Carolyn Bryant hired to lead Hall volleyball

After a decade away from coaching volleyball, Carolyn Bryant decided it was time to get back into the game.

Bryant, a 1999 Hall graduate, was hired to be the Red Devils’ new volleyball coach. She takes over for Darcy Earley, who was with the program for 19 years, including the past two as head coach.

“I’ve been out of coaching for about 10 years now,” Bryant said. “I used to coach, and I loved it. I played, and I loved it. I stopped to have a family. My daughter is going to be a freshman. I thought it would be a great time to get back involved. She’s been playing club the for two years, and I really missed it.”

Bryant said “it’s exciting and nerve racking” but a “great opportunity” to coach at her alma mater. She’ll have fellow Hall graduates Meredith Rounds and Amanda (Pinter) Coutts as volunteer assistants.

Hall athletic director Eric Bryant, Carolyn’s brother, said Carolyn Bryant stood out from the applicants because of her experience.

Carolyn Bryant played club volleyball from seventh grade through high school, played for the Red Devils under Laurie Polte and was all-NCIC, played one season at IVCC and one season at Kankakee Community College and coached club at La Salle-Peru, Dimmick, Peru schools and IVCC.

“She had the most experience,” Eric Bryant said. “She’s coached everywhere from junior high to club and in college as well as playing in high school and college.

“I think she’ll definitely bring the knowledge of the game. She has the same thing her father has, a lot of passion and intensity that goes along with competition.”

Carolyn Bryant said she wants to instill passion for the game in her players.

“I really want these girls to love the game like I love the game,” Carolyn Bryant said. “I want them to work hard. I want them to want to win. I feel like today’s youth don’t have that want, don’t have that drive, don’t have that love. I feel like they’re getting pushed in all directions. I want to be the change and show tem what love of the game truly is.”

Carolyn Bryant said players in the program will have a clean slate, as she’s not familiar with most of the players.

“The best part is I haven’t been following it that much, and I don’t know a lot of the girls,” Bryant said. “So it’s an equal playing field. Everybody has a shot of getting that starting position. It’s going to be nice for the girls and also nice for me because I’m not going to be able to say this girl played club, so she’s going to get a starting position. It’s who’s going to do it, who’s going to step up, who’s going to be a leader and who’s going to put forth the effort to earn the playing time.”

The Red Devils went 8-26 last season.