Rochester, Mn-
Anoka-Ramsey Community College recently announced a new head coach at the helm of the Golden Ram volleyball program. Sarah Herlofsky, a long-time volleyball coach in the north metro prep scene with significant NCAA Division I playing experience at the University of North Carolina, assumed the role over the summer and will be hitting the practice court this August with her ARCC squad.
Minnesota high school volleyball aficionados likely know Herlofsky from her tenure at Spring Lake Park High School- those which also follow the ACC volleyball circuit will note that the new Anoka coach was a standout in her own right as an athlete competing in one of the top NCAA Division I leagues in the country. Beginning this fall, Coach Herlofsky will be roaming the sidelines for Anoka-Ramsey Community College, tasked with re-building the Golden Ram program in the highly competitive Minnesota College Athletic Conference Southern Division.
As a part of the MCAC Profiles series, our office was able to catch up with Coach Herlofsky earlier this week to learn more about her background, coaching philosophy and more.
MCAC Sports: Please tell us a bit about your sports background: SH- "I have played just about every sport except for soccer during my youth. Volleyball became my thing starting in the 6th grade and I never looked back. I played through high school and was a part of an awesome team that won 2 (Minnesota) state championships and was named the USA Today #1 team in the USA. After high school, I continued my volleyball career playing for the UNC Tarheels. My college coach sparked my interest in coaching and I spent one year as an assistant coach at UNC then started coaching youth volleyball when I returned to (Minnesota)."
MCAC Sports: Did you play sports other than volleyball growing up?: SH- "I have been involved in playing sports ever since I remember. I started playing baseball with the boys then eventually joined a girls softball team. My parents let me try most sports including basketball, tennis and even football. My love for volleyball started when I was in 6th grade because my older sister was playing on the high school team. I continued to enjoy the sport and eventually stopped playing softball to concentrate on volleyball by the 11th grade."
MCAC Sports: What led you to Anoka-Ramsey CC?: SH- "I have always had an interest in going back to college coaching but knew that it would be time consuming and I didn't want to let it interfere with my son's sports and activities. After 17 years of coaching at the high school level and taking a few years off, I knew I needed to get back at it!"
MCAC Sports: What does 2017-18 hold for your team? Any predictions about how the season will go? SH- "My hope for this team is that they finish the season feeling like they were successful-wins or losses. I am looking forward to this team building on a tradition of hard work and commitment."
MCAC Sports: What do you most enjoy about coaching volleyball? SH- "I enjoy seeing players grow, learn and feel the excitement of the game of volleyball! I enjoy competition and some say that I may be a bit over competitive. Volleyball is a fast-paced quick scoring game and I enjoy the mental aspect of the game."
Do you have a particular team or memory that stands out in your time as a coach? SH-"One of my favorite coaching memories was at SLP during the semi final match of sections. The game came down to the 5th set and was very competitive. I was able to sit back and watch this incredible team fight for the win. They were exhausted and gave everything they had for the win. Watching the team celebrate and feel so proud of themselves was so exciting as a coach."
MCAC Sports: Any superstitions or unique facts about yourself that you would like to tell us about? SH- "I have a hard time sitting still while coaching-I like to move up and down the bench and keep the players engaged. We will see what kind of pre-game and warm up superstitions this team will bring this year. It is always different with every team."
The Herlofsky-era at Anoka-Ramsey will kick off on August 25th with matches at Minnesota State Fergus-Falls; for more information on athletics at Anoka-Ramsey Community College, please click this link.
For further coverage on volleyball in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference, go to: www.mcacsports.org/sports/wvb/index
Story courtesy of MCAC Sports