volleyball team and says that he wants “to have one cohesive unit where all players work as one and obtain the results because we gave our best effort at all times.”

Coach Lopez is really committed to making a change in the team. While coaching volleyball can be difficult, he says, “I really enjoy coaching different sports because of the challenge and reward it brings to get a student from zero to full competitive mode. Coaching gives me an opportunity to mentor students not only in the sport itself but also on issues that they may need help with. Coach Lopez wants to see results with the team itself, but also within the people involved. The results that he sees within his players is very rewarding and drives him when he’s coaching. He wants to be able to teach the volleyball players how to properly play and improve.

Coach wants his athletes to be comfortable bringing him their problems because he says that is what he is there for. Coach Lopez says that he especially enjoys the challenge of managing the game through different situations and he likes that the sport always keeps him on his toes. Coach enjoys the challenge that comes with the sport and he works hard to see results in his players regardless of how challenging managing the sport can be. He says that when he gets his players motivated and they have learned leadership combining these aspects with the game creates a great experience that he really enjoys.

When we asked Coach Lopez what he wants players to learn from the sport he replied, "I want my players to remain focused on the task at hand and always think ahead so that they don’t settle for the outcome."

Coach Lopez says he plans on seeing progress this year and is asking for more player buy-in and participation. He believes that just because a player has played the sport before or because they have seniority does not mean that that player should be given certain privileges or treated any better. Players have to earn what they obtain. Coach has somewhat of a different coaching approach and it is obvious that he truly cares about his players and is always doing what is best for them. He tries to guide his players as best as he can and he works hard to make the team better. Lopez even said that “I am very hands on and I enjoy leading by example. I like to jump in and show how to do something instead of just telling you about it. Even if I don’t have extensive knowledge of something, I will research it and present it as if I’ve been doing it for years.”

Coach Lopez does many things for the betterment of the sport and we are recognizing his efforts and dedication. On a lighter note, we asked Coach Lopez what his favorite memory from volleyball was and he replied, “In this very short coaching career of volleyball my favorite memory will have to be getting all substitutions and rotations correct which translated to a win vs. San Miguel.”

We also asked if he had ever played volleyball when he was in high school and he told us that he never played competitively, but he did play recreationally. Coach Lopez would encourage future volleyball players to learn the technical aspect of the game such as footwork, court awareness and positioning, rotations, and proper hand and arm placement. “This is a fun sport that will constantly challenge you to think ahead, improve your athletic reflexes, and challenge your toughness.” It is clear with this type of coach and his hard work that our volleyball program will make big strides forward.

 

If you are interested in joining volleyball next year or you have any questions for Coach Lopez you can contact him at jclopez@fusdaz.org.