‘The Person I Needed’: Mentorship On & Off the Court

Grace Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Katie Hill has led the program through immense growth. Now two-time defending champions of the NCCAA tournament, the program is making historic strides. But if you ask Hill about her chief aim as a coach, she’ll tell you it’s to be the kind of mentor she needed when she was 18-20 years old. 

“Even though I attended a Christian college, there wasn’t a woman I felt comfortable talking to about heart issues or spiritual issues,” said Hill. “So, coming to Grace as a coach, it weighed heavily on me that I needed to be more prepared so when my players go through challenging situations, I don’t just have words, I have wisdom to give them.” 

Alisha (Leffring BS 25, MBA 25) Voss is one of many who have benefited from Hill’s intentionality in this area. 

“Coach Katie was that person that I needed,” she said. “When I started at Grace, I had a major fear of being a failure. At one point in my freshman year, I was failing academically. Coach came alongside me and encouraged me not only academically but also explained why I needed to do my best — because ultimately I am doing it for the Lord.” 

As different seasons came, Voss appreciated the wise counsel Hill provided, whether it was about school, volleyball, dating, or engagement. In addition to the one-on-one conversations with players, Hill held Thursday Bible studies during practice time. 

“If I am going to say as a coach that Bible study is really important to me and that it’s our goal for the women to grow in Christ, then I can’t make it an extra requirement,” said Hill. 

In addition to their time in the Word together, in 2023, Hill took the team on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where they worked with kids, hosted volleyball clinics, and also got to compete. 

The culmination of Voss’s Grace experience — from her growth as an athlete to her growth as a follower of Christ — made a lasting impact.

“I am a completely different person walking out of Grace than I was walking in,” said Voss. 

And as her sister began the recruiting process this year, she was unapologetic in her recommendation. 

“I told her to come to Grace, because the most important part of the program is following the Lord and honoring Him from day to day,” said Voss. “If you fail at volleyball, there is always something that matters much more to fall back on.” 

Hear from Hill and Voss on episode 114 of the Grace Story Podcast. 

Read more stories about how we’re doing mentorship at Grace. 

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