Beeckman joins CMU volleyball staff as assistant coach
Central Michigan head coach Erik Olsen has a luxury this upcoming season he didn't in years past in the form of a new member of his staff.
Theresa Beeckman, a former assistant at Ferris State, was announced as the second assistant to the CMU volleyball staff after agreeing to a one-year contract. Olsen hadn't had a second assistant in his previous seasons, but it now provides him the time to focus on both offense and defense.
“I can get a little bit better feel of the game with greater detail,” Olsen said. “Every aspect of everybody’s job will elevate to a higher efficiency level.”
Beeckman’s most recent coaching stop was at Ferris State as an assistant, but not before she spent four years as the head coach at Delta College. She brings over 10 years of experience to the table — something Olsen found important in the search.
“Theresa has almost as much experience as I do and that’s huge,” he said. “She’s just looking to get more experience at a higher level of training. She’s got a lot of experience and that’s everything in coaching.”
Beeckman fills the void of former graduate assistant Bethany Martin, who left for her alma mater Gardner-Webb.
Olsen and his staff have regularly signed graduate assistants to the position, but wanted “staying power” for the future of the program.
“When you add an assistant, you’re looking for more than a year and a half commitment,” he said. “You get some staying power and continuity with the program and I think that’s really important.”
Olsen’s mindset to have more than a year and a half commitment contradicts with the one-year deal Beeckman signed, but he expects her to stay. The contract doesn’t impact what Olsen envisions for her.
“I expect her to be here for several years,” he said. “I see her being here for quite a bit of time — enough time to make a big impact.”
Associate head coach Dave Zelenock is expected to handle the defense and Beeckman will handle the offense due to Beeckman’s setter-training skills.
