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Cieslewski looks to help build Belpre volleyball

Belpre head volleyball coach Brooke Cieslewski starts her first year leading the Belpre volleyball team while teaching at Belpre Elementary School. Photo by Steve Hemmelgarn.

BELPRE — When Brooke Cieslewski applied for a teaching job at Belpre Elementary School, “I mentioned that I really wanted to coach. So they gave me an opportunity to interview for this job, and luckily I got it.”

That job — which she got — was as the head volleyball coach at Belpre High School.

If Cieslewski’s last name is familiar, that’s because she was the middle of three Cieslewski sisters who all played sports for Williamstown High School.

For Cieslewski at Williamstown, where she graduated from in 2013, “it was volleyball, basketball and I ran track for a couple years too.

“Basketball was my favorite for a long time because I started with it in the first grade. But when our volleyball programs in the area started up in middle school, I began doing it. Volleyball was such a fresh sport for me, I fell in love with it right off the bat. That’s when I knew wanted to keep playing it.”

Her senior year, Cieslewski had her 1,000th career dig, and was the LKC Player of the Year, a first-team all-state selection and also on the all-state tournament team.

Her junior year in track, Cieslewski was seventh at state in the high jump, while in basketball, she led the area (MOV) in 3-point baskets as a senior, and “we made it to state in the final eight (teams),” she said

After WHS, Cieslewski went on to West Virginia State University, played volleyball there and “I had a good college career,” she said. “I started my freshman year, we had our ups and downs though, but I played through my senior year even though we went through some coaching changes that year. It was hard, but we came together and I did pretty good my senior year.”

She finished fourth in digs in her time at W.Va. State, was a team captain both as a junior and senior, and also as a senior, she was on the all-academic MEC team.

Academically at WVSU, Cieslewski studied elementary education, majoring in special ed.

Cieslewski had actually worked at Belpre in the summer as a teacher’s aid ever since her senior year in high school. “So I was in close conduct with the administration,” she related, “and when there was an opening, I knew immediately and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a place I want to work at.’ “

Cieslewski “always” wanted to go into coaching. “Even since I was little, I was like, ‘I’m going to play a sport, I’m going play in college, then I’m going to coach it.’ So I definitely love coaching, and so far, this for me has been phenomenal.

“Officially, we’ve been practicing since Aug. 1, but I’ve had the girls in for individuals and open gym all summer. As a new coach, I knew I needed to get to know the girls, and to get to know the positions and how they played. And let me tell you this, these girls really worked hard during the summer.”

A daughter of Bill Cieslewski, a former head football coach at Belpre, Brooke has “10, 11 girls who play varsity,” she noted, as her roster is made up of only one senior and just two juniors with the rest underclassmen, seven sophomores and a single freshman.

Senior Katie Osborn, who sets and plays outside mostly and then right side, “really leads by example and is a crucial part of our team,” said Brooke. “She sets the tone for our practices and games, always hustles everywhere and pushes herself.”

Junior Sydney Spencer — who’s “a heck of an athlete,” stated Brooke — was a track standout this past spring, “breaking the school 100 mark,” said Brooke, and also plays basketball. “She’s work, work, work, work. She’s always wants to get better. She’s the vocal leader on our team, for sure.”

Kaitlyn Richards is Belpre’s junior libero. “I couldn’t ask for someone with more passion to play,” said Brooke. “She just loves playing; she hustles and dives for balls. She’s aggressive, a little spitfire and you need that from your libero for sure.”

For her sophomores, Brooke has only one — Abbey LaFatch — who played varsity last year, but none of the other six 10th-graders “have ever played varsity before,” said the coach. “So they’re fairly new in getting their skills down.”

Soph Makaylee Deaton “works hard and I see her progress every single practice,” said Brooke, and “it’s awesome to see Abbey, a crucial part of the team in setting the tone, as our second middle. She’s tall, so we try to use her lanky arms as much as possible up front at the net.”

Right side soph Hannah McDaniel “has a great attitude, always tries her best and was working so hard all summer,” said Brooke, while soph Ryleigh Hannah, “our second setter who just sets in the back row, is one of those girls who stayed after in the summer to get some extra work in to make sure he has the skills that she needs to have to play at the varsity level,” said Brooke.

Savannah Knotts, another 10th-grader, plays one rotation outside and the rest are right side, and “knows how to play the net,” said Brooke. “We love her up there because whenever the ball gets really tight, she knows how to make those plays.”

Allie Lemon, still another sophomore, is “a great player to have on varsity,” said Brooke. “She wanted to be center all summer. But after I finally told her, ‘No, that’s not where we’re going to have you; I see you as a hitter,” she has worked and developed herself as a hitter.”

Alyssa Hutchinson is the only freshman on varsity. “She gets her hands on the ball,” said Brooke. “She works, she hustles, she’s a great leader for the team at the lower level.”

Sophomore Madison French is “our left back, she plays back-row defense,” said Brooke. “She’s really stepped it up. Her serving has improved immensely — she’s got a great serve — and she works on defense. I’m glad to have her.”

For, Brooke, “it was definitely an adjustment, coming to a head coaching job right out of college. But I did have a little coaching experience and was confident of my volleyball knowledge. But relying on that knowledge and getting the girls to know it is where my dad has stepped in, and he’s been a huge help.

“I’m just happy to be here, happy to be part of a great staff at Belpre and I’m ready to help build this program.”

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