I interviewed Debra Kiick, head volleyball coach, on the upcoming season. I prompted Coach Kiick with a series of questions about the season and herself. The first question I had for Kiick was “What are your expectations for the upcoming season?” Kiick reported that her expectations are very high, not only for her but for the university and the team itself. She said she had a good group of veterans as well as a good group of incoming freshman that she hopes will help her and the team go further in post-season than they did last year. Last year they placed second in conference and she is hoping to get first place this year and compete for a national title. She commented “The difference maker is that the potential is there, but can they be focused and work hard in every minute of every day? The talent is there but the decision is theirs to step it up to do great things or not.”

When asked how the team was doing so far this season, Kiick said that the team is 4-0, and doing so right out of the gate is a good indication that they are one of the strongest teams in the region. She said the team has to preserve consistency in order to dominate all of the time rather than some of the time. Kiick also commented that the team has “some rough edges” that need worked on, but the potential exists and the bench is stronger than ever. Kiick claimed that the bench could start the game off if need be. Kiick said that they tried to schedule their games and tournaments against the teams that beat them last season to prepare them for their ideal post season. She said that by scheduling like this, it could either make them tougher or make their confidence shaky, ideally the former. She also said that it gives the girls a chance to have fun while playing because they have to play at a high intensity to win.

When I asked Kiick what her coaching style was, she said that she doesn’t have a set style because the team is always changing. Kiick recruits the best athletes she can and adjusts her system of coaching based on their playing style.

Kiick said that success is measured in many different ways. In the athletic view, success is measured by “making the most of your potential and setting a high mark and reaching that mark.” When it comes to academics, success is “having a 3.2 GPA or higher.” Lastly, success is measured in personal growth. “Personal growth is coming in as a freshman and being unsure of yourself, and then graduating in four years with confidence to take on the world.” Kiick’s success is “measured by the fact that [my] athletes are making the most of themselves in all aspects of their lives every day, or at least working to make the most of themselves.”

When asked why she wanted to coach at Millikin, Kiick said that she loves the warm personalities of everyone, and that Millikin is very welcoming and comfortable. She loves the division three mindset of academics first, athletes second. Kiick loves that she has to bring out the big guns every day because the CCIW conference is tough and that you have to be prepared to play every day.

Kiick has worked her entire career to teach women that anything is possible and she has tried to give them every opportunity to play sports. She grew up in a time when sports weren’t offered to women, and she yearned to play because she knew that she could be just as good as the boys. Her senior year of high school was the first year sports began being offered to women. Women had to provide their own uniforms in order to play, so they used old football uniforms. When Kiick went to college, she played division one softball and basketball. It made her appreciate and love the opportunity to play; it inspired her to share the opportunity with others.