As the Girls Varsity Volleyball team sprints from one end of the basketball court to the other, trying to beat the clock, coach Tycee Bates stands on the end line, making sure no player cuts corners. Otherwise, they won’t be receiving jerseys.
From being a collegiate athlete training seven hours a day to coaching Girls Varsity Volleyball and teaching sixth and seventh-grade boys Physical Education, Bates is adjusting to her new norm.
Bates grew up playing a variety of sports in high school — volleyball, basketball, softball, cheerleading. Despite finding success in multiple sports, Bates committed to playing collegiate volleyball at Daytona State College during her junior year.
“I had an amazing time,” Bates said. “All of the athletes lived in a little circle, so it was really fun because we were all on the same schedule.”
After being an outside hitter for Daytona State, Bates switched positions, becoming a libero and defending her team in the back row.
“I realized how much control I had in the back of the court,” Bates said. “I could see the entire game … I could call plays for my outsides or from my middles.”
Graduating with a degree in Kinesiology from Daytona State College, Bates decided to take a year off of volleyball.
“When volleyball’s that intense for someone, it can kind of feel like a job more than it is something that you enjoy,” Bates said.
Bates went on to attain her Master’s in Business Administration at University of Central Florida (UCF). After joining a club volleyball team at UCF, her love for the game was reignited. Bates was offered a coaching position at Nona Volleyball Academy where she discovered her passion for teaching and coaching.
Now as a boys sixth and seventh grade PE teacher, Bates finds enjoyment in teaching middle school.
“Middle schoolers still find you fun,” Bates said. “They still find you exciting. They still find you funny. They want to come to PE.”
Bates also has a vision for the Varsity volleyball team. She brings a youthful perspective to the team, one that prioritizes relationship building.
“I’m trying to build a program, not just a JV and Varsity … more of a sisterhood,” Bates said. “I want [the team] to all feel unified in a sense.”
Although Bates already has a player committed to playing volleyball at Appalachian State, she prioritizes preparing every player for whatever they wish to accomplish after high school, whether volleyball is in their future or not. Bates sets herself apart from other coaches by training her high schoolers with many of the drills she learned in college.
“[Varsity players] probably don’t appreciate it when [they] run that much,” Bates said. “Everything that I do has a reason behind it, and I work really hard for [the team].”
Known for putting the Varsity volleyball team through intense workouts, Bates relies a lot on her seniors to lead the team.
“This has been one of the best teams that I’ve coached,” Bates said. “We have a lot of talent … as long as [they] work hard for me, I think we’ll have a great season.”
