Thankful Thursday: Arin Dadiw

One of the things I am most proud of at Bay to Bay is the tight knit nature of our coaching staff. There are so many great friendships that have been formed through coaching together, it is amazing to see how people invest into each other, and in turn get even more out of their teams.

On the flip side, this can be an intimidating environment for a new coach to join. There is usually an onboarding process for new coaches within the club to get a hang of how we approach training, tournaments, and the culture of the coaching staff off of the court. That was not the case with Arin Dadiw.

Seamless Integration

I can't think of any other coach that integrated into our club as seamlessly as Arin. Coach Arin is entering his second full season with the club, but he has been a part of Northern California volleyball for over a decade. When Arin first interviewed to join our staff, he had most definitely done his homework. He had picked up on all of the things that we preach behind the scenes: teams supporting other teams, everyone matching, high energy, the list goes on. More importantly, these were all things that Arin was already doing with his club teams and high school program at Monte Vista.

Onboarding Becomes Ownership

In his first season with Bay to Bay Arin took charge of the 16-2's team. Our normal onboarding procedure for new coaches is to have them attend our first week of skills practices to hear how we are training each position, structuring practices, and communicating with players. Arin took his onboarding process to the next level.

Arin attended almost every skills practice (nearly 60 hours worth of training) and took complete ownership of getting to know as many Bay to Bay athletes as possible--not just his own team. He worked with every age group helping to "run a court" each session and imparting his wisdom whenever possible.

Support System

When the first tournament of the 2019 season rolled around, it was the 18-under Power League Qualifier. We had 5 teams participating in the first weekend, and the 10 other Bay to Bay teams were practicing in preparation for their tournament the following weekend.

Just as teams started warming up around 7:15 am, coach Arin strolled into the gym. Confused, I said to him, "You know your team plays next weekend, right?". His response was, "Of course, I just wanted to come support the Bay teams and high school guys and see what their tournament routines were before next weekend". Coach Arin stayed for 5 hours that morning before heading down to Harker to get his 16-2's practice started. 

Sure enough, the following weekend the 16-2's were one of the first teams waiting to get into the convention center, fully matching, and ready to warmup at 7:00 am. Beyond that, whenever there was a break in their play schedule, coach Arin would guide them to a nearby court to watch whichever Bay to Bay team was playing. As any athlete knows, the simple presence of your friends or a coach in the stands goes a long way in making you feel supported.

Arin's Super Power

Coach Arin is a rockstar when it comes to supporting the club, the coaches, and his team. What truly separates him is his championship mindset. Whether it be the annual Halloween Costume Contest or the SCVA Classic, coach Arin wants to win. He brings an enthusiasm, dedication, and spark of joy that his team cannot help but emulate. With that spirit, Arin is able to get so much more out of his teams.

That is why in 2019 his 16-2's team won the Gold medal of the 16USA division at the SCVA Classic and finished 4th in the Open division of the NCVA Qualifier.

Thank You Coach Arin 🙏 

To our coaching staff it feels as though Arin has been with the club for years. We are so thankful for your incredible passion for the sport, the club, and it's players. Thank you Coach Arin!

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