There’s been a significant change to the Tualatin volleyball program. With all new coaches and almost a whole new varsity team, things are bound to be different this year. JV and assistant varsity coach Kealia Rosa, JV2 coach Sarah Graham and varsity coach Whitney Fortier now make up the new staff for the program. This is Rosa’s and Graham’s first year coaching at the high school level, unlike Fortier, who previously coached at Reynolds. 

Why did you want to coach at Tualatin? 

Graham: “After seeing the girls at open gyms, I knew it was a good fit. I liked the program and was excited to be part of a new era.” 

Rosa: “I wanted to give back to a sport that had given so much to me.” 

Fortier: “When the opportunity came up for me to coach at Tualatin, I was so excited to coach the girls already playing in the program. I had seen some of them before through club and other sports and knew they would be a special group to work with.” 

The new coaches bring a unique beginning to a positive era for the team. All coaches believe they bring an optimistic energy to the program. 

“I’ll be your number one cheerleader, but I’ll also be the one to push you the hardest,” Rosa said. 

Volleyball is a game of mentality. Having confidence in all parts of the game can affect whether a team wins or loses. 

“So far this season, our biggest challenge has been our confidence. Since playing some really good teams, I think we’ve grown to believe in ourselves more, but we are still working on it,” Fortier explained.