(Courtesy of Sterling HS)
Sterling volleyball coach Lisa Schumacher won the 400th game of her career on Thursday night.
Schumacher’s Tigers beat Fort Morgan 25-23, 21-25, 25-16 and 25-15 to open their season. According to the school, that victory helped her reach the milestone.
After Thursday’s win, Schumacher is now 400-211 in her career.
“It was a pretty unique experience last night,” Schumacher said on Friday. “The atmosphere, our kids, and the cheering section was awesome.”
(Courtesy of Sterling HS)
Schumacher’s daughters, Allie, a freshman on the team, and Kirsten, who graduated from Sterling in 2010 and played for her mom, were both there, and a number of her former athletes also attended the match.
“It was very, very nice,” Schumacher said. “It was nice to be home on our home court. It was pretty special.”
But the coach didn’t want to make too much of a deal out of the milestone.
“Whenever you’re playing a match, it is important,” she said. “I don’t know, it’s a big deal, but it’s kind of not a big deal because we have a lot more games to go. It’s more like, ‘Yes! We got another win. We still have 24 more to go!'”
Schumacher is actually a Sterling graduate (in 1986), and is now in her 24th year as head coach at the school. She started as an assistant in 1991, and took the reigns of the program in 1993.
“I never planned on this,” Schumacher said of her longevity at the school. “I thought I would probably move back up on the Front Range and I never left. I love my job.
“I’ve been very blessed to be at Sterling High School with the staff and the coaching staff and the administration that I’ve had throughout the years,” she added later. “I feel that I’m very, very lucky.”
Schumacher led the Tigers to a Class 4A championship in 2005. They were runner-up in 2003, and placed third in 1994.
Sterling went 21-6 last season, and advanced to the 3A state tournament. It was the fifth consecutive season the Tigers had reached the tourney.
“If you look at my state championships? Yeah, one,” Schumacher said. “I sit there and I go, ‘OK, Lisa, is it about state championships, or is it about making the best with what you have and trying to make a run at it every year you can?’
“Sometimes it’s the bigger picture of the people you’ve met, the kids that you’ve helped, and sometimes it’s more the kids who have help you become a better person and a better coach yourself,” she continued. “Is the whole big picture on wins and losses? Sometimes I don’t think so.
“If I have more kids loving the sport of volleyball and wanting to be a great person and a hard-worker in life, and they’re able to stand on their own feet, to me that’s what probably brings me more joy and happiness knowing I’ve helped someone go in the right direction.”
In 2013, Schumacher won the Helen McCall Memorial Coach of the Year award, given annually by the Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports. She has also previously served on CHSAA’s volleyball committee.
“She was honestly one of the best coaches I’ve ever had,” Schumacher’s oldest daughter, Kirsten, told the crowd after the match on Thursday. “I’m not saying that just because she is my mom, but because she truly is great at what she does. I know I can speak for all her players when I say thank you for everything you’ve done.”
(Courtesy of Sterling HS)