the AVCA National Coach of the Year ballot.”
I didn’t think Labrador would win due to the language, but I’m pleasantly surprised the AVCA changed the rules a bit. Then again of the eight nationals participants, only Eastern’s Mark Birtwistle was selected as Regional Coach of the Year. Calvin head coach Amber Warners was the Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year.
Bindon is a nine-year assistant at Calvin, which went into regional play undefeated in pursuit of back-to-back national titles. Calvin lost to Wittenberg in the regional final and finished with a 32-1 record.
-Ricky Nelson
