Kindred Takes Helm New PM Volleyball Coach Hopes to Impart ‘Life Lessons’
KINDRED
Bringing youthful energy and experience as a player and coach, Elle Kindred is excited to guide the Parry McCluer High School volleyball team.
Kindred, 25, was hired as the Fighting Blues’ new head coach over the summer, following the departure of Jilane Hall, who was PM’s head coach last year before moving to North Carolina last month.
Hall, 25, whose husband’s job led to the move south, had coached the PM junior varsity team for a year before taking on the head coaching job of the varsity team last fall. She led the Blues to a 13-13 overall record and a 6-4 Pioneer District mark to finish third in the district. The Blues advanced to the Region 1C tournament, ending their season with a road loss in the quarterfinals to Giles, which would go on to win the Class 1 state championship.
Reflecting on her time with the Blues, Hall said, “I loved coaching at PM, and I especially loved how I felt like I was giving back to the small town I had grown to love during my time as a student at SVU [Southern Virginia University]. The girls were amazing, and I hope the best for all their athletic and academic careers.” Hall, who has an art degree, hopes to continue coaching in North Carolina.
Kindred moved to Rockbridge County from Ohio because her husband, Carson, became the assistant director of sports performance for Olympic sports at Virginia Military Institute, working as a strength and conditioning coach for several athletic teams.
They have been married for a little more than a year and live with their 3-yearold dog, Moe. Kindred is a kindergarten teacher at F.W. Kling Elementary School in Buena Vista. She has been a teacher for three years, and she coached the junior varsity volleyball team at Pandora-Gilboa High School in Pandora, Ohio for three years. She also coached three years of travel volleyball in Ohio.
Kindred said she applied for the head coaching position at PM because “I just think being in it, from a coaching perspective, it fills my cup. I still get to be the person around the game, continuing to inspire younger players and build players to be the best that they are.”
Prior to coaching, Kindred played volleyball, mostly as a setter but in other positions as well, for Findlay High School and then Division III school Bluffton University, both in Ohio.
The Blues will have at least one familiar face from last year on their coaching staff, as Marcie Carte returns as an assistant coach. “She’s awesome,” said Kindred. “She’s always down for whatever I want to do.”
From last year’s team, the Blues graduated two seniors: Kadence Zollman, a first-team all-district selection, and outside hitter Allie Cullen, a second-team alldistrict selection. Zollman is continuing her academic and volleyball career at Division III school Shenandoah University. The Blues return experienced players and welcome promising newcomers. A season preview will be in next week’s newspaper.
“I think we have a lot of potential,” said Kindred. “I think it’ll be very helpful for everybody involved to go back to the very basics. Learning the fundamentals of volleyball and applying those into game-like situations will help us.”
Kindred said her main goal is “creating a program,” making sure that all players, from the varsity level to the middle school player, are working together as one. “We’re all Blues,” she said.
Looking forward to having Kindred guide the Blues, PM athletic director Adam Haynes said he and the athletic department are “extremely excited” to welcome Kindred as the new volleyball coach. “ Coach Kindred brings a strong combination of volleyball knowledge, leadership and a genuine commitment to developing student-athletes, both on and off the court,” said Haynes. “We believe her passion, energy and vision will be a tremendous asset to our volleyball program.
“Coach Kindred understands the importance of building relationships, creating a positive team culture, and representing our school and community with pride,” added Haynes. “We look forward to seeing Coach Kindred’s version of Parry McCluer volleyball.”
Since moving to the area, Kindred has noticed, as a teacher, that “everybody’s here for the best. If you need something, somebody will be there. I’m just excited to get that in the athletic world.”
“I’m gonna hold these girls to a high standard,” added Kindred. “I want to push them not only to be better players, but to be better people, continue to grow into who they want to be. It’s not all about the game of volleyball. We’re here for life lessons and everything in between.”
