Experience of a lifetime, thinks Gowling

Photo by Kitra Katz

Kelley Gowling will be taking on the role of head coach for the Minnehaha Academy girls varsity volleyball team this fall. Gowling has played volleyball since the fourth grade and continued through her college years, when she attended Concordia University in Chicago.

Inspired by her college coach, Rick Pruett, Gowling became interested in coaching volleyball herself.

“He was a coach, a friend and a mentor,” said Gowling when asked about Pruett. Gowling claims that Pruett helped her grow in her love for the sport.

While she is with the Minnehaha community, Gowling hopes to help her athletes develop work ethic and understand the opportunity they have when they play high school sports.

“You don’t get another experience like playing for your high school team, being with those friends that you go to school with and competing together,” she said. “I really want kids to realize the importance of these four years that they have to play volleyball.”