UPDATED Monday 10/9
On Wednesday, September 20th, all but two Canyon Ridge High School varsity volleyball players did not suit up for their rival match against Twin Falls High School, and JV players were called up to fill positions in the game. The varsity team is coached by head coach Linsey Noorlander and assistant coach Amber Irwin.
“I think the overall culture of our team became really negative and continued to become more and more negative,” said one original varsity player who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.
“I think we all just felt so disrespected [by the coaches] and like nobody cared. [Players] had stories and videos of how these coaches made us feel worthless,” claimed the first player. “I’d say the willingness of so many girls to leave speaks volumes to their coaching.” The Riverhawk Review is in possession of audio recordings of a team meeting between players and coaches in which some players felt they were being disregarded or belittled, but the content of the audio recordings is open to interpretation.
A second original varsity volleyball player who wishes to remain anonymous for similar reasons as the first agreed that her reason for leaving the program was “not feeling safe around the coaches and not respecting them.”
Tensions between players and coaches came to a head during a volleyball tournament on the weekend of September 15th in Idaho Falls resulting in coaches Noorlander and Irwin sitting in the stands. “[The coaches] completely stopped coaching us,” said the second player.
“You could say that through the years it was kind of building up, and it just broke at that point,” said the second player. One of the original varsity players told teammates that she was quitting the program that Friday night. Eventually, seven other varsity volleyball players followed suit.
On Monday the 18th, players, coaches, and CRHS Athletic Director Mr. Ted Reynolds, met to discuss the grievances of players with the coaches present. Many players “weren’t happy with the results,” of the meeting said the first player. “I think at the end of the day everyone was just so mentally exhausted that going back was too much.”
A third anonymous varsity volleyball player did not want to comment on the situation but did agree with the feelings and attitudes towards the volleyball coaches that were expressed by the other two volleyball players quoted above.
Other meetings occurred between individual players, groups of players, parents, and Dr. Kasey Teske, the former CRHS principal (who was relieved of his position at CRHS in early October), throughout the week of the 18th to find a way to bring the varsity players back, but by game time on September 20th, eight players had decided to leave, and JV players were called up to varsity.
Players were given until Friday, September 22 to decide if they wanted to return, and two original varsity players did rejoin the team. Currently, there is no open invitation for the other six players who left the program to return.
It is unclear if the removal of Dr. Teske as CRHS principal is in any way related to the situation with the varsity volleyball team or the volleyball coaches.
Linsey Noorlander will continue to coach CRHS Varsity Volleyball and declined to comment.
Amber Irwin is still assistant coaching the CRHS team and said, “I wish everyone involved nothing but the best, and I feel very honored to have been able to coach all of the players this season.” Irwin is no longer teaching IDLA classes at CRHS as of early October and explained, “The TFSD Human Resources office contacted me Friday 9/29 afternoon and offered me a position with South Hills Middle School, which was a better opportunity for me in many ways.” Irwin started working at South Hills MS on October 2nd, the same day as the District’s announcement that Dr. Teske was no longer CRHS principal. Irwin said that the change in both of their roles in the district “is in no way related.”
The following statement was provided by the Twin Falls School District: “The TFSD is aware of tensions amongst the CRHS volleyball team. As with any concern, administrators work closely with students and staff members to ensure that all TFSD programs serve our mission and support student success. In accordance with student and personnel privacy laws, the District cannot comment on any specific student or staff member conflict.”
As of Thursday, October 5, the CRHS Volleyball team was 8-2 overall. The team is 3rd in the 4A Great Basin Conference behind Twin Falls (2nd) and Wood River (1st). District games begin the week of the 16th.
