Reprinted courteay of: Frankfort Times

By Phil Friend
Published: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 6:06 AM EDT
A star from Clinton Prairie’s volleyball past will try to revive the program.

Angie Schilling, a First-Team All-State selection in 1987 and currently a choir teacher at the school, was approved as the Gophers’ new volleyball coach at the Clinton Prairie school board meeting Tuesday.

Schilling, whose maiden name is Calloway, has been running off-season conditioning since Carrie Summers stepped down during the winter.

“I love the game of volleyball and I look forward to helping the girls improve as players,” Schilling said. “I think when you participate in athletics, it instills different values like perseverance, working hard, learning to work with a group and getting along and resolving problems.”

Schilling was a freshman when the Gophers won the state championship in 1984. Although she wasn’t on the varsity team, she was part of Prairie’s lengthy regular-season winning streak that was a national record for all sports.

“I’m not sure if the girls are even aware of the tradition at this point,” Schilling said. “Our program hasn’t been the same. I’d like to education them on that a little bit and some of these players have family members that were a part of it.”


Schilling has been a teacher at the school for the past eight years. She has coached in nearly every stage of the Prairie program. Schilling coached this coming year’s seniors in both fifth and seventh grade and has coached freshman and JV volleyball at various stages. Schilling had been planning on coaching her daughter’s fifth-grade group until this coaching position opened up.

“With the candidates we had, I thought she was the best one,” Prairie Athletic Director Bobby Smith said. “She’s been in our coaching system in the past and we felt like it was time to give her an opportunity. With her, we’re going to have a good varsity coach.”

The school did not receive as many applicants as the position normally would have because there were no teaching positions attached with the job.

Upon graduation in 1988, Schilling played one year of volleyball at Indiana State University before losing her scholarship. She finished out her degree at ISU in 1992 before working in the business world and then landing a teaching job at Prairie. Schilling was a middle hitter/setter at CP and a setter at Indiana State.

The Gophers are eighth all-time in the Indiana High School Athletic Association in sectional titles with 24, the last one coming in 2003. The school won 13 straight sectional titles from 1975-1987, which was Schilling’s senior year.

Smith said her familiarity with the program as a player and a coach was a major factor in his decision.

“I liked the fact that she had been involved in a program of that nature and had the opportunity to develop her skills and become an all-stater,” Smith said. “She was a dedicated athlete and dedicated volleyball player and a very good one and she’s maintained that throughout. She’s kept those skills and will teach the younger kids those skills.”

Schilling applied for the head-coaching job two years ago, but withdrew her name to take care of her newborn child.

Having played for and coached under Connie Garrett, Schilling said her style of coaching will have some similarities, but will draw from other influences as well.

“I want to focus on being a teacher on the court,” Schilling said. “I really think that’s how the girls will improve. If they’re aware of what their strengths are, I can help them correct something in their game that will help them to improve.”