Fresno State Athletics
Coaching with the Jacksons
12/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Dec. 16, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - There are 18 husband and wife coaching combinations in Division I volleyball and one of those pairs resides right here in Fresno.
Ed and Alanna Jackson are assistant coaches at Fresno State under head coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell. The Jacksons are in their second season as Bulldogs but their 10th season coaching together.
Both are originally from California and met in college through mutual friends as Ed attended Sacramento State and Alanna played volleyball at Nevada under current head coach Devin Scruggs.
The two began their coaching careers with two different club teams in Sacramento in 2000 and then got invited to coach together at UC Santa Barbara for one season in 2002.
Then they headed out to William and Mary in Virginia in 2003 and spent four season's there as assistants. In 2008, Alanna was presented with a huge opportunity to be an assistant at her alma mater, Nevada while Ed did some teaching and coaching in the community.
"That's how we work, except Nevada," Ed said about always coaching together. "Nevada was Alanna's alma mater so it was an opportunity for her to go. Also being back on the west coast that's where most of our family is so it was nice to come back."
When asked about balancing married life and coaching together, Alanna said for them it's always been a wonderful experience.
"For us I don't think it's ever been difficult," Alanna said. "A lot of people think it's hard to do but mostly we've had to just work through with each staff to determine whose role is what. Once we do that we don't have much of a conflict. I think the hardest thing for us was when we had to share an office. Then we share an office and a house and don't have any space of your own, so it's always nice to have your own space."
Having spent their entire lives around the sport Ed says it's their passion of the game that makes them so close and keeps them going.
"The biggest thing for us is you really are going to have a hard time finding two people that love volleyball as much as us as the two of us together," Ed said. "We just really love the game. It's on television every night at our house. We are talking about it pretty regularly. Some people might go, `wow those people are a little crazy,' because we do we talk about volleyball all the time. Not even necessarily our team but we watch other teams play and we talk about what they do and how they do it and it's something that really is a common bond between us is that we really enjoy the game a lot."
When you see the two of them on the bench it seems as though they are very similar coaches and while they explain that they have similar technical philosophies, they are a good balance of the game.
"It's a fun balance because Ed comes at the game very analytically and very cut and dry, these are the numbers and this is how you win and I am probably the more emotional side," Alanna said. "We both believe in being technically sound and all of that but I certainly talk a lot more about the heart of the game and he is the one that shows it and shows how to make it happen."
Ed agreed. "She is more motivational but what we teach and how we teach how you play the game as far as fundamentals and strategy, that's no different. It's just how we teach that is a different philosophy. Alanna definitely is more about the effort, she teaches maximum effort and giving your all to that and I do that to but she really emphasizes that. I show them analytically and statistically how you can win and how you can be successful in this game. Alanna does that too but not to the degree that I would go into detail."
As far as what they have taught the student-athletes at Fresno State and what their goals are for the program, they both have high expectations.
"We both feel like we are here to just reignite the Fresno State community as far as volleyball is concerned to show them that this program really loves volleyball and we are going to get better at it," Alanna added. "It's going to be a process and it's not an overnight thing but when you really love something you just put your head down and keep going."
Ed is proud of what they have taught these young Bulldogs in just two years.
"We love rebuilding programs and this senior class is going to leave with a renewed confidence. They have overcome a lot in these two years and are on the verge of finishing a pretty good year."
This article was orginally published by Alyssa Chambers for the Official Sports Report. To subscribe to the Official Sports Report log onto officialsportsreport.com.
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