Abby Stroh, who was recently named the new volleyball coach at Walker Valley High School, admits, “The decision to come back for my fifth year (at Lee) was probably the biggest turning point in my life. It was a decision that was made over the summer after I had already graduated.”
She noted that the decision came during a time of a lot of changes in her life. “There was a constant pull back to Cleveland. I thought I was done with my time in college athletics and in the area, but I quickly found God had another plan. The doors began to open. The support I had in stepping back into that role was unlike anything I have experienced before. In more ways than one, I needed to come back to play my fifth year,” Stroh pointed out.
First-year Lee volleyball coach Christa Fabre welcomed the return of Stroh. The Lady Flames struggled to an 8-24 record in 2022 and under Fabre’s leadership and Stroh’s play, her team rebounded with a winning 17-15 record in 2023.
"It was such a gift to have Abby be a part of our program this past season,” explained Fabre. “She was a major contributor on and off the court. She brought stability and strong leadership that I know she will carry into her new role as the head coach at Walker Valley.
“I've known Abby for several years now and have full confidence that she will bring her absolute best to that program and that Walker Valley volleyball will be much stronger for it!"
Stroh not only earned her share of honors on the court, but in the classroom as well. She was recognized for her outstanding performance and academics as First Team All-Gulf South Conference, All-GSC Academic Team, four-time All GSC Honor Roll, and inducted into the National College Athlete Honor Society. She was also selected the Most Outstanding Wellness Education Graduate as well as the Bilbo Award Recipient, singling out the Most Outstanding Student Teacher in 2023.
Abby reached out to those who gave her strong support, “My parents, Barb and Pat, have always been my biggest cheerleaders and motivators. I have also had so many incredible coaches, professors, mentors, and peers that have impacted my life in deep ways. I think overall the constant flow of support and people pouring into my life and challenging me is what has gotten me to this point.”
Her official duties will begin Aug. 1 at Walker Valley, but she will be training throughout the summer with the team to get ready for the season. With high school coaching comes teaching Health and Physical Education. Stroh is taking over for longtime Lady Mustang Coach Aubrey Reagan and Lee’s all-time winningest volleyball coach Andrea Hudson has agreed to serve as Stroh’s assistant.
“I feel blessed to have experienced Coach Hudson as a player and now as someone helping with this program. The experience she brings, as well as the mentorship she brings to me is something I will forever be grateful for. I cannot wait to see how she impacts each of the girls and myself in this new position,” she stressed.
Coaching will not be a new experience for Abby. “I have coached for many years with TPV (club team) in Franklin, Tenn. Throughout my time playing for this club, I had the opportunity to coach younger teams in the club,” she recalled. “As I moved into college, every winter and summer I would step back into coaching for the team in whatever capacity they needed. Whether that was coaching at the AAU nationals, as the assistant coach, or as a floater coach helping many different teams or coaching at summer camps. I spent most of my time in the gym when I was not at Lee playing!”
The new high school coach says, “There are so many incredible things you can learn from athletics, especially team sports. There are three big lessons I learned in my time as a college athlete. The first being that my identity is not solely rooted in my performance. I also learned that a mindset of resilience will get you so far. The last is that the impact you leave on a program, or a person, is bigger than any win or loss.
“Wins will come with the right culture and training and place, but the character you show to everyone you encounter will have an impact throughout the rest of your life. There were so many things outside of these three that I will absolutely take into this program but those are some of the biggest ones that have made me who I am today.”
Stroh and her Lady Mustangs will be pitted against some of the best high school volleyball, including the back-to-back defending state champions, Cleveland High. “I am beyond excited about this challenge. I think there is so much to be said about this community and the success that has come from the area.
“From my side, I am excited to be challenged, learn, and grow from the coaches in this area. I am also expecting that stepping into this region will not be easy. I am ready to lead the team in a way that will allow them to embrace adversity and to have confidence in themselves through the highs and lows that come with a challenging season,” she concluded
