Having played volleyball since I was 8 years old, I have come into contact with a variety of coaches. Some of my coaches I’ve loved, and some made it hard for me to make it all the way through a season. Each of my coaches had their different styles and ways of passing off their knowledge to us players. This being said, it is not easy for me to choose which coach was my favorite. However, there is one coach that sticks out in my mind, and it is not because of her amazing knowledge of the sports, but because of how she interacted with us. 

Coach Franklin is a Science teacher here at PHS but she is also the JV coach for the Volleyball team. Before becoming a high school science teacher and volleyball coach, she was a fifth grade teacher at the Trojan Intermediate school. On top of transition to the high school, she also became a mother in the transition. She said being a mother during this transition was especially difficult and you just have to have people that are willing to step up and help watch her.

There are many things I love about this coach including the way she didn’t care if we won games or not she was just proud of us if we played to our full potential. One of the things I admire most about Franklin is her ability to motivate and inspire her players. She has a unique talent for bringing out the best in each of us, and she’s always pushing us to reach our full potential. Whether we are in practice or a game, she’s constantly giving us feedback and helping us fine-tune our skills. But what sets her apart from other coaches is her unwavering belief in us. She has a way of making us feel like we can accomplish anything.

Another quality that I appreciate about Coach Franklin is her dedication to sportsmanship. She emphasizes the importance of teamwork, communication, and respect. She encourages us to lift each other up, both on and off the court, and to celebrate each other’s successes as if they were our own. I asked Coach Franklin why she values team celebration and sportsmanship and her response was “ I value team celebration because its a team sport and it takes all of you as a team, volleyball is all about momentum and the right headspace.”

Coach Franklin being such a good coach inspired me my Freshman year of high school to start coaching little girls fourth through sixth grade. I absolutely adore these girls, that is why I’ve taken my time to support and cherish the little time I have with them. Coach Franklin is also providing support for my girls by staying for our games and cheering them on while they play. I asked coach Franklin how she felt about these little league teams and she said that she loved the idea of them because in the past Potosi has not been a very big volleyball school so coaching these little girls is bringing back the love of volleyball to this school. 

Coach Franklin is an incredible source of inspiration for me, she has improved me on being a good all around player including the way I play, my behavior, and the way I treat others on the court.  She is not only an expert in the sport, but is also very dedicated to her team and loves to support my own team. Thanks to her guidance and encouragement, I’ve been able to push myself to new limits and achieve things I never thought possible. Her passion for our team is contagious, and her commitment to helping us improve is truly inspiring. Having Franklin as a coach has truly changed my perspective on the sport and I will forever thank her for that.