Coach wins medal at Masters, LO heading for CCS
MORGAN HILL — Laura Coleman has been chipper these past few weeks – and not just because her Lady Acorns are flirting with a section playoff berth.
The Live Oak volleyball coach is still feeling the afterglow from winning a gold medal at the Oct. 10-18 World Masters Games in Sydney, Australia. Coleman played right-side hitter for a U.S. volleyball team that went undefeated in the 50-year-olds division.
“We probably could have won the 45s, too,” said Coleman, who totaled 14 straight service points in one match. “We just had a phenomenal time. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The Masters Games are held once every four years and, just like the Olympics, feature the top athletes from around the world. They feature opening and closing ceremonies, plus an Olympic village.
The other athletes competed in the same venues used for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
“I was in awe when we walked out into this big stadium for the opening ceremonies. There were so many people there,” Coleman said. “All the countries’ flags were out, all the athletes were together; it was a big to-do for about two hours.”
After that, Coleman’s team went to work. Most of her teammates were part of major Division I college and club teams in their heydey. Coleman played in junior college, but she held her own thanks, in part, to a lengthy career of coaching.
“My coaching kept me in shape and in touch with the game for all these years,” she said. “I kind of feel privileged I got to play with these girls who were stars in college and are still very good today.”
Organized a year ago, the team earned an invite to Sydney after winning a tournament at the Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, Utah, last summer.
Coleman wasn’t set on making the trip right away.
“I was like, ‘Crud, that’s during volleyball season.’ As the months went on, it was like, you better decide if you want to go or not,” she said. “I figured, I may never go again. And airfare was dirt cheap, so everything fell into place.”
Everything, including the Acorns, who were 8-5 in league play heading into their regular-season finale Thursday. The team was in good hands under assistant coach James Uthes, who helped keep the team in position to fulfill its goal of making the Central Coast Section playoffs. With Coleman back at the helm Tuesday in San Jose, Live Oak took a major step forward by upsetting the first-place Evergreen Valley Cougars — 25-15, 25-23, 25-20 — on their Senior Night.
“James did a great job with the girls,” said Coleman, who stayed up to date with the Acorns via e-mail. “He ran his own lineup and went with what works. He didn’t have to go by what I did. The girls had a good time.”
Coleman is contemplating whether or not she wants to play in the Masters again in 2013.
“It’s going to be hard not to,” she said. “They’re in Italy next time.”
