Director of Volleyball, Mr Eric Smith has spent the past 20 years at Toowoomba Grammar School not only shaping the minds of the young men in his science classroom but also working tirelessly on improving his capacity to coach volleyball to the highest level.
Starting at the School in 2003, Eric quickly rediscovered his passion for volleyball, something he had not experienced since playing for Ipswich Grammar School during the ‘90s.
“I felt completely at home back on the volleyball court and transferring my passion onto the athletes in my charge”.
It was the very next year that he took over the program as the Master-in-Charge (MIC) from 2004 – 2012.
“They were exciting times for the sport. It was really getting a great footing in the GPS community and our team numbers effectively doubled in these few short years,” said Eric.
Coach education was never far from his mind, completing his Level 1 and Level 2 in 2004, and his Level 3 in 2007.
“Completing my Level 3 back then really enabled me to guide the growth and impact of the TGS Volleyball program on our athletes. It gave me greater understanding of the psychology behind the game and the methods for tracking key statistical data from every match at 1st VI level,” Eric stated.
During the ensuing years, Eric coached a number of teams for TGS, including the 1st VI, 8A and 9A teams and externally with the Darling Downs U15 Boys and Queensland U15 Boys. In 2018 when the opportunity for the Director of Volleyball role became available, he knew what was needed.
“A Director role is greatly different to an MIC – you have more command of the direction of the sport and greater capacity in engaging with the wider community,” said Eric.
“I was now in a position to improve the teaching and learning of all of our coaching staff, adding to their volleyball knowledge and we could extend our players to the high-performance realm.”
The past four years has seen the greatest number of TGS athletes not only attend state team trials but also be selected across both volleyball disciplines, indoor and beach.
“There has been the occasional player to represent Queensland in the past, the likes of Cameron Weber, Alex Kerridge, David Marsh and William Cavaye, but the sheer volume of quality volleyball athletes we are producing today is not only a credit to the program but to all the coaching staff who have had an impact on those athletes to strive for the highest level.”
The icing on the cake for Eric was to have one of his players invited to the Australian Volleyball Academy in 2021.
“Ben Hood is an exceptional athlete and once he knew volleyball was going to be his pathway to success, he has never looked back. I am immensely proud that we have been able to produce an athlete like Ben who represents Australia.”
In July, the first ever Australian-based opportunity to obtain a FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball) qualification was jumped on by Eric as another opportunity to extend his coaching knowledge. The five-day course involved both theory and practical work with the 29 participants really put through their paces.
“This qualification is a ticket to coaching at the elite level throughout the world,” Eric stated.
“You needed to not only know your stuff but be able to execute it practically.”
Participants included former national Australian and Serbian players and high-performance coaches at the Australian Volleyball Academy. Unfortunately, not all participants passed the testing but still learnt so much about the game and methods of coaching that their clubs and schools will benefit from their new knowledge.
Eric’s focus for the next six months is to engage within the TGS community to develop our most junior players to their potential and to push our new 1st VI to a level they have never been.
“Achieving this accreditation gives me a sense of personal pride that I can match it as a coach at any level,” said Eric.
Further education of the TGS coaches and the wider Darling Downs volleyball coaches will ensue in time.
Latest Blog
The Transition to Year 7 - from a Parent and Staff Member's Perspective
Regardless of your history with the school, you are all equally welcome here and should feel comfortable in knowing that we value every family and their son’s contribution to our School. Toowoomba Grammar School was built by the community, for the community and it is a School that I am immensely proud of. In 2025 we will celebrate our sesquicentenary or Grammar 150 and your sons will play a vital role in those celebrations. Our pedagogy is modelled on explicit instruction which has its roots in…
Boarding Families - Surviving Homesickness
Homesickness can be brutal for both the child and their parents. As a parent it can feel like your heart is being ripped out in some cases daily. It is extremely hard hearing how sad your boy may sound on the phone, and then you are left reeling for 24hrs until the next call, you are often left worried that they are feeling like this ALL DAY. Rest assured only vary rare cases are that bad, they usually improve as they settle in, and it is temporary. The reality is that most boys tend to save…
Helpful Tips for New Boarding Parents
Name absolutely everything! Socks, undies, phone chargers, water bottles, caps. EVERYTHING!! Make sure you name items with Boy’s name & House number; most parents will put their senior house number if printing the tags so they don’t have to rename items when they move the following year (Corfe House doesn’t have a house number). Some boys find a double bed doona is a better option than single doona as it hangs down the sides of the bed a little more to keep them warmer in winter. An…
Parenting Styles: Parties and the Holidays
As the holiday season approaches, parents and caregivers find themselves immersed in the joy and bustle of festivities. Amidst the celebrations, it’s essential to pause and reflect on the pivotal role our parenting styles play in shaping our children’s attitudes and behaviours, especially concerning alcohol and other drug use. As a father of four young people with my fifth child coming into our family on 8 December 2023, I’m particularly mindful of my parenting style and my role as School…
Building the Boarding Experience - at Home
Family connections is a vital aspect of our Toowoomba Grammar School boarding program that we hold close to our heart. Our Heads of House regularly make the effort to visit our boarding families so they have a better understanding of our boarders' lives, the challenges and experiences, and staff always enjoy the warmth and hospitality provided by families. Head of Corfe House, Henry White and his wife, Samantha recently spent a weekend with the Acton family on Dalgonally Station near Julia…
A New Season for Coach Kabe
Highly respected Head of Basketball and 1st V Coach, Kabe Ciccolini is embarking on a new and inspiring chapter. This season, he takes up the role of Assistant Head of Corfe House, guiding our youngest boarders with a warmth and passion that is uniquely his own. Kabe’s decision to transition into the role of Assistant Head of Corfe House reflects his unwavering commitment to mentorship and leadership. For him, this move signifies a positive step in his career. “It’s an opportunity to further…
Embrace Every Moment
In the words of one of the greatest leaders of all time, Albus Dumbledore, “it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” The wise wizard spoke these words to Harry as he stood before the Mirror of Erised, a magical artifact that reveals one’s deepest desires. These words tell the story of the balance between our dreams and the richness of the present moment. We live in a world that often urges us to focus on our aspirations; , sometimes we get so lost in our dreams that we do not…
What is the TGS Athletic Development Academy?
As a TGS Old Boy (2003-14), sport has always been an integral part of my upbringing. As a young boy I discovered the joys of cricket, track and field and touch footy. This love of being active led me to studying Exercise Science at University and I was fortunate enough to work with a range of national and international level athletes, culminating in an internship at the Brisbane Broncos. This experience launched my career in the strength and conditioning space, allowing me to work with…
The Boarding and Day Family Connections
My husband Ben and I are four years into our boarding journey at Toowoomba Grammar School, we have two boys in Mackintosh House, Josh in Year 10 and Archie in Year 9, and a daughter Ella who is home with us for one more year before we become empty nesters. We are in the fortunate position that we live reasonably close, so we have the privilege of taking our boys home often and can attend most School events. For many of our boarding families, this is not the case, they live great distances away…
