News Archives: Get to know GPRC Wolves Women's Volleyball Coaches
Thursday, July 2nd, 2020
GPRC Wolves Women's Volleyball Head Coach, Lauren Hale-Miller
We caught up with our Women’s Volleyball Head Coach, Lauren Hale-Miller and Assistant Coaches, Ron Thomson, Jamie Strauss and Chloe Keay to learn about their love of the game, their passion for coaching and their advice to athletes.
What is your earliest volleyball memory?
Hale-Miller: My earliest volleyball memory is my Grade 6 tryouts. I had no idea what volleyball was; I just showed up to give it a shot and the sport has been in my life since then.
Thomson: My earliest volleyball memory was back when I started playing in Grade 6. I had a great group of friends and we had a blast playing and traveling around the Peace Country.
Strauss: For me, the Eaglesham, Alberta, volleyball tournament in Grade 5 is my earliest volleyball memory.
Keay: My earliest volleyball memories would have to be my first few years of club volleyball. I went into my first season not really having ever played, but the coach took a chance on me and I fell in love with the sport. This was when I learned how to work hard, be a team player and to leave it all out on the court.
What are your favourite college volleyball memories?
Hale-Miller: Although, I only played one season of college volleyball, I will never forget the never-ending support and forever friends that I made.
Thomson: My favorite college volleyball memories are when I coached the GPRC Men’s Volleyball team and we hosted the CCAA National Championships in Grande Prairie for three consecutive years from 1998-2000. Those years provided some incredibly exciting times for Grande Prairie volleyball in our packed gymnasium. Local athletes doing great things.
Strauss: My favorite memories are all the new friends I made while playing at GPRC, competing at Nationals and our home games.
Keay: In my first year at GPRC, we hosted Nationals and that will always be one of my favourite memories. The atmosphere in the gymnasium and support from the community was amazing. My teammates and I would be seen at the grocery store and strangers would come up and say how they were so excited to come watch Nationals. It was an incredible experience and really showed how much the community supports GPRC athletics. I feel so grateful to have been a part of it.
Was it an easy transition from playing to coaching?
Hale-Miller: Yes and no. I was sidelined by an injury and I stepped away from the sport for about a year. I hated everything about volleyball during that time. I slowly started getting involved in coaching with my old high school team, followed by club programs and then provincially. I fell in love with the sport in a different way and realized that I wanted to coach for the rest of my life!
Thomson: I found it easy transitioning to coaching. As a player, I had to study the game and practice hard to play at a high level and this helped me when I made the transition to coaching.
Strauss: It wasn’t an easy transition for me, I found it very hard having to sit on the bench when I first started coaching and watch the game as opposed to being able to play.
Keay: I’ve always known I wanted to coach volleyball. The past couple years I have coached youth club and while challenging at times, it is something I feel really passionate towards. Seeing kids fall in love with volleyball and gain confidence in themselves on and off the court has been so rewarding. While this upcoming season will be my first year coaching and not playing, I don’t feel I have struggled with the transition. I am really eager to continue learning and sharing my knowledge with high level athletes.
What do you enjoy most about coaching at GPRC?
Hale-Miller: I love that I am coaching in a program with such great history! I absolutely love going to “work” every day being in the gym with my athletes. GPRC has been extremely supportive of our program and I am so excited to see what the next few years have in store for us.
Thomson: I enjoy teaching and helping players reach their full potential and being the best they can be.
Strauss: What I enjoy most are the people I get to work with, and the athletes I get to coach.
Keay: Although I have not coached at GPRC yet, I loved playing for the Wolves because GPRC has an athlete-focused program. There is a level of support for the athletes that is unmatched elsewhere, whether it be regarding sports psychology, nutrition, education or athletics. I am so excited to continue to be a part of the GPRC Wolves Women’s Volleyball program and see it continue to grow and develop.
What advice do you have for a current student athletes at GPRC?
Hale-Miller: Take EVERY moment in! The good, the bad, and the ugly – they are all learning experiences and provide opportunities to grow.
Thomson: Enjoy your time pursuing volleyball and be sure to enjoy the journey and process not just the end result. Take care of the process and great things will happen.
Strauss: Play every single point as if it is your last because before you know it, it will be. Enjoy every moment of the process.
Keay: Enjoy the process. Make every practice, team-bonding session, physical and psychological training, strength and conditioning session count, and just enjoy it. Those tough practices and early morning sessions seem daunting, but the little things really make a difference and there is no better feeling than crushing out a tough practice with your teammates.
Learn more about the Women’s Volleyball team here.
Find the GPRC Wolves on social media here.
