Question for Coaches and parents

[bigbluevolley]

Thought it would be nice to here about how our local girls are doing in college.

 

Coaches,

Do you reach out to your ex players to see how they are doing or do you just forget about them once they leave your system? I know most if not ALL of the coaches read this forum. Please let us know if you reach out to them and if so, for the ones that are playing in college, how are they doing.

 

I will be asking the parents I know if their High School coach has reached out to them or their child to see how they are doing. In this day and age of texting and email it isn't that hard to take 5 minutes and check on them.

 

[PhillyAl]

BBV. Great topic. This should be interesting. The high school coaches all talk about how special it is to play high school volleyball. Let's see who reaches out to their gilrs. I can tell you who doesn't!

[bratman]

My daughters high school coach at Anderson County reaches out to her, and her mom and me,at least twice a year. We get a schedule and an update on the team. Alumni are encouraged to drop by practice and games where the coaches introduce them to the current players and tells a story or two about when they played.

 

If the player goes to college the coaches and current players attend games and send cards and letters of support. Every five years they have an alumni event where players all the way back to 82 attend.

 

My daughter still reaches out to, and receives, guidance from her old coaches. I am not going to embarrass anyone but I know they help these girls out all of the time. Random letters of encouragement or care packages, help if help is needed, we formed life time relationships with our Anderson County family and we weren't even from AC. I give them a 10 plus on this issue

[bigbluevolley]

Bratman. Reading your post actually gave me chills!. That is flat out awesomeness!!!! EVERYONE on this board now knows why AC (without many club players) always wins. I could write about this all night. Your coach does all the right things in order to build a program. What a special environment. JUST SPECIAL!!!!

[bratman]

BBV they impacted our whole family. It's why I get on here two time zones away to see how they are doing. They loved and supported my daughter unconditionally.

[bigbluevolley]

Would love to hear about the other local and non local coaches reach out to their volleyball alumni!

[PhillyAl]

bratman. How many coaches has AC had in the last 30 years?

[bratman]

Wow. That's a good question. I am going to give it a try but Hopi and Ghost, or Chill maybe, feel free to correct me if I get this wrong. I think the school opened in 82. Coach Hackler, who was one of the founding mothers of volleyball had been at Norris High when it was closed to open AC came over as the Head coach. Coach Cantrell came shortly after and is still there. Coach Hackler retired in the early 90's and Coach Harshbarger came, and he and Coach Cantrell were together for two or three years until Cantrell left around 95?

 

Coach Smith, who played at AC in the early 90s and who is there now came in around that time. We got to town in the mid nineties and Cantrell came back 97 or 98 as co head coach with Harshbarger. Coach Smith became Oak Ridge head coach around 02? I think Harshbarger left around 05 or 06 and Cantrell did it by himself for a couple years until Coach Wade, captain of the 99 state championship team came back for 3 or 4 years. She left and Coach Smith came back and is the current head coach with Coach Cantrell and Coach Randi, another former Mav as assts.

 

Several ex players have been assts over the years and have gone on to be successful coaches elsewhere. I know Coach Wade won a North Carolina state title and Coach Leah something won a Georgia State title. Coach Randi who is there now was a college coach and I'm sure coach Dew will be recruited somewhere? When we were still in town two of the assts went on to medical school and to be a CPA. I am sure I am missing some but Hackler, Cantrell, Harshbarger and Smith in some combination have been there since it opened, and are all four good people and great coaches. We never had Coach Hackler but she was around and was a high charachter person. Why do you ask?

[bigbluevolley]

I am going to reserve comment on this topic until after the games this week. I do know that there were a whole lot of coaches looking at this questions and not a one reply. Lets see what happens.Parents (like bratman) can also reply.

[bigbluevolley]

bratman. What a history for AC. The families and administration should be proud of what their volleyball program is and has been. We get caught up with wins and loses sometimes but this is what it's all about. I will be going to the mathces tonight. I will ask around about coaches checking up on their ex players. I will report as much as I can about what I find out. Like I said. The coaches in our area are all very vocal about the clubs telling their girls not to play High School ball. Let's see how many of them really care about their alumni.

 

Sounds to me like there's a reason to play High School Volleyball at AC. Thats why the girls play.

[Hopi]

Wow. That's a good question. I am going to give it a try but Hopi and Ghost, or Chill maybe, feel free to correct me if I get this wrong. I think the school opened in 82. Coach Hackler, who was one of the founding mothers of volleyball had been at Norris High when it was closed to open AC came over as the Head coach. Coach Cantrell came shortly after and is still there. Coach Hackler retired in the early 90's and Coach Harshbarger came, and he and Coach Cantrell were together for two or three years until Cantrell left around 95?

 

Coach Smith, who played at AC in the early 90s and who is there now came in around that time. We got to town in the mid nineties and Cantrell came back 97 or 98 as co head coach with Harshbarger. Coach Smith became Oak Ridge head coach around 02? I think Harshbarger left around 05 or 06 and Cantrell did it by himself for a couple years until Coach Wade, captain of the 99 state championship team came back for 3 or 4 years. She left and Coach Smith came back and is the current head coach with Coach Cantrell and Coach Randi, another former Mav as assts.

 

Several ex players have been assts over the years and have gone on to be successful coaches elsewhere. I know Coach Wade won a North Carolina state title and Coach Leah something won a Georgia State title. Coach Randi who is there now was a college coach and I'm sure coach Dew will be recruited somewhere? When we were still in town two of the assts went on to medical school and to be a CPA. I am sure I am missing some but Hackler, Cantrell, Harshbarger and Smith in some combination have been there since it opened, and are all four good people and great coaches. We never had Coach Hackler but she was around and was a high charachter person. Why do you ask?

That is about what I remember but I am old now. My daughter played there and moved on to play at Lee University with much success playing in 3 National final 4's.

She still works at Lee University and is now a assistant Volleyball coach at Bradley Central High in Cleveland, Tn.

She loved her time at AC and the coaches. AC Volleyball also has a HOF, they induct (I believe) 5 people every 5 years and they make the induction very special for past players. Most if not all of the ones mentioned here are in it. That makes AC special as well.

 

She loved

"Being a part of a great tradition, a great program and a great family."

[K2ruth]

I think this whole topic is meaningless. High school teams have become purely recreational. This seems to sentimental, I would prefer a high school coach that prepares my daughter to play in college. The reason no coach is responding is because this thread is ridiculous. People care about wins and preparing for college. What else is to get?