Keep on Coaching
February 1, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A few weeks ago, I finally got my first chance this season to watch a friend coach his basketball team. After guiding some others at the lower levels, this is his first time running the varsity – something he wasn't sure he wanted to do with a 1-year-old just learning to walk, but a challenge he ended up taking on to the benefit of all those involved.
Simply put, he’s good. I've seen a lot of teams and a lot of coaches over the past 15 years, and although I wouldn't know much of what to do if I were walking the sideline, I felt pretty qualified in telling him I was impressed – even if he didn't buy that I was offering an unbiased opinion. The best news is he’s gone from not sure about this a few months ago to talking about next season.
We know, at least anecdotally, that coaching continues to get more challenging. The time commitment has grown substantially to make running a program a year-round endeavor in a lot of sports at a lot of schools.
That commitment – especially for coaches with children of their own – was a main reason referred to in a New Haven Post-Chronicle story Saturday that noted 23 football coaching openings in Connecticut at one point this offseason. That state has 146 football teams – meaning roughly 15 percent will have new leaders this fall.
And that got me thinking about my friend, about how glad I am he’s given this a shot, and how I've seen so many others either not do so, or not stick around long despite having some pretty nice success.
A study published last winter in Interscholastic Athletic Administration magazine – a product of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association – noted some predictable results of a study that sought to determine the biggest challenges faced by first-year high school coaches.
The toughest according to the study was balancing the demands of coaching and teaching, experienced by nearly half the respondents – 98 percent of which coached high school teams and 81 percent of which are teachers.
The next six reasons all were noted by at least 30 percent of those in the study – personal fatigue, securing community support, securing and caring for facilities and equipment, parental contact, keeping non-starting players motivated, dealing with schedule interruptions and motivating athletes to achieve consistent, peak performance.
Nothing there is earth-shaking, and most if not all of these challenges are faced by high school coaches regardless of how long they've been in the field. But I got a little more perspective from some of the 32 items that ranked as least challenging to the first-year leaders – keeping in compliance with state and league regulations, dealing with substance abuse issues, teaching sport skills and creating a positive team atmosphere – things that seem most important, and yet appear to be easiest to do. I’m not sure what that tells us – but I think it tells us something.
Click to check out the entire three-page breakdown of the study, plus the researchers’ recommendations to remedy some of what first-year coaches face.
Giving back to Saginaw
I love reading about high-level athletes – like a star-studded group of alums from Saginaw – giving back to where they got their starts.
Pittsburgh Steelers star LaMarr Woodley made a big impact before the start of this school year by donating $60,000 to cover all participation fees for athletes in his former school district. The Saginaw News’ Hugh Bernreuter writes today about how Woodley (Saginaw High), the Philadelphia 76ers’ Jason Richardson (Saginaw Arthur Hill) and former Oakland Raiders standout Stu Schweigert (Saginaw Heritage) have combined to give more than $865,000 back to their home communities.
Bernreuter also mentions the non-monetary contributions of the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (Saginaw High) and former Indianapolis Colts receiver Blair White (Saginaw Nouvel).
Click to read more about it.
Quote(s) of the Week
While rifling through more papers on my desk, I found an article from the Washington Post from Sept. 2011 titled “How high school sports save our schools.” I was drawn to it in part because I spent more than a decade in a newsroom, and it was a piece by a reporter covering education who instead of reporting on school boards and the like, delved into the importance of interscholastic athletics to education as a whole.
He spoke of how participation continues to grow even as resources dwindle, and of data supporting that extracurriculars like sports are more effective than academic classes in teaching leadership, teamwork, time management and “other skills crucial for success in the workplace.” Later, he mentioned a study noting that those who participate in extracurriculars earned more a decade later.
Click here to read the entre piece. These passages struck me most.
“Coaches might be the only faculty members still allowed by our culture and educational practice to get tough with students not making the proper effort. They have the advantage of teaching what are essentially elective non-credit courses. They can insist on standards of behavior that classroom teachers often cannot enforce because the stakes of dismissing or letting students drop their courses are too high. …
“Students do better in activities they choose. If we provide more of them, led by committed adults … that can make a difference. We know the bad news about education. Dropout rates are high. Achievement scores are stagnant. But sports participation is going up, despite pressure to cut it back. Let’s cheer about that and look for a way to draw in more students.”
Mendon Seniors Hope to Add Volleyball Title to Historic Softball Success
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
October 7, 2025
MENDON – A few short months ago, Jadyn Samson, Cienna Nightingale, Gracie Schultz and Brook Gerth led Mendon to this spring’s Division 4 softball championship, the first MHSAA Finals title for the Hornets on the diamond.
Now those four seniors would like to finish their final volleyball season raising a trophy at Kellogg Arena as well.
But first the Division 4 top-ranked contender must clear an elusive hurdle at the Regional level.
As freshmen, Mendon's senior class got swept by Athens in the District opener. Since then, Mendon has captured two straight District trophies before getting swept by St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic in a 2023 Regional Semifinal and losing 3-2 to Concord in the 2024 Regional Finals.
Fourth-year head coach Kenny Herbert hopes Mendon's experience, chemistry and a rigorous schedule are enough to get the Hornets back to Finals weekend next month in Battle Creek.
Mendon captured two consecutive Division 4 titles under Heather Bowers in 2018 and 2019 and three Class D crowns under legendary coach Kathy Trenary in 1998, 1999 and 2001.
Before arriving in Mendon, Herbert, a native of St. Clair, served as New Haven's varsity mentor, and prior to that he was junior varsity coach at Beal City and Port Huron Northern. He also has served as a club coach for Michigan Elite and Deadfrogs.
