BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. - When Kelly Sheffield took over as the Wisconsin volleyball coach in 2013, one of the first visitors to his office was Pete Waite, the man he replaced.
Awkward? Nope.
On the contrary, to know Waite is to know it was totally within his character to take the highest road possible.
"He left all his recruiting stuff, his boards and folders,'' Sheffield said. "He said, 'It's all here if you need it. If you need anything give me a call.' His actions were going to back up his words because it's really easy to say, 'Hey, if you need anything then let me know.' and not mean it. He's somebody that means it.
"I wasn't surprised because of what I knew of him and how he goes about things with everybody. Even with that, it was an incredible gesture.
"That's a transition,'' Sheffield said, "that doesn't happen very much anymore.''
Most importantly, Waite left Sheffield a roster laden with talent, the type that can take you places and surprise people. The 2013 edition included freshman setter and future Olympian Lauren Carlini and ended with the Badgers reaching the NCAA title match where they fell to Penn State.
"I had a level of talent waiting here that not everyone is fortunate to have,'' Sheffield said.
It's a moment reminiscent of the time Waite inherited the 1999 team from John Cook, who left UW for Nebraska, and benefited from the work of All-American Sherisa Livingston and Co. on the way to the NCAA title match in 2000 where Wisconsin fell to the Cornhuskers.
"Cook left some good players for me,'' Waite said. "I left some good players for Kelly. It's kind of neat how that turned out for both me and Kelly.
"It's been a blast watching the Badgers be back in the Field House, watching the fans still run (to their seats) after 30 years. It's a great environment and Kelly and his staff keep making it better and better.''
When Sheffield took over, he had an idea that has since paid huge dividends for all parties involved. He approached Waite about doing color commentary on local radio broadcasts with play-by-play man Jon Arias. Waite waited a year before committing, believing it would give his former players time to adjust to his absence, and then took it from there.
"I think you'd be really good,'' Sheffield recalled of his conversation with Waite. "You'd be doing our sport and our fan base a solid if you're a part of this thing.''
The first order of business was creating some chemistry with Arias.
"When I first started in 2008, I didn't know the game as much (as) today,'' Arias said. "Pete was one of the first people that slowly started to show me exactly what was happening, give me the correct terminology for it. He provided that introduction for my first few years as I learned what all the terms meant and all the different scenarios. He was a great teacher early on.''
Waite calls Arias one of the best in the country when it comes to doing volleyball play-by-play.
"It's been fun,'' Waite said. "When we first started out, he was a sponge, he picked it up really quickly. I think Jon and I are a pretty good match.
"It's a compliment to what Jon and I do that I hear from a lot of people who watch it on TV sometimes that they'll turn down the volume and turn up our call because they enjoy what we do.''
Sheffield said everyone benefits from Waite's even-keeled approach to the game.
"He's so good for us about learning (the game),'' Sheffield said of the Wisconsin fan base. "I think he enjoyed it right away.''
Waite coached the Badgers from 1999 to '12, compiling an overall record of 305-147 with nine NCAA tournament appearances, two Big Ten Conference titles in 2000 and '01 and a national runner-up showing in 2000. He also was the Big Ten coach of the year in 2000, '01 and '06. When Waite learned that he was going to be inducted into the UW Athletic Hall of Fame, he had a feeling Sheffield had something to do with it.
"He gave so much here and had a lot of success here,'' Sheffield said as a way of confirming that sentiment. "You make sure to give him the respect that he's earned and deserved.''
Sheffield said he was asked if he was OK with the move to make Waite a hall of famer.
"This is long overdue,''' Sheffield said
"That's the value he brings to the whole operation. When I got the heads up (that Waite had been selected), I was excited for him. I was excited for his family. I was excited for our program and the players that played for him."
"This is absolutely one of the best fan bases and programs in the history of our sport and he has meant as much or more than anybody to make that happen. The expectations of this program totally changed on his watch.''
BEST OF THREE
1. HALL OF FAME TIMES TWO: Waite is also being inducted into the Northern Illinois Athletic Hall of Fame. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Oct. 18 to 19. Waite coached the Huskies from 1988 to '98 where he compiled an overall record of 266-102, including four NCAA tournament berths and six conference titles.
2. HE MISSES TEACHING: What does Waite miss about coaching? "Just the teaching,'' he said. "Most coaches are teachers and they enjoy being in the gym at practice seeing players come together as a group. Then, if it works out right, you end up in some pretty magical moments. It's just fun to watch the players and staff react on those great days when you have big wins.''
3. THIRD TIME'S A CHARM: The call from UW athletic director Chris McIntosh caught Waite a bit off guard, but it had the desired effect. "It was pretty awesome and a great surprise,'' Waite said. "It was a great honor.''
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