Beth Ankenbauer, a newly graduated student from Dexter High School, has joined the volleyball program at Chelsea as the head coach for freshman.

“I really wanted to keep playing in college, but I had too many injuries in high school to be able to play at a higher level than I would have been able to,” Ankenbauer said. “So I decided instead of just quitting volleyball all together, I would start coaching.” 

This is Ankenbauer’s second time coaching. She coached this past season at Huron Valley Volleyball Club, but she said she never pictured herself coaching at Chelsea.

“I thought I would end up coaching at Dexter, but then at a coaches’ dinner for the club I coach at, Chris Christian from Skyline asked me if I’d be interested in a coaching job and it ended up being at Chelsea,” she said.

The volleyball program and girls have been very welcoming to Ankenbauer.

“I love all the girls in the program and the other coaches have been really helpful and really supportive,” she said.

The freshman girls love Ankenbauer as well.

“She is really sweet, understanding and so funny. She makes practice so fun even though we have to run a lot,” freshman setter Caitlin White (’23) said.

Ankenbauer has taught the girls a lot of new skills and plays that have helped them keep their winning streak alive.

“Coach Beth is the best coach I’ve had over my 5 years of volleyball,” Sierra Suntheimer (’23) said.

As a coach, she’s dedicated to her players and hopes to help them pursue volleyball in the future.

“I’m really glad that I’m coaching freshmen because I think that I can really cement some of the fundamental skills,” Ankenbauer said. “I strive to get the girls ready for JV and varsity so that they’ll have a good foundation and won’t have to relearn everything next year.”