Fagan is ready to take the reins of Plymouth volleyball

PLYMOUTH – Shauna Fagan is living through some big changes as she approaches her first season at the helm of Plymouth’s volleyball program.

A graduate of Rochester High School, Fagan was a three-year volleyball and track athlete. Her volleyball teams won back-to-back sectionals in her junior and senior year and made an appearance in the semi-state her senior season.

In track, she was captain of her team, co-field event MVP and finished 16th in the state in the shot.
She has spent the past two seasons as part of Jon Hutton’s staff at Plymouth coaching the JV team.

When Hutton decided to accept his former position as volleyball coach at Tippecanoe Valley it began a domino effect of changes for Fagan.

“I’m currently in the pre-radiography program at IUSB,” she said. “Working in the Plymouth school district I’m going to be changing my major. I’m not sure what that is going to be but I will be making some sort of a switch.”

When the head coaching job became available it changed the timetable for Fagan’s change.

“I didn’t think it was going to happen this soon,” she said. “I didn’t apply for the position right away. I didn’t think I was going to be able to. I was in the radiography program at IUSB and there is a full-time clinical program and working full time I wasn’t going to be able to coach as well.”

“It wasn’t until I decided I’m willing to make a career change in addition,” said Fagan. “With the opportunity opening up it was sort of a catalyst I guess but it was something that I was thinking about for a while, it wasn’t something that I immediately jumped at because I was kind of taken by surprise.”

Even so, Fagan felt that coaching would be a part of her future.

“Before I graduated I coached little kids club volleyball,” said Fagan. “When I think back on some of the most influential people in my life my coaches always stick out to me. I remember their names, I remember specific conversations I had with them. It was really impactful and meaningful to me to have those types of player/coach relationships. Now I think it is cool to experience those relationships but from the other perspective.”

“I didnt anticipate it (coaching) happening in my 20’s obviously,” said Fagan. “I definitely know I have a lot to learn especially on the administrative side of coaching, things that head coaches do that people don’t know they do, things that I still don’t know but need to get done. I have a lot to learn there.”

“When it comes to just coaching the game of volleyball I’m passionate about it. I would really like to see what a program can do that has my principles and philosophy around it. I’m very interested to see what a program like that can accomplish.”

Just 28 herself, Fagan sees that as a positive in communicating with her team.

“I think it enables me to develop some meaningful relationships with them,” she said. “We are constantly laughing and joking around it’s a very positive environment. I strive during practices and games even when things aren’t going the way we want them to make sure that things are really positive.”

Another big change will be the makeup of her team for the coming year. The Pilgrims will be young.

“We don’t have any seniors. We are a very young team,” said Fagan. “I think we have about six players with varsity experience and only two or three with significant varsity experience. It’s going to be about getting my JV kids up to varsity-level speed.”

“We have the talent. The talent is there,” she said. “We have a lot of talent in this program. It’s just going to be getting the kids prepared enough to help them overcome their fear of failure when they are stepping on that varsity court. We have a lot of girls that have that perfectionist mindset, I relate to that a lot, but to the point that they can be hesitant sometimes. I need them to just let loose and go play.”

“We’re going to do open gyms and a team camp two a days hoping to get there before our first match.”

With the change and focus on preparation, Fagan is looking forward to the coming season.

“I think that we are going to be underestimated,” she said. “I’m looking forward to seeing my girls buy into the fact that it’s okay to be the underdog and it’s really fun to go out and prove people wrong.”