This year, Culver City Girls Volleyball welcomed a new Varsity and Frosh-Soph Head coach, Nathan May. During the season which ended in October, Coach Nathan led the Varsity team to a 24-8 record, and a move up in divisions. That success was not without struggles, however.
“We still need to build a culture of drive and work ethic,” says Coach Nathan. “Having multiple coaches over the past couple of years, it is difficult to build consistency in one’s game.”
But with an already successful first season in the books, Nathan is excited for the future, knowing the success achievable with the Varsity and other teams this year. That starts with a focus on growth.
“I would like to continue building a culture of high achievement,” he says about his goals for the team. He also admits his long-term aspirations of ultimately winning a CIF Championship.
Nathan’s love for volleyball has been evident throughout his life, from playing high school volleyball, to competing at Golden West College, and then being a founder for the Men’s Volleyball Club team at California State University, Northridge (CSUN).
The first coaching opportunity was actually right out of high school, when Nathan coached the freshman volleyball team at Mark Keppel High School in Alhambra, California. Then, job opportunities at volleyball clubs in Colorado and Oregon renewed his passion, knowledge and coaching experience that have shaped his coaching perspectives.
“I grew my knowledge on how to reach kids and how to develop a program that can take kids of any background and level to play competitively,” says Coach Nathan. “I have been developing a program that can teach players as if it were a course in volleyball.”
As for the Centaur Volleyball program, Nathan is eager to “guide players to find the path to reaching their top potential and continuing their volleyball career past high school athletics.” He is also very focused on improving levels of effort and commitment, hopefully resulting in many wins in years to come.
For any aspiring volleyball players, especially those aiming for Varsity in the next few years, Nathan has great insights. He advises young players to maximize touches on the ball, and not be afraid to make mistakes, especially if their intent is in the right place. Consistency does not come without repetition and practice, he says. “The more attempts I take trying to accomplish a specific skill regardless of success, the more information I gather on how to be better at the skill.”
For Nathan, the importance of team sports, like volleyball, is that they teach students to work with others by giving or receiving help. Moreover, team sports build trust and reliance between players. “One player cannot win good games. Good teams play good games,” Nathan explains.
