Volleyball Coach Receives Award
Aug 5, 2009
Ryan Campbell, Cornerstone University’s interim women’s head volleyball coach, received the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) “Thirty Under 30 Award.”
The award, given to 30 up-and-coming AVCA volleyball coaches under 30 years old, was inaugurated this year.
“I nominated Ryan … because of his involvement as a coach at the high school, club and college level,” said Steve Burmaster, former women’s head volleyball coach at Cornerstone.
Over the past four years, Campbell has coached at local high schools to volleyball camps at Penn State University and the University of Notre Dame. He also attended the 2008 AVCA conference, took a coaching class at Cornerstone and is an active 6-person and beach volleyball player.
“Overall, I felt that Ryan has been doing his best in every facet of being a good role model on and off the volleyball court,” he said.
Campbell was surprised by the award.
“At first I just thought it was a mass e-mail that AVCA sends out to everyone,” he said. “Then one of the AVCA directors sent me a personal e-mail and said, ‘Ryan, you won.’ ”
The list of winners was published in the AVCA’s Coaching Volleyball magazine in the Feb./March issue.
At that time in Feb., Campbell also learned he was the new interim head coach after Burmaster resigned.
“(Campbell) has the heart, the passion, the desire and the determination to help the team be successful,” Burmaster said. “There are some solid returning players from last year and some outstanding recruits … they have the talent, they have the leadership in a good, young coach.”
Campbell does not take the job lightly.
“The position is definitely a privilege,” Campbell said. “I am thankful for coach Burmaster and the Cornerstone athletic staff for helping me with a smooth transition.”
For more information about Cornerstone’s women’s volleyball team or upcoming games, visit www.cornerstone.edu/athletics/womens_volleyball/.
