Western Nebraska Community College volleyball coach Giovana Melo earned another honor Friday. The Cougar fourth-year coach was named the West Region Coach of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
This is Melo’s second time of receiving the West Region Coach of the Year honor. Earlier this year, Melo captured the Region IX Coach of the Year honor in leading the team to its 13th straight Region IX title. She also was presented the District J Coach of the Year honor at the NJCAA national tournament banquet. The AVCA National Coach of the Year will be announced later this month.
The eight regional coaches selected will now via for AVCA National Coach of the Year honors, which will be announced at the AVCA national convention Dec. 15 in San Antonio, Texas.
Melo said that she would never have received this honor without the support from the community and the hard work that her assistants Cesar Benatti, Fatima Balza and Lindsey Gonzales have put in.
“It means a lot to me because it shows we, as a coaching staff, have done a great job with our student-athletes in representing our school,” Melo said. “I would never be receiving this award if it wasn’t for my assistants. I wish the hardware would come in different pieces and you could divide it among them. I am very thankful for the assistant coaches I have had. I know I am not easy to deal with sometimes and they fight battles for me and support me in every decision. I want to dedicate this award to them.”
Melo guided the Cougars to a 41-2 record and a third place finish at the national tournament. The Cougars were ranked No. 1 in the nation for much of the season. She is just one of eight coaches to receive a regional coach of the year honor.
Other coaches receiving AVCA regional coach of the year honors include Flavia Siqueira of the College of Central Florida and Kim Whitney of Pasco-Hernando Community College in the Northeast/Southeast region, Jennifer Bahner of Cowley College and Steve Bailey of Kiskwaukee College in the Midwest region, David Rehr of Blinn College and Jamie Ivers of Grossmont College in the Southwest region, and Mary Young of Central Community College-Columbus in the West region,
Siqueira is a former WNCC volleyball player and teammate with Melo while playing under former, who also coached at Northwest Wyoming.
Melo said receiving this kind of honor is special, considering the hard work she invests to put a winning product on the court.
“Whoever says being a head coach is easy, should step in our shoes for one day,” she said. “There are many things that involve being a head coach. It isn’t just about being on the court and it is not that simple.”
Melo has a career coaching record of 185-14 in her four years as head coach at WNCC. All four of her teams have finished in the top three at the national tournament, including a national title in 2010.
This year’s team will lose five sophomores in Debora Araujo, Fernanda Goncalves, Lais Soares, Dani Grace and Jodi Huddleston to graduation and all five are being recruited by NCAA Division I, II and NAIA schools. Six of the seven players from the 2010 team are all playing volleyball at a four-year school, including Kuulei Kabalis, who helped her Kansas State team to the NCAA national tournament.
But, for Melo, the hardest part of coaching isn’t on the court, but off as she wants her players to be better people as they venture into the life away from the court.
“To me the hardest thing is to help the student-athletes understand that it isn’t just about volleyball, I want them to leave here as better people,” she said. “Sometimes they get it while they are here, but most of the times they only realize it after they leave.”
The one thing that Melo tries to stress to the players that it is not about their individual performances on the court or off the court, but the team’s efforts. She said that is crucial for any successful program.
“I have always believed in teams, not individuals, and it is tough to create that type of a culture within a program where you only have the athletes for two years,” she said. “Again, once they start understanding it, they have to leave. At the same time it is very rewarding to see them move on and be successful. They always call, email, come back to visit us. We become a family here. Every single athlete I have coached here has a special place in my heart.”
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