Marett brings vocal leadership to coaching

Edinboro women’s volleyball is in the midst of one of its best seasons in school history. This comes a year after losing one of the best liberos to ever don the Edinboro uniform, Haley Marett.

However, she isn’t quite gone, just a few steps off the court.

Marett, who wrapped up her playing days for the Edinboro women’s volleyball program last season, is back for 2015 as a student-assistant coach.

And now, about two-thirds of the way through the regular season, Marett seems to be a staple of the coaching staff and of the current team overall, but the Volant, Pennsylvania native didn’t exactly envision being on the sidelines as a coach this season.

“They offered me the work study job,” Marett said in McComb Fieldhouse last week.

“I said no because I wanted to get away and have the girls experience volleyball without me, because I have been there for four years. I said I was going to get my reffing license and ref instead, but I missed the cut off date by two days.”

That missed opportunity, which Marett says was due to her “slacking,” turned into another opportunity, which she is enjoying every minute of. “Since they already had a work study person, I asked if I could just come to practice and then [head coach Missy Soboleski] suggested I just come to the games and coach on the sidelines.” Now, one cannot go to a Boro women’s volleyball match in McComb Fieldhouse without spotting Marett, who is always standing on the side of the court coaching and filled with instant jubilation after every point.

“I took it upon myself to be up [and active],” Marett said about her in-match coaching style. “I just am that kind of person to just stand up and start yelling. I cannot sit down.”

The Wilmington Area High School grad did plenty of yelling and cheering during her collegiate playing days, known for being one of the most vocal on the court at any given time. In addition to being a vocal leader, Marett also led with her play as she ranks in the top five all-time in career digs and digs per game.

The current players, many of whom were teammates with Marett, are happy to have the one-time captain still in the program.

“I think they like it,” Marett said of the players’ reaction to her as a coach. “A lot of them tell me that they love having me back. I’ve been around most of them for two or three years. I feel like they look to me as a leader. Now that I’m not on the court they look to others too, but I feel they can still look to me as a leader because I’m a coach, but I’m also a friend and was a teammate.”

Soboleski is ecstatic to have Marrett by her side at the matches.

“I give her a job on the sidelines where she is calling out what the other team is going to do,” Soboleski said. “I tell her that she needs to do it ever time they are getting ready to serve, that you have to tell them. She’s vocal, she’s into it and she loves it.”

Outside of matches, Marett coaches the defense at every practice and also helps creates game plans based on the film breakdown with Soboleski.

With graduation upcoming for Marett, this will likely be her lone season as a studentassistant coach for Boro, but she hopes this isn’t her only coaching stint.

“I’d love to coach,” she said. “It is definitely in my future for sure. I’m not sure when. I’d love to get a job right out of college. That would be awesome. I’d probably do high school and then I’d like to work up to college [volleyball] if I can do that. On the side, I’ll probably do [officiating].”

Soboleski thinks Marett has what it takes to get the job done.

“I think she can do it,” Soboleski said. “I think she has the right mentality and personality to get it done. I hope she continues that throughout her career.”

Whether she is officiating or coaching, Marett is likely to be among those on a volleyball court for the remainder of her life and most likely the loudest.

Tyler Trumbauer is the Sports Editor for The Spectator. He can be reached at sports.spectator@gmail.com.

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