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Grotenhuis Leaves MMC After Eight Seasons
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| Mount Marty volleyball coach Tracey Grotenhuis, in black, talks to her team during a time out during the 2008 season. Grotenhuis resigned Thursday to take a Parks and Recreation position for the City of Yankton. Assistant coach Albert Fernandez, back right, has been promoted to head coach. (P&D File Photo) |
Fernandez To Take Helm Of Volleyball Program
BY JAMES D. CIMBUREK
james.cimburek@yankton.net
The chance to return to the profession she trained for in college and get more time with her family in the bargain was an opportunity Tracey Grotenhuis could not pass up.
Grotenhuis resigned as Mount Marty College volleyball coach Thursday after eight seasons, accepting a recreation superintendent position in the Yankton Parks and Recreation department.
“When the opportunity (with the city) came up, it interested me,” said Grotenhuis. “It is what I went to school for. It was what I was doing before I came to Mount Marty.”
With two young sons, Cooper and Macon, Grotenhuis also felt she needed more stable hours.
“The hours have been crazier as they’ve gotten older,” she said. “I needed a more regular work schedule.”
Junior Carly Benson said that she could sympathize with Grotenhuis’ reasons for leaving.
“I’m sad to see her leave but, at the same time, I understand why,” said Benson, who has started at libero the past two seasons for MMC.
The departure of one of MMC’s more veteran coaches — only men’s basketball coach Jim Thorson has been at the school longer — will have an impact, according to athletic director Chuck Iverson.
“We are sorry to lose a valuable member of our team in Tracey,” Iverson said in a MMC press release. “She has done a tremendous job for us and I feel she is the leaving the program in good shape. We wish her the best in her new position and thank her for her great contributions to Mount Marty College over the past eight years.”
Grotenhuis, who is originally from Homer, Neb., received her B.S.E. from the University of Kansas in 1998 and her master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2002.
“Coming (to Mount Marty) right out of grad school this was a terrific environment for me to grow personally and professionally,” Grotenhuis said of her tenure at Mount Marty. “I have developed wonderful friendships here and have thoroughly enjoyed working with all the students and athletes. I have made many special memories that will stay with me all my life. I am really thankful for what Mount Marty has done for me.”
Albert Fernandez, who served as assistant volleyball coach this year and has been the head women’s softball coach since 2005, will replace Grotenhuis.
Fernandez, who also served as a student assistant coach for volleyball for one year while attending MMC, welcomed the opportunity to return to the volleyball sidelines this past season, a run that gave him the confidence to take over the program.
“I’ve been around the game for a long time. I grew up playing it,” he said. “This past fall helped me believe that I could do it (coach the volleyball program). I knew, after being back in it, why I enjoyed coaching volleyball.”
While Fernandez will now be coaching two varsity sports — he will remain head coach of the softball program — the promotion means he will be focused completely on coaching. The Mount Marty alum had also served as an admissions representative while coaching softball.
“I have always had the desire to coach, and this gives me an opportunity to just be a coach,” he said. “It seems to work schedule-wise, and it will be a new challenge, a new opportunity for me.”
Fernandez’s presence was felt in his season as an assistant, according to Benson.
“I thought he made a big impact on the team,” she said. “I think he evened all of us out.”
Iverson was happy to turn the reins of the volleyball program over to Fernandez.
“We feel very fortunate to have someone of Albert’s qualifications willing to accept the new position,” Iverson said. “He has proven himself as an outstanding coach and leader of young adults with the job he has done with the softball team and there is no doubt he will fit in well as both the softball and volleyball coach.”
Fernandez takes over a program that went 14-21 this past season, the most victories in the eight seasons under Grotenhuis. Only three players graduate from that squad, Abby Haiar, Lindsey Beacom and Emily Rasmussen.
“This off-season is going to be huge. We want to make sure we get our players ready,” he said. “We need to focus on the development of players, making sure we return everyone who isn’t graduating, and bringing in a good recruiting class.”
Benson feels the enthusiasm Fernandez brings will boost the Lancers, not only next season, but as they prepare for next season.
“He’s as excited for our off-season as our regular season,” she said. “I think he’ll get us in great shape for the season.”
Grotenhuis is confident the squad will continue to improve under Fernandez.
