by Ella A.

Coach Saenz is most people’s favorite coach. She is funny, kind, and sets a good example for the kids. They enjoy her teaching because she encourages them and helps them improve. “During the games and practices, I pull them aside and talk with them one-on-one and give them words of encouragement,” Coach Saenz stated.

The highlight of Coach Saenz’s day is seeing her athletes improve. “I just like to help the girls in any way I can, like better themselves in their sport. I was also able to coach them in their seventh-grade year as well as their eighth-grade year, so it was really cool to see them progress and get better,” she said.

Coach Saenz has a deep passion for coaching, but have you ever wondered where that comes from? “I come from a family of educators and coaches, so I kind of grew up with this my whole life. Plus, I love watching and going to the games, and that’s what I’m doing now,” she explained.

Even though Coach Saenz is a great coach, like everyone, she faces challenges. “Sometimes I struggle with explaining the positions and where they need to go on the court. If that happens, then we would be out of rotation or we could get penalized, and the other team would get the point,” she said.

Coach Saenz reflected on a particularly challenging game for the team. “I think the first game against Voss was difficult for the team because it was an extremely close game, so they really needed to come together as a team, which helped them because we ended up winning,” she said. Every team faces tough games, and this was theirs. Fortunately, the players came together and worked their hardest to secure the win.

Coach Saenz has coached many athletes, but this year Georgia Rangel stood out as the most improved on the team. “I would say that Georgia Rangel, she really improved with her timing in blocking and got way stronger in her hitting. She just became more confident throughout the season, so that was really cool to see her improve,” Coach Saenz exclaimed.