West Sedona School volleyball team molding high school players1 min read

By
Jeff Bear
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West Sedona School’s volleyball coach Darren McCormick takes his job very seriously.

His job is molding middle school-aged girls into volleyball players who can compete at the highest levels when they get into the Sedona Red Rock High School volleyball program.

“Most of our players have only played one to two years,” McCormick said. “[But] they are doing great despite this — [they have] great attitude and work ethic.”

McCormick is in his second year coaching the team — his first year as head coach — and is also in his second year as a teacher at West Sedona School.

“I come from a background of beach volleyball, and have learned a lot to become head indoor coach,” McCormick said. “I have played volleyball my whole life, and I love coaching the girls.”

He said he would like to see the girls get started learning the fundamentals of volleyball at a younger age — perhaps in fourth or fifth grade — but no such programs currently exist in Sedona.

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“The earlier the girls get started with the sport, the more prepared they are for middle school volleyball, which has become very competitive,” he said.

For the full story, please see the Friday, Sept. 13, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.

Jeff Bear

Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.

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Jeff Bear
Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.