Following the departure of Ropes Head Volleyball Coach Jon Montanez, Ropes High School recently announced Jolee Wilson will be taking over the reins.
Wilson brings in nine years of experience as a volleyball coach, with three seasons as a head coach and one as an assistant coach at Plains High School, and five seasons as a head coach at Southcrest Christian High School.
At Plains, Wilson led them to two consecutive seasons where they went undefeated in district play and were the District, Bi-District and Area Champions. At Southcrest, she led them to their first Regional playoff appearance after they’d previously never gone further than Bi-District. Now, she looks to further her career success at Ropes and headed into year one she’s already got goals lined out for the program.
“I’ve spoken to the girls, and I’m going to mirror what their first goal is, and that’s to get past Bi-District,” Ropes Head Volleyball Coach Jolee Wilson said. “I think we can get further than that, past Area as well. I’ve done my research and that’s pretty doable with the amount of athletes and athletic talent we have. For this first season, it’s going to be making a little playoff run and then from there as I get used to the girls, the teams in our district, area and region, I can up our goals.”
Coach Wilson would also add that her main message to the team in their first season is for them to have fun chasing their goals rather than being overwhelmed and getting burnt out, because enjoying the sport is what it’s all about.
And while Lady Eagles volleyball heads in a new direction, so does Coach Montanez, as he’s headed to Claude High School to be an assistant coach in cross country, girls basketball and track & field.
Coach Montanez left one final message before heading into his next chapter, “As I reflect on the past two years, I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has been part of this incredible journey,” Coach Montanez said. “Being a part of this volleyball program has meant so much more to me than just the Xs and Os. It has been a place of growth, friendship, hard work and unforgettable memories.”
“To my athletes, thank you for the hard work, laughter and countless memories we shared together. Through every practice, game, road trip and tough moment, we became a family. I will always cherish the bonds we built and the way we all pushed each other to be our best. To the school community, faculty, parents and fans, thank you for your constant support and encouragement. Seeing familiar faces in the stands, hearing the cheers and feeling the pride of representing our school made every moment special. Your support created an environment where we could grow and succeed together.”