Senior Caden Koedyker happy he picked up volleyball midway through high school and so are teammates who enjoyed his big contributions in sweep at Michigan City

Tom Keegan
Onwardtrojans.com

A year ago, Chesterton senior Caden Koedyker looked like a football player and former baseball player wearing a volleyball uniform. Now he looks like a volleyball player.
Koedyker stood out Monday in the third set of Chesterton’s 25-15, 25-12, 25-10 sweep at Michigan City.
Anybody who had not seen him play since last season might have been surprised, but those who watch him get better in practice daily weren’t, but they didn’t enjoy watching it, based on their reactions.
“Caden jumped well and he hit well tonight,” Trojans coach Cathy Dilbeck said. “ His IQ and his athleticism is starting to really evolve. He works so hard day in and day out in practices. I love it when I’m able to give him the opportunity in matches because he works so hard. He’s a good kid. He deserves as much playing time as anybody else. Unfortunately, we have a little bit more loaded middles with Randy (Deutscher) and Carson (Chaffey).”
Koedyker gets it.
“We’re on a team with so much talent and I’ve only been playing volleyball two years, so I can’t really get mad when there’s not an opportunity for me because I’m on such a good team,” he said. “So I just have to make the most of my opportunities when I do get out on the court.”
That’s what he did Monday and figures to get significant court time again tonight when the Trojans travel to Merrillville for the regular season finale.
Not all gains must be watched by those outside a team for the athlete to take pride in them.
“The gap in skill even between the end of last school year and now is so big,” Koedyker said. “The skill level I’m at now, if you asked someone else who plays volleyball if they saw me they probably wouldn’t think this is only my second year. I’ve definitely had to work harder to try to catch up to everyone else who has been playing longer.”
He said after he gave up baseball he picked up volleyball “just because I have so many friends from football who play it.”
He’s happy he picked up a new sport midway through high school for reasons that extend beyond feeling himself steadily improve.
“I’ve made so many friends on the team,” he said.
One of those friends is injured Zane Westerlund.
“He’s one of the best football players I’ve ever played with and all the coaches will tell you that, too,” Koedyker said.
And the best volleyball player?
“Oh, yeah,” he said, smiling. “I’m hoping he makes a fast recovery.”