Volleyball coach makes a difference off the court
If there was a sport to be played when Debbie Hendricks was growing up in different cities along the West Coast, she was all over it.
“I’ve been involved with athletics from the earliest moment my parents let me participate, since I was about 7 years old,” says Hendricks, who’s led the women’s volleyball program to stratospheric success. “I played nearly every sport available—basketball, soccer, tennis, softball, you name it.”
Ironically, volleyball was one of the last sports she picked up, in 7th grade. But over time, she says volleyball grew into a passion for her. “And now, obviously it’s my career and a big part of my life,” says Hendricks, who’s now the longest-tenured coach on staff at Metro State.
And the fact that she’s decided to make much of that career here is very good news for the College. Since she started in 2000, Hendricks has amassed an impressive 155-35 conference record and marched her teams into the NCAA tournament every single year. In the 2009 season, her team tore through the NCAA tourney taking out two top-20 teams to reach the “Sweet 16”—a first in school history.
The 2010 season, which got underway this past weekend with a tournament in Western Oregon, saw the Roadrunners go 3-1. They are now ranked No. 12 in the nation.
Plus, under Hendricks, the Roadrunners have won three RMAC regular season titles (2001, 2002, 2003) and five RMAC tournament titles (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2010).
What’s more, she’s taken home the RMAC Coach of the Year three years in a row: 2001, 2002 and 2003. Plus, she’s ranked 18th in the country among active NCAA Division II coaches in winning percentage and 19th in victories.
But for Hendricks, it’s not just about awards, records or even volleyball, it’s about academics, and more importantly, the lives of her players, both as students and graduates.
“I love the chance to impact the lives of young women as they transition from teenagers into adults and help prepare them to tackle the challenges of career, family and life,” Hendricks says. “I especially enjoy creating a team where individuals contribute to something bigger than themselves and yet reach their personal goals through the team.”
It would be tough to argue Hendricks hasn’t done a stellar job prepping her students for life. Her teams are consistently among the best academically, and some years the team has held the highest grade point average of any team on campus and scores that are considerably higher than the average for the college as a whole.
Her answer to that achievement: “I want to be my very best and help those around me be their best.”
And what is it that’s kept Hendricks at Metro State?
“For me it’s the people. So many of the faculty and staff are the very best in their field; I’m surrounded by great peers. And they contribute to the quality of the experience for everyone.”
She adds she’s equally impressed by other athletic programs’ success. “These are some of the best coaches in Division II and I’m so inspired by the job my peers are doing. It truly challenges me. I feel very fortunate to be here. I often tell people that on most days I skip off to work. How many people can say that about their job?”