Book Private Lessons with Coach Karis

I’m a former Division I volleyball player, current beach/grass volleyball player, (just relocated to St. Pete from Dallas), and youth coach who still genuinely loves the game. I played at Auburn University and James Madison University, and since finishing college volleyball, I’ve continued competing and coaching athletes in indoor, beach, and small-group training settings.

I’m competitive, but I’m also very much a “let’s figure this out together” type of coach. I care about helping athletes feel more confident, more skilled, and more comfortable in their own game. I know how intimidating volleyball can feel when you’re trying to keep up, make a team, earn playing time, or just not feel lost on the court, so I try to create a training environment that is challenging, encouraging, and most importantly, enjoyable.

I can help athletes improve their fundamentals, consistency, court awareness, communication, and overall volleyball IQ. Depending on what you need, we can focus on passing, serving, serve receive, attacking, setting basics, defensive movement, footwork, ball control, or all-around skill development.

One of the biggest things I focus on is helping athletes learn how to actually read the game... reading and volleyball IQ make up 50-80% of matchplay. At a certain point, volleyball is not just about who has the cleanest platform or the hardest swing. It is about understanding what is happening across the net, recognizing patterns, anticipating the next play, and making quicker, smarter decisions. I love helping players connect their technical skills with game awareness so they are not just doing the skill, but knowing when, where, and why to use it.

Whether you’re newer to volleyball, preparing for tryouts, wanting to improve your consistency, or trying to compete at a higher level, I’ll tailor the session to meet you where you are and help you keep building from there.

A typical session with me begins with a quick check-in so I can learn what the athlete wants to work on, what they’ve been struggling with, and what their goals are. From there, we’ll warm up with movement and ball control, then move into focused skill work based on the athlete’s needs.

I like sessions to be intentional, not just a bunch of random reps. We’ll break skills down, make corrections, get plenty of touches, and then connect those skills to real game situations. That might mean working on reading a hitter’s shoulder, recognizing where the open space is, understanding defensive positioning, improving serve receive decisions, or learning how to communicate earlier and more clearly.

The overall vibe is supportive, detailed, and productive. I want athletes to feel challenged, but never embarrassed or overwhelmed. Mistakes are part of training, and encouraged! That's what practice is for. My goal is for athletes to leave each session not only with better technique, but with a better understanding of the game itself, and lastly, more confidence in themselves.

I played Division I volleyball at Auburn University and James Madison University from 2016 to 2021, training and competing in high-level environments centered around discipline, communication, accountability, team culture, and competitive growth.

My experience includes Division I indoor volleyball, competitive beach and grass volleyball, youth coaching, private and small-group training, camps, clinics, and beach volleyball coaching. I’ve helped coach and mentor 500+ youth athletes and most recently coached with MADSAND, a nationally recognized beach volleyball club with multiple national championships.

Through MADSAND, I also had the opportunity to assist with a beach clinic alongside Olympians Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth. These experiences have shaped my coaching approach and allow me to help athletes build skill, confidence, volleyball IQ, communication, and a stronger understanding of the game.

My favorite coach I’ve ever had was my high school volleyball coach, Tammy Clark, who I still look to as a friend and mentor today. She was one of those coaches who made me feel both challenged and supported. She held me accountable, but she also took the time to teach, communicate, most most importantly.. looked at us as people & young women first, and truly embodied that throughout our 4 years with her.

A lot of the lessons she taught me still show up in the way I coach today. She taught me how much it matters when a coach genuinely cares, and athletes can usually feel that right away. I think that kind of trust makes a huge difference in how confident athletes feel, how hard they work, and how willing they are to grow.

The best coaches are the ones who help you believe you’re capable while still pushing you to be better, and that’s exactly the kind of coach I try to be.

Parents and athletes should know that I care about creating a positive, supportive, and productive training environment. I want athletes to improve, but I also want them to enjoy the process and feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and learning.

I’m encouraging, honest, and detailed in the way I coach. I’ll meet athletes where they are, adjust based on their goals and skill level, and focus on helping them build confidence along with better volleyball skills.

I also know private training can feel intimidating or expensive, and I don’t think it needs to be that way. My goal is to make quality coaching feel approachable, helpful, and worth the time, without the ego or pressure that can sometimes come with private lessons.