THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: The impact of player to coach, and coach to player, at Genesis Prep

Genesis Prep Academy volleyball coach Paula Thurston celebrated with her team Thursday night on the floor of North Idaho College’s Christianson Gym, after the Jaguars won the 2A District 1 championship to qualify for state for the first time in program history. 

Then she sought out a couple former coaches from her playing days at St. Maries — former head coach Jamie (Hammes) Sloper and JV coach Nancy (Nelson) Shepherd. Both were also former Lumberjack stars. 

She was touched that her former coaches would think enough of her to show up in support as the team coached by her celebrated its finest moment to date.  

Funny what goes around, comes around. 

A few minutes later, three of Thurston’s current players spoke of how much impact she has had on them. 

“Oh my god. She’s been the best coach ever,” Genesis Prep senior libero Pearl Covey said. “She’s not just our coach, she’s our best friend. We can go to her about anything, and she’s just been so supportive of us. She wants it bad, too. We finally did it for her, and for our team.”

PAULA ROBINSON-BLUMEL played four years as a libero at St. Maries, graduating in 2008. 

She was part of four Lumberjack teams, all coached by Sloper, that went to state, including two that finished runner-up at state (2005 and ‘07). 

Robinson-Blumel played volleyball and softball at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, and was planning to play volleyball at Ole Miss before a knee injury (and three surgeries) shelved those plans. 

She’s in her seventh season as head coach of Genesis Prep, located in Post Falls across the street from Post Falls High. 

"She means absolutely everything to me, and to this team. We could not have gotten here without her,” Jaguars senior outside hitter Madi Cooper said of Thurston. “If there had been a coach switch in our four years of high school, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Everything — the way that we play, and the way that we do anything on the court, Paula has taught us that. 

“She’s more than just a coach to us. She’s a friend, she’s a second mom, she’s a mentor, she’s a leader. She’s everything great in a person.” 

“Coaches make or break a team,” senior middle blocker Laya Daniels said. “To be honest, Paula made this team, single-handedly.” 

THIS YEAR’S Genesis Prep volleyball team boasts nine seniors, including Covey, a four-year varsity player, and Cooper and Daniels, both in their third year on the varsity. 

The other seniors are setter Kennedy Prendergast, opposite Kinzie Lawler, outside hitter/defensive specialist Brielle Wise, outside hitters Ella Martin and Taylor Dyke, and middle blocker Sienna Williams. 

Only two (Cooper and Daniels) play club ball in the offseason. Several are two- and three-sport athletes. 

“Freshman year I was actually a setter,” Daniels said. “And sophomore year they brought me up to varsity and it was like, 'You’re playing middle now.’ So from then on I started playing club ... crazy to think that I was once a setter.” 

Two years ago, Genesis Prep earned a share of the Scenic Idaho Conference title. Last year, the Jaguars lost in the district title match. 

“The hard part with Genesis is, we have girls coming and going constantly,” Thurston said. “You never know who is going to stay and who is going to leave between years. We are small, we are right across the street from Post Falls, they see that. But I think we can show tonight that we can be that if we stick together, and grow together, and we have school spirit and we show up for each other ... “ 

This year, Genesis Prep went undefeated (4-0) in league for the first time. Prior to the season, when the players filled out surveys listing their season goals, etc., "almost all of them said, ‘Go to state,’” Thurston said. 

GENESIS PREP Academy, a private Christian school, played in the Mountain Christian League in 2014, before becoming a member of the Idaho High School Activities Association the following year. 

Last year’s 17-6 record marked the most wins in a season by a Genesis Prep volleyball team. 

This year, the Jaguars (13-9) are the eighth seed to the state 2A tournament at Jerome High, beginning today. Genesis Prep opens vs. Top-seeded Troy (29-2) in its first state match at 4 p.m. PDT. 

“Our freshman year we never could have imagined that this could happen,” Cooper said. “But we’ve worked our butts off in practice, and all these years, and we’ve grown so close with each other. Our entire team is such a close-knit group of friends. That made it a lot easier.” 

The players said team chemistry was a focal point this season. 

“We’re not playing to rack up your stats, or get as many kills as you possibly can, we’re playing for each other,” Cooper said. “You pass, so the setter can get a set, and our hitter can get a hit. We play for each other, and we get excited for each other.” 

“We’re finally not just this little tiny private school that’s just going to get crushed by all these other schools,” Covey said. “We had an undefeated league season, and we’ve worked really hard for this, and it’s just nice.” 

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @CdAPressSports. 

    MARK NELKE/Press From left, Madi Cooper (8), Ella Martin (10), Kennedy Prendergast, Kinzie Lawler (4) and Pearl Covey (20) celebrate a point during last Thursday's 2A District 1 volleyball championship match vs. Wallace at North Idaho College.