“We were pretty young out there this year, but those girls got a taste of success,” she said. “There is no doubt next year will be a good year for Lancer volleyball.”
In addition to being head volleyball coach at Mount Marty, Grotenhuis also served as an assistant professor teaching gymnastics/tumbling, first aid and CPR, coaching of volleyball, biking and hiking, principles of health and exercise physiology.
Grotenhuis resigned as Mount Marty College volleyball coach Thursday after eight seasons, accepting a recreation superintendent position in the Yankton Parks and Recreation department.
“When the opportunity (with the city) came up, it interested me,” said Grotenhuis. “It is what I went to school for. It was what I was doing before I came to Mount Marty.”
With two young sons, Cooper and Macon, Grotenhuis also felt she needed more stable hours.
“The hours have been crazier as they’ve gotten older,” she said. “I needed a more regular work schedule.”
Junior Carly Benson said that she could sympathize with Grotenhuis’ reasons for leaving.
“I’m sad to see her leave but, at the same time, I understand why,” said Benson, who has started at libero the past two seasons for MMC.
The departure of one of MMC’s more veteran coaches — only men’s basketball coach Jim Thorson has been at the school longer — will have an impact, according to athletic director Chuck Iverson.
“We are sorry to lose a valuable member of our team in Tracey,” Iverson said in a MMC press release. “She has done a tremendous job for us and I feel she is the leaving the program in good shape. We wish her the best in her new position and thank her for her great contributions to Mount Marty College over the past eight years.”
Grotenhuis, who is originally from Homer, Neb., received her B.S.E. from the University of Kansas in 1998 and her master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2002.
“Coming (to Mount Marty) right out of grad school this was a terrific environment for me to grow personally and professionally,” Grotenhuis said of her tenure at Mount Marty. “I have developed wonderful friendships here and have thoroughly enjoyed working with all the students and athletes. I have made many special memories that will stay with me all my life. I am really thankful for what Mount Marty has done for me.”
Albert Fernandez, who served as assistant volleyball coach this year and has been the head women’s softball coach since 2005, will replace Grotenhuis.
Fernandez, who also served as a student assistant coach for volleyball for one year while attending MMC, welcomed the opportunity to return to the volleyball sidelines this past season, a run that gave him the confidence to take over the program.
“I’ve been around the game for a long time. I grew up playing it,” he said. “This past fall helped me believe that I could do it (coach the volleyball program). I knew, after being back in it, why I enjoyed coaching volleyball.”
While Fernandez will now be coaching two varsity sports — he will remain head coach of the softball program — the promotion means he will be focused completely on coaching. The Mount Marty alum had also served as an admissions representative while coaching softball.
“I have always had the desire to coach, and this gives me an opportunity to just be a coach,” he said. “It seems to work schedule-wise, and it will be a new challenge, a new opportunity for me.”
Fernandez’s presence was felt in his season as an assistant, according to Benson.
“I thought he made a big impact on the team,” she said. “I think he evened all of us out.”
Iverson was happy to turn the reins of the volleyball program over to Fernandez.
“We feel very fortunate to have someone of Albert’s qualifications willing to accept the new position,” Iverson said. “He has proven himself as an outstanding coach and leader of young adults with the job he has done with the softball team and there is no doubt he will fit in well as both the softball and volleyball coach.”
Fernandez takes over a program that went 14-21 this past season, the most victories in the eight seasons under Grotenhuis. Only three players graduate from that squad, Abby Haiar, Lindsey Beacom and Emily Rasmussen.
“This off-season is going to be huge. We want to make sure we get our players ready,” he said. “We need to focus on the development of players, making sure we return everyone who isn’t graduating, and bringing in a good recruiting class.”
Benson feels the enthusiasm Fernandez brings will boost the Lancers, not only next season, but as they prepare for next season.
“He’s as excited for our off-season as our regular season,” she said. “I think he’ll get us in great shape for the season.”
Grotenhuis is confident the squad will continue to improve under Fernandez.
“We were pretty young out there this year, but those girls got a taste of success,” she said. “There is no doubt next year will be a good year for Lancer volleyball.”
In addition to being head volleyball coach at Mount Marty, Grotenhuis also served as an assistant professor teaching gymnastics/tumbling, first aid and CPR, coaching of volleyball, biking and hiking, principles of health and exercise physiology.
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