Kortney Kurtz

Growing up, I watched my sister, who was six years older than me, play volleyball. We lived in St. Charles, Illinois, where volleyball is a huge industry for young women. I would watch her play and then I would attempt to practice against my garage. When I finally entered middle school, there was a program that I joined in order to learn the basics of the game. From then on, volleyball became a part of life, or better yet, a passion that would only positively impact my life.

Starting in 6th grade, I played middle school volleyball and club volleyball. With that being said, I played volleyball from August to June every year until I graduated high school. I played for Haines Middle School, St. Charles North High School, Fusion Club Volleyball – Elgin, Illinois Heat Volleyball Club, and Top Flight Volleyball Club. It wasn’t until I played for Top Flight that I realized how impactful volleyball was going to be on my life. Throughout the two years of playing for Top Flight, I learned that volleyball wasn’t just a game, but rather it was about learning respect, perseverance, diversity, and gaining friendships.

My 18’s year with Top Flight ended at Nationals that year, the first Top Flight team to qualify and attend. Just two short months later I was attending the University of Georgia and was on their club volleyball team. Wearing red and black with the name Georgia across my back is where I spent the next four years of my volleyball career. In college, the club season is from August to April; therefore, I found myself still playing almost year-round. When I was a junior, I was elected team captain. Because we didn’t have a coach, I was in charge of practice plans, scheduling tournaments, fundraising, spirit wear, team bondings, etc. It was a tough job, but it was well worth it when we won our first home tournament in eight years spring of my senior year.

When graduation came, it was time to decide how I would keep volleyball playing a role in my life. That’s when I decided to become the club coach for the UGA team. I spent one season with them doing the things I did as a captain while allowing the girls to focus on playing. When the season was over, I was offered a job as a head JV coach at Cedar Shoals High School along with being an 18’s club coach at Classic City Volleyball. I spent one season at Cedar Shoals and one season at Classic City before I landed as Head Varsity Volleyball coach at East Jackson Comprehensive High School for the next 3 years (2017-2020).

I am now director of Top Flight Georgia and am ready to grow the sport in many ways in our area! I have loved watching us go from 1 team of the first year to 4 our next, to even more our third year, and now being the biggest we have ever been! We have a great future ahead of us!

I have fallen in love with coaching for more than one reason, the most important being a positive impact on an athlete’s life. I want to teach more than just volleyball skills, but also life skills. I want my players to love the game, but to love taking risks, dreaming big, and reaching goals. I love watching athletes progress in their skill level along with progressing in their life dreams and goals. I hope to make a lifelong positive impact on all the athletes I coach, just the way my coaches did for me.

  Kacie Evans
  Kaitlyn Henderson
  Kortney Kurtz
  Nya Rivera
  Lindsey Kidwell