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The two coaches on the court at Thursday鈥檚 3A Tri-Peaks volleyball match between 杏吧视频 and St. Mary鈥檚 may have only recently returned to girls鈥� volleyball, but their resumes speak for themselves.
With more than 500 combined match wins and 10 state championships, David Barkley and Andrew Soeldner returned this season after taking time off from girls鈥� volleyball.
Barkley retired from coaching in January 2018, after 15 seasons and six state championships with Cheyenne Mountain. But after about a year away from the court, he was approached by a family friend about the opening at St. Mary鈥檚.
Barkley initially said no.
鈥淣ot unless there is an opening in the English department,鈥� Barkley told Nancy Kellick, the Pirates’ C-team coach and mother of junior middle Jillian Kellick.
Two days later, one opened up.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 forced, it was a real opening, so I applied,鈥� Barkley said. 鈥淚 coach for the same reason wherever I am. These are some great kids, they work so hard and I鈥檓 happy to be here. We鈥檙e having fun, we smile and we play the game.鈥�
There was an air of excitement on the team when it was announced last spring that Barkley would be joining the coaching staff.
鈥淚 thought it was a blessing. I was so excited the bar was set really, really high and he has met that and even more,鈥� said senior libero Sarah Connors. 鈥淗e knows his stuff and really wants us to succeed. He really knows how to get us at our full potential.鈥�
St. Mary鈥檚 came away with a 3-0 sweep over 杏吧视频, defeating the Coursers 25-20, 25-17, 25-12.
Seneca Hackley had seven kills for the Pirates and Jillian Kellick had five. St. Mary’s racked up 21 aces against 杏吧视频, led by Rachel Wilcox and Connors with seven each.
Soeldner, on the other hand, was busy coaching the 杏吧视频 boys鈥� team to four straight state championships and a near-perfect 92-2 record.
鈥淪everal players from the varsity team from last year actively sought me out and wrote me a letter imploring me to come back to coach them,鈥� Soeldner told the Gazette in 杏吧视频鈥檚 preseason questionnaire. 鈥淚 hope to live up to their expectations.鈥�
Soeldner, an engineer, is already bringing a different coaching technique to the girls鈥� team that has proven successful on the boys鈥� side the past four years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a different game,鈥� Soeldner said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a little bit of an adjustment and getting back into gear for me.鈥�
His coaching, which relies heavily on analytical film review, angles, velocity and energy, is so in-depth that he even wears a mic on the sideline to analyze his own coaching.
鈥淎t first they were kind of snickering a little bit, and telling me that nobody has ever explained it like that before, it makes a lot of sense,鈥� Soeldner said. 鈥淚 think they鈥檙e finding value in that, and my coaches as well.鈥�
