Coach Brandi has a love for athletics that started at a young age, and was a multi-sport athlete in high school, graduating from Garner Magnet HS in 2000. She has a passion for mentoring young women, and serves as the youth group volunteer & leader for the high school girls group. In the last 10 years as a group leader, Coach Brandi has helped countless teens with character-building, leadership skills and guiding them to achieve their goals. She is so excited to transfer these skills to the volleyball court.
Coach Brandi spent 2023 learning the ropes of volleyball by shadowing and training under Coach Paul Hobbs. She can’t wait to continue growing and learning in the coming years.
 In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband Josh  of 17 years and her two daughters (CQ, Berkley) (age 7 & 13).
 

Hello, my name is Kara Dawson. I’m from North Carolina and I grew up in Chatham County where I played volleyball growing up. My first time touching a volleyball was in middle school and that’s when my love of the sport started. I went on to play in high school and formed relationships with my teammates that I’ll never lose. I continued my passion for volleyball into my college years at Methodist College. I played defensive specialist and right side hitter/back up setter. These were some of my favorite experiences and memories. After college I stayed at the school that I graduated from and worked in their Microbiology and Chemistry labs working with students. I then transitioned into working with the camps the university offered, with middle school, high school, and college students (focusing on STEM and Leadership). I’m currently a Science and Social Studies teacher at a local charter school to 5th grade students. I’ve also coached middle school volleyball, starting in 2018; we won conference championships in 2021 and runner up in 2018.
I believe in Direction Volleyball, what it stands for and what it will introduce players to; passion for the sport, for each other and the family that it’ll build, and always with a direction to a higher purpose. I’m excited to share this experience with my girls!
 

Hi! my name is Nicole Bossemeyer, I just recently moved to North Carolina from Arizona where I played a year of college ball and then when COVID hit, I decided to start coaching. I have been coaching for five years and love it. I have helped lead elite teams to medals throughout my years. I excel in hitting, blocking and serving, I enjoy watching players learn to love the game and make life long friendships through the years. I played Volleyball for a top team for 12 years in Oregon, I was a three-year varsity athlete and one of the top middle blockers in the state, I also received 1st team all state and honorable mention all state throughout my high school career. In my free time I enjoy traveling and hanging out with my family. And I am so excited to be coaching with Direction Volleyball Club. 
 

With over 10 years of coaching experience in the Triangle area, Rachel has established a reputation for developing competitive and cohesive teams.

Rachel is known for her strategic approach to the game, focusing on both the physical and mental aspects of volleyball. She emphasizes the importance of teamwork, communication, and resilience, ensuring that each player reaches their full potential both on and off the court.

Throughout her career, Rachel has coached at various levels, including the collegiate level, and has consistently produced winning records and developed players who have gone on to compete at prestigious levels.

In addition to her coaching duties, Rachel is dedicated to continuous learning and improvement, regularly attending coaching clinics and staying updated with the latest techniques and strategies in the sport.

Coaching Philosophy

Rachel believes in a holistic approach to coaching, where the development of the athlete as a person is just as important as their development as a player. She focuses on creating a positive and inclusive environment where athletes feel supported and motivated to achieve their best.

Key elements of her coaching philosophy include:

• Teamwork and Communication: Emphasizing the importance of working together and maintaining open lines of communication both on and off the court.
• Resilience and Mental Toughness: Encouraging players to develop mental strength and resilience to overcome challenges and setbacks.
• Continuous Improvement: Instilling a growth mindset in athletes, where continuous learning and improvement are valued over immediate results.
• Respect and Integrity: Promoting a culture of respect, integrity, and sportsmanship in all aspects of the game.
• Individualized Coaching: Recognizing that each athlete is unique and tailoring coaching strategies to meet individual needs and strengths.

Off the court, Rachel is passionate about mentoring young people, which she believes contributes to a well-rounded coaching philosophy.  I'm so happy to serve the players and families of Direction Volleyball Club.

My name is Ella Garrett and I was born and raised around Austin, TX. Volleyball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started playing volleyball in a recreational league for a few years until I started playing club. I played on national teams 12s-17s as well as school volleyball in middle school and high school for about 10+ total years playing. The highlight of my club career was achieving our team goal of qualifying for and participating in the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship. On the school side, I played on varsity all four years of high school and we competed in the UIL state championship playoffs finishing in the top four in the state my sophomore and junior year. I received many honors including District, Regional, and All State awards. It was such an awesome opportunity to represent my school in a game I truly love. After injuries my junior and senior year I decided to forgo playing at the collegiate level. I went to The University of Alabama and received my nursing degree. My husband and I relocated to the triangle for jobs and have enjoyed all that North Carolina has to offer. In my free time I love to spend time outdoors with our golden retriever, Wilma. I am very excited to be coaching with Direction Volleyball Club. My hope is to help build up players not just in the game of volleyball but also encouraging growth as a person. 

Coach Abby is a former division 1 college athlete. She holds two school records at East Carolina University where she lettered all four years in cross country and indoor/outdoor track and field. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in exercise and sports science. She has 23 years of coaching experience across multiple sports including volleyball, basketball and track at the middle school level and basketball, softball and lacrosse at the high school level. She was named middle school coach of the year for Johnston County Public schools in 2017 after leading her volleyball and track teams to conference championships. She is excited to be working at Direction and to fully embody the culture and values of this club. 

My name is Meghan Garner, and I’m from Clayton, North Carolina. I began playing volleyball at age nine and quickly developed a strong passion for the sport.

At Clayton Middle School, I was part of the first team in school history to win a conference championship. I continued at Clayton High School, where our team became the first to reach the fourth round of the state playoffs. Simultaneously, I competed at the national club level, where I broke club records in both setting and serving. I was also selected for multiple club-wide leadership honors and consistently recognized by coaches, directors, and teammates for my performance, work ethic, and impact on and off the court. I also refereed and coached youth leagues and have continued competing in adult leagues and tournaments.

As a coach, I aim to develop players who embrace high-pressure moments and strive to be playmakers, driven by the same passion that first drew me to the game. I focus on equipping them with the skills, confidence, and mindset to succeed, while fostering an environment where strong relationships are built and lasting memories are created.

Zed comes to us from Cary, North Carolina. He competes in volleyball tournaments as well as leagues. Indoor, he specializes in a combination of outside, middle, and opposite, depending on what his team needs. He has a variety of experiences with sand and grass volleyball as well, which he integrates into his coaching, no matter the format. The lessons he has learned through all of them help him improve the play style of those he educates in the sport, as well as himself.

Zed has been playing for the past 5 years. As he improved, he drew on experiences from other sports (basketball & swimming) to further develop his technique, strategy, team coordination, and more. Since then, he has been obsessed with the game, always trying to better himself on the court, as well as those he coaches. He takes a lot of pride in prioritizing teamwork, finding flaws in individuals’ playstyles and teams--strengthening them, and embracing selflessness in a team sport. He coaches clinics alongside others, spending the majority of his time on outsides, middles, and opposites. However, he knows the importance of liberos and setters, as he believes they are the backbone of a team sport such as volleyball.

Zed constantly provides motivation and inspiration for those who need it, as well as those who don’t. He constantly welcomes learning opportunities when they arise. He cares strongly about each individual’s mindset, confidence, and character, as he believes they can be the difference between each and every point. In his past, he has coached many different sports that have helped him develop his techniques and character.

Although he can sound fairly serious at times, he understands the importance of having fun, having a volleyball family, being sportsmanlike, and bettering oneself, which is why we are proud to have Zed as a coach in our Direction Volleyball Club family!

Coach Holley is originally from Hampstead, NC (near Topsail) where she played volleyball and soccer in middle and high school. She also played club volleyball for 2 years during high school which was one of her favorite experiences! She went to undergrad at NC State where she played on women's and coed intramural teams all 4 years. She was an outside hitter then, and still plays now as more of a defensive specialist. She really enjoys passing and digging.

Holley has coached volleyball  for 6 seasons and is very excited to move to Direction for a new challenge! She looks forward to working with players and building their confidence.  She believes volleyball is more than just a sport and builds lifelong skills like teamwork, overcoming adversity, and tenacity.

When away from the court, Holley enjoys spending time with her husband of 16 years, daughter, son, and Pomeranian. She loves to read, play games, and go to concerts. 

Hello, my name is Coach Halayna. I am currently attending NC State University, where I am pursuing my bachelor’s degree in Human Biology. I have been involved in volleyball since I was nine years old, beginning at the recreational level before advancing to travel volleyball. As I shifted my focus toward academics, I realized that playing at a competitive level was no longer the right fit for me. However, my passion for the sport remained strong, which led me to pursue coaching. Since then, I have gained experience coaching at the recreational, middle school, and club levels. Volleyball has always been an important part of my life, and my family has been involved with Direction since it first opened. It is truly an honor to now be part of the program as a coach. I am excited to continue developing athletes not only in their skills, but also in their confidence, teamwork, and love for the game.