Hartsville, S.C. – For most teams the preseason is a time of two or three-a-day practices, conditioning runs, team bonding and various other activities to get prepared for the upcoming season. The Coker College volleyball team is no exception, but when Head Coach Jon Stenman received a call from Coker alum, Kathy Harsh Cunningham, asking for some old game film to show her young players in Georgetown, S.C. how volleyball is supposed to be played, Coach Stenman decided he would take it a step further. Along with his entire team in the middle of their first week of preseason, the Coker Lady Cobras traveled to Georgetown High School to put on a free volleyball clinic for local players.

“This was a great opportunity to have my players help give back to the community,” said Coach Stenman. “Even though this is our first week playing together I thought this would be an excellent chance to have these young ladies teach others about the great sport of volleyball”

Coach Stenman and the Lady Cobras showed more than 25 aspiring volleyball players from the Georgetown area the four basic fundamentals of the game of volleyball; serving, setting, hitting and passing. After more than an hour and a half of instruction they broke the players up into teams and tied out their new skills in a little scrimmage. Following the scrimmage, the Lady Cobras gave the young ladies a little treat, as they played a two set inter-squad match to finish up the clinic.

“It was an awesome experience for our girls to learn from the Coker College Volleyball team and see volleyball played at the collegiate level,” said Cunningham, assistant coach at Georgetown High School. “We're excited to take what we've learned and apply it on the court this season. We want to thank Coach Stenman and the Coker team for this opportunity.”

“I think this is a great experience for my players,” said Stenman. “It gave them a chance to teach the game they love to players who in just a few short years will be looking to play college volleyball just like they are now.”

Coker opens the 2009 season on August 28, against UNC-Pembroke at the Lenoir-Rhyne Tournament at 2:00 p.m. The Lady Cobras first home match of the season is on Sept. 15 against St. Andrews at 7:00 p.m. at the Timberlake-Lawton Gymnasium.