Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/133183
athletics Debra Sampey Liz Tortorello-Nelson girls volleyball coach director of boys and girls volleyball programs, girls varsity volleyball coach Deb Sampey has been coaching volleyball at Latin for 22 years and was the girls varsity coach for eight years. She also has coached girls and boys track, girls basketball and started the boys volleyball program. She led the girls to five Independent School League championship wins and three regional championship wins. She has been named ISL Coach of the Year three times. "I believe the main strength of Latin's athletic program is that we have consistently been committed to one mission: focusing on the athletic experience as a growth opportunity for our students." Tools such as Latin's close association with the Positive Coaching Alliance – an organization out of Stanford University that works with coaches on teaching life lessons along with high-level skills development to student athletes – have been invaluable to Sampey. Along with lessons about sportsmanship, winning and losing graciously, and enjoying competition, Sampey sees teaching student athletes about taking risks as one of her main responsibilities as a coach. "Don't be afraid to take chances and accept that at times you will succeed and times you won't. Especially in volleyball, one of the most important skills is being able to assess risks – Was it worth it? Would I do it again? Athletes can only learn to assess risks and be willing to take them, if they are open to feedback. They are constantly receiving feedback from the coach, their teammates, the fans and the officials. Being receptive to feedback is necessary to their development as an athlete – and as a person." As a female athlete, Sampey especially values Latin's commitment to gender equity in athletics. "Playing sports had a major impact on my life and I continually draw on lessons I learned through sports. For girls in particular, being able to develop self-confidence and an identity based on strength is an asset. One of the great gifts of my many years playing sports was to not be intimidated by seemingly overwhelming odds, by someone who on the surface is stronger, faster or smarter. I want girl athletes to know that with confidence and determination the whole is larger than the sum of its parts." 8 Latin Magazine Liz Tortorello-Nelson has been coaching volleyball at Latin since 2004. Before coming to Latin, she was the volleyball coach for Loyola University Chicago for 11 years. As a volleyball team captain at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she led the Badgers to a Big 10 championship. Liz is the American Volleyball Coaches Association representative for Illinois. "When I coach, I focus on the journey," explains Tortorello-Nelson. "I value the time during the off-season, summer or pre-season as an opportunity to identify the strengths of the athletes and try to bring them to the forefront of the team. Those strengths are not limited to just on-court actions. It is important to give each athlete a role on the team and make sure she feels ownership in the program. I treat the program as one big family, from freshman to seniors, every one is important and everyone should take care of each other. Their overall experience is very important to me regardless of wins and losses. I want my athletes to learn valuable leadership skills as well as gain the self-confidence to use them." She believes the main strength of Latin's athletic program is the commitment one and all have to studentathletes as people. "Our goal is to teach athletes so much more than just the skills to become a better player. We want them to learn lessons about values, sportsmanship and teamwork that can have a positive impact on every other part of their lives." So while Nelson has led the team as it has gone to sectionals and been undefeated in the ISL, it is her work with individual players that she counts among her successes. "A highlight of my time at Latin has been seeing an athlete who could not even serve over the net when she was a freshman, become our number one middle blocker by the time she was a senior. This student continues to play volleyball recreationally in college and her mother continues to come support our team. This is our community."