After 10 years of coaching H-F girls’ volleyball, science teacher Nathaniel Nesbit was hired as the new head volleyball coach, starting in the fall.
“I’ve been a varsity coach before, and it was wonderful to guide and direct the program to what I envisioned it could be,” Nesbit expressed.
Nesbit is replacing Coach Bob Saint. Nesbit praised Coach Saint and is grateful for the time they worked together.
“Saint was wonderful,” Nesbit expressed. “It was great getting to work with him and [Matt] Small and all the other coaches, but I was working within their vision of what the program was, and doing everything I can to support that and do the best that we can. But it’s different when you’re the captain of the ship.”
Now that he is the head coach, Nesbit is focused on leading the way making changes for the volleyball program.
“I’m excited to start to make some of those changes and kind of lead this program. I’m excited to see what we can do,” Nesbit expressed.
Nesbit has also shared how he is going to move forward with the team by engaging with the feeder middle schools program. Nesbit wants to get people excited about the Viking program.
Nesbit hopes to achieve a “culmination where we’re really building up all this excitement through the program and getting everybody. It’s going to help us to bring in more talented athletes and continue to develop those athletes a little bit more.”
Nesbit plans to lean on this positive energy and build teamwork.
“The teamwork is going to help our individual athletes to play beyond themselves, to play for more than just their personal glory and play for a team,” Nesbit said. “There’s a wonderful African proverb that [says], ‘you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.’ And that’s what we want to do.”
Athletic director Matthew Lyke and the Board of Education hired Nesbit. “Nesbit brings proven experience, a record of success and a commitment to athlete development to the Viking volleyball program,” Lyke said.
Lyke and the Board of Education see Nesbit’s educational background and his coaching experiences as adding a new beneficial perspective to the program.
“With over a decade of coaching experience across all levels of club and high school volleyball for both boys and girls, Nesbit has established himself as a leader in the sport. His accolades include being named Noble Network Coach of the Year three times (2018-2020) and leading a team to a #8 state ranking in 2020,” Lyke has stated.
Lyke also praised Nesbit’s strong dynamics when he was the JV Head Coach and acknowledged the achievements he made while in the role.
According to Lyke, “his coaching philosophy emphasizes fostering well-rounded athletes and cultivating strong team dynamics, values he reinforced during his tenure as JV Head Coach for the Vikings, where he led the team to a winning record in three consecutive seasons.”
According to MaxPreps, this school year, the volleyball team ended with a 7-1 record. In the Southwest Suburban Conference. Nesbit is looking to beat that impressive record.
The Girls’ Volleyball season doesn’t begin until next August, but Nesbit begins his role as head coach this summer for camp.
