Jill Stucky Takes Over as New Lady Plainsmen Volleyball Coach

Perhaps it was luck. Perhaps it was timing. In the end, Laramie High School has their new head coach for the Laramie Lady Plainsmen volleyball program. It was announced Tuesday night that Jill Stucky will be leading the program. The former University of Wyoming player and assistant coach gets her first head coaching post.

Jill Stucky told KOWB in a phone interview Wednesday that to be the person in-charge, "It feels pretty darn good, I have to tell you. I've really been looking forward to being able to run my own program."

Stucky has been a collegiate assistant coach for 16 seasons, including the past five with the Cowgirls. Prior to that she was at the University of Kansas for 10 season and Barton County Community College for one. Her coaching experience includes three consecutive 20-win seasons while at UW, a Top 25 program at Kansas, three NCAA appearances and a Top 10 recruiting class while she was the Recruitment Coordinator at KU.

Now she has to deal with high school age players, and Stucky knows it will be an adjustment for her.

"I've been coaching athletes that can get up and touch the rim and have lightning quick speed. The only thing is that I'll have to change the style of game that I've been coaching and put it at a level these kids can understand, a level they can compete at and a level they can succeed at. That's probably going to be the learning curve for me, but I think I'll pretty easily figure that out, so I think it'll be a nice transition for me."

She does have experience dealing with high school age kids as a club coach in Kansas and an administrator for the Jill Stucky Satellite Volleyball Camps.

She also knows what she faces at LHS. Stucky says, "I think there's a good core of girls coming back. We're going to have to figure out who our setter's going to be next year (season), that's the first place I want to start. Got to figure out who your libero's going to be next year. Those are the most important positions I feel like on the floor. Then, I'm excited to figure out where everybody fits into the positions around that."

Laramie High School Principal and Athletic Director Kim Sorenson said this really is a fortuitous opportunity for us.

"When a person of Jill's caliber comes along, it's a pretty special moment for a school, and you'd have to pretty blind not to recognize it for what it is. We are so lucky to have had her right in our hometown and fall into our laps. We're very fortunate."

Sorenson also said that Stucky has paid her dues and has been on a trajectory towards becoming a head coach, "The best thing about her experience was learning about all her club coaching background, the camps that she runs where she is working with young kids.  She gets the high school kid, and is very good about knowing what their needs are. She's not here to promote a system. She's here to gauge what her kids can do and run a system after that."

Many local people will remember Stucky as a player at Wyoming from 1994-1996, where she was a team captain and WAC Scholar-Athlete. She was also named to five all-tournament teams and participated in the NCAA Tournament.

Stucky said that her family dynamic played a role in her interest in the position.

She says, "I'm very excited about being more active in the Laramie community, and this is a great opportunity for me and my family. I know that it's going to be a great fit for everybody involved."

Stucky's hiring is pending approval by the Albany County School District School Board at their next meeting on June 12.