"I love coaching in the small-town atmosphere. It really brings out the best in our athletes, especially here at Mendon because they have such a great tradition in all sports,” Herbert said. “Three of my four seniors this year were part of the varsity when I started here, and the other one joined the varsity her sophomore year. They have built on the tradition that's been set here and bought into the culture I wanted to instill and the standards that we've set. Day in and day out they're just hard-working kids who want to get better and win. They all care about one another, and that shows what Mendon volleyball is about.”
This year's Hornets (21-3-1) are fresh off a 25-18, 16-25, 25-16, 25-21 victory last week over No. 3-rated Battle Creek St. Philip.
Mendon began its season by winning the St. Joseph County Tournament, including earning a 25-18, 25-21 win over Three Rivers, a Division 2 school. The Hornets were 3-1-1 at the Cereal City Classic, won the Decatur quad and compiled a 3-2 record at the prestigious Division 3-4 Showdown on Sept. 27 at Schoolcraft College.
At the D3/D4 Showdown, Mendon lost in straight sets to Grass Lake before registering consecutive straight-set wins over Montrose, Division 3 honorable mention Cass City and No. 5 Pewamo-Westphalia before dropping its final match of the day in straight sets to No. 3 Plymouth Christian Academy.
Schultz, Samson and Nightingale are all four-year varsity letterwinners, while Gerth is in her third year on the varsity.
"Our seniors are leaders by example and with their voice. They run all our drills, and they know what it takes to win, Herbert said. “Right away they bought into what I wanted to do, and they've taken care of the team. We have two freshmen on our team this year, and our seniors make them feel at home like they've always been a part of the varsity.”
Schultz, a 5-foot-6 outside hitter, leads Mendon in kills with 249 to go with 49 service aces, 197 digs, 13 blocks and 18 assists.
"Gracie brings a lot of energy and is a six-rotation player who can put the ball away and command our defense – which is something we really pride ourselves on," Herbert said.
Schultz recently committed to play at Kalamazoo Valley Community College and plans to go into sports medicine.
"Having been on varsity all four years helps us in holding everyone accountable. We know what Coach Herbert's expectations are, and it helps the others follow those rules as well,” Schultz said. “We have the right team chemistry to make a run, and it’s been exciting to see the underclassmen develop since the beginning of the season.”
Nightingale, a right-side hitter, has produced 161 kills, 25 aces, 142 digs and nine blocks.
"Cienna is a very steady player who can also put the ball away. She is very composed in what she does and knows the ins and outs of the game," Herbert said.
Nightingale, the last of a talented athletic family at Mendon, plans to continue playing volleyball and possibly softball at the next level but hasn't decided what college she will attend.
"I really like playing right-side hitter because it's a super-important position with the blocking aspect, transitioning hard and attacking. I also enjoy being able to serve-receive and play defense as well because I feel I'm an overall solid player," Nightingale said.
Samson, the Hornets' starting libero, has 302 digs, 29 aces and 49 assists. The daughter of Patty and Mendon athletic director and multiple-sport coach Glen Samson, Jadyn will continue her volleyball career at Huntington College in Indiana.
"Jayden is the heart and soul of our defense. She never wants a ball to drop without going for it. She has a voice and is basically a third coach for us and understands the game better than most athletes," Herbert said.
Her voice is usually hoarse after matches as she takes that role of communicator to heart.
"Looking at the past few years, we've never came away with that Regional title. Right now that's our goal as seniors, and we know we can get that,” said Samson, who plans to study sports management. “So right now we are just showing up to the gym every day and growing together. Even with a few underclassmen on the team I think we all bond really well. We are a real scrappy team that never gives up. This is a very unselfish team.”
Freshman Lashell Blair, a 5-foot-10 middle blocker, also has been a force with 85 kills, 27 aces, 23 blocks and 34 digs. Freshman 5-8 middle blocker Sabrina Monroy has three aces, 36 kills and 21 blocks.
"Lashell is just a great athlete and another kid who can put the ball away. She understands the game very well and has done a great job of picking up the speed and tempo of the varsity game," Herbert said. "Sabrina is one of the best blockers on our team because she does a great job of reading the other side of the net.”
Gerth has 51 kills, 21 aces, 55 digs and 20 blocks. "Brooke has really matured the past couple years and come out of her shell. This year she transitioned from the middle to playing outside hitter and has embraced that role," Herbert said.
Junior setter Karyssa Holtz has done an effective job at setter with 468 assists to go with 45 aces, 46 kills and 107 digs. "Karyssa has grown tremendously into that setter's role. She takes control of running our offense and has done a good job with it," Herbert said.
Junior Michelle Gomez-Sanchez, a defensive specialist and outside hitter, has 14 aces, five kills and 74 digs. Sophomore Graye Lukeman, another defensive specialist and outside hitter, sports totals of six kills and 25 digs.
"Michelle will sacrifice herself to go after every ball. She always has a smile on her face and just wants to play and contribute to the team," Herbert said. "Graye continues to improve every day. She fits the mold of what our team is, and I'm excited to see how she benefits our team in the future.”
Rounding out the squad is junior right-side hitter Harley Stover. "Harley is a voice to our team and a teammate that anyone would ask for,” Herbert said. “She is very supportive of everyone and their success."
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Mendon senior right-side hitter Cienna Nightingale (9) attacks the net against a pair of Battle Creek St. Philip blockers last week. (Middle) Fourth-year Mendon head coach Kenny Herbert exchanges hi-fives with one of his players during a timeout. (Below) From left, Mendon four-year varsity volleyball letterwinners Nightingale, Jayden Samson and Gracie Schultz pose for a photo following the win over St. Philip. (Nightingale and Herbert photos by Nicci Plummer. Group photo by Scott Hassinger.)