CSRA Heat Junior Olympic Volleyball Club:Coaches

Lance Abbott

Diana Amick
Diana holds a unique position in our club. She is the only person that has been a player, an assistant coach, and head coach for the CSRA Heat. The 2008-2009 season will be her fifth year coaching with the CSRA Heat.

 

Darren Baker

Darren began playing volleyball at a competitive level in 1998.  Cutting his teeth on beach/sand volleyball while also playing club volleyball at the University of San Diego for a year before returning to the Augusta area.  He has played numerous outdoor tournaments in the South at an Open level, including Columbia: Clash and Crown, EEVB, AVP, and Fudpuckers events.  Personal highlights are having played against or with Olympians Jose Loiola, Ricci Luyties, Alan Alan, and Phil Dalhausser.  His most recent highlight, together with his team, winning the Men's A Silver Division at Adult Nationals in Atlanta in 2008.

Darren has coached as an assistant for Aquinas High School in 2006 & 2007, at Augusta State in 2008, and for CSRA Heat's 17's in 2008.

Rich Bland
As a player, Rich was a member of the Division I National Championship team in 1989 and 1993 with UCLA, where he was a 4 year letterman. He was a member of 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival East team as one of only 3 high school players. Coming out of high school, he was the number 2 recruit in the country in 1988 according to "Volleyball Monthly's Fab 50" list.    As a Coach: Coached at Al Scates UCLA volleyball camps for four years of college (national camp). The Columbia County News Times 2004, 2005, and 2006 Volleyball Coach of the year. The GISA East Region coach of the year 2006 & 2007.  A lifetime high school record of 126-26 at Augusta Prep, where his teams have earned 4 GISA east regional championships, State Champs 2007 and have GISA State Tournament finishes of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd & 4th. His Augusta Prep team won the 2006 Georgia Independent School Association state championship and 3rd place finish in the Open Division @ regional's last year.
 

Sarah Cavanaugh

Chris Emerling
Chris Emerling is the Varsity volleyball coach at North Augusta High School.  He has coached the Jackets for 6 years and the team's record has improved every year.  The team finished the '07 year with a 14-6 record.  The Jackets have made the playoffs for three straight years and advanced to the Sweet 16 this year after beating TL Hanna in the first round of the South Carolina state playoffs.  This is Chris' 6th year with the club where he has coached both power and club teams to high regional finishes. 

Ron Cupp
Ron has played for 40 years in all levels of competition. He has coached 10 years for a traveling men’s open team, has played on a Masters traveling team and won divisions Open, A,B. and BB. The Masters team he played on came in 3rd on the National level. His YMCA recreational league team he plays in has won first place 12 plus times.   Ron has coached juniors for 5 years and has won 4 State Regionals on the 18 year old level and came in second place in Power the other year. He has run camps in the area and travels to various high schools to help out at varying levels. He is a regional Referee and now is among one of the raters for the Palmetto Region.
 

Stefanie Durham

Jasmine Edney

Katie Gimmel

Grace Hornsby

Jessica Howard

Emily Hutter
Emily has 12 years of playing experience. She played two years of high school varsity volleyball (Quince Orchard High School, Maryland) where her team competed in the state tournament both years and was runner up her junior year. She played one year of club volleyball with Metro Volleyball Club in Maryland where her team won the silver division at the East Coast Volleyball Regional Championships. She played four years club volleyball at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN where she was the co-captain for three years. She has played in a variety of recreational leagues in Wisconsin and Georgia.
As a coach, she served as the assistant coach for the Oshkosh North girls varsity volleyball team for one season before relocating to Georgia. She has assisted coaches at at Midland Valley High School and most recently at Merriweather Middle School. She has been as assistant coach with the CSRA Heat for the past four years.
 

Megan Jackson

Michael Johnson
Michael has 18 years of playing experience, including indoors, outdoors, co-ed 6’s USVBA 6 man, outdoor triples and quads, and his team won the USVBA Men's Club Regional's in 2000.   He has coached Club Volleyball for 5 years at both the Club and Power level.    His Club team place 3rd Regional competition in 2004 and won the Silver bracket at Regional competition in 2005.  He has been a high school volleyball official for 4 years and is a regional referee in the Palmetto region.

Emily Joye

Susan MacClary

Dianna Meyer

Pat Nakagawa
Pat has played for 28 years, including 3 years high school and 2 years men's club at Purdue. He has played 6-man indoor, 3-man outdoor, co-ed outdoor, and recreational volleyball.   He has coached 9 years of Junior Olympic Volleyball, and has coached at Middle School, High School and College levels. He has also been a nationally certified referee and scorekeeper, has officiated at the college level for 8 years, and has attended IMPACT training.

Adaire Pennington

Jeryl Lynne Reed

Wayne Reed

Diane Sherman

Connie Spearman
Connie has more than 15 years of playing experience, including playing in coed leagues, women's USAV, outdoors triples & doubles. She has coached at the high school level for 4 years and has coached 5 years of Club Volleyball. Her Club team placed 3rd in the Regional competition in ’05 and was the top Club team in the region in ‘06. She is a regional referee and has attended IMPACT training. She was an assistant coach on the Augusta Prep team which won the 2006 and 2007 Georgia Independent School Association state championship.  She continues her education and training in Volleyball attending the Dinosaur Clinic and other events. 

 

Steffanie Starceski
Steffanie has more than 15 years of playing experience, including playing in coed leagues, women's USAV, outdoors triples & doubles. She is a past Coach with the Augusta Juniors and CSRA Heat
 

Jennifer Tate

Ashley Timmons

James Buz Thompson
Buz has been involved in volleyball for 28 years and involved with Junior National volleyball for 6 years as an official. He is also a college ref for the ACC and a former chair of officials for the Palmetto Region. The 2006-2007 season will be his first coaching with the CSRA Heat.
 

Laurie Ulmer

Bill Warnken

Allison Woods

Greg Young

Melinda Young

Malynda played high school volleyball, and college volleyball at Francis Marion College and St. Andrews Presbyterian College.  She played on a USVBA team in Hawaii living there and in graduate school.  Malynda has coached high school volleyball in Denmark, SC; Daleville, AL; South Aiken High in Aiken, SC; and Aiken High in Aiken, SC.

Currently, Malynda coaches JV and varsity teams at Aiken High School, AAAA status.  The 2008 season was a successful season for both teams.  The JV team was undefeated with a 20-0 season.  The varsity season ended with a 19-5 record and a place in the Elite Eight play offs.