Siloam Springs Makes Wright Call

STAFF PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BEN GOFF 
Joellen Wright, Siloam Springs assistant volleyball coach, is the 2013 NWA Media Big 7 Volleyball Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Panthers to a 22-10-2 record and 11-3 mark in the 7A/6A-West. Wright was acting head coach while Rose Cheek was out with colon cancer.

STAFF PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BEN GOFF Joellen Wright, Siloam Springs assistant volleyball coach, is the 2013 NWA Media Big 7 Volleyball Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Panthers to a 22-10-2 record and 11-3 mark in the 7A/6A-West. Wright was acting head coach while Rose Cheek was out with colon cancer.

Monday, December 23, 2013

— The reality of what was in front of her never really hit Joellen Wright until the Siloam Springs volleyball team’s first match of the season in late August.

Wright had been in charge of the Lady Panthers since February when longtime coach Rose Cheek began chemotherapy treatments for colon cancer. Wright had even coached the team through its Maroon-Gray scrimmage and benefit match, but it still hadn’t sunk in.

Then on Aug. 27 as the team went through warmups prior to its home match against Little Rock Christian, the moment 
hit Wright like a ton of bricks.

“It was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m really having to lead them,’” Wright said.

In the middle of the match, Cheek arrived in the Panther Activity Center and reality set in even more.

“She came in about midway through the match, and I saw how fragile she was,” Wright said. “I said ‘I’ve got to do this.’”

Turns out Wright did just fine in her season as acting coach on the Lady Panthers’ bench. Siloam Springs went on to defeat Little Rock Christian that night 3-1, the first win in a season that would see them finish with a 22-10-2 overall record and 11-3 mark in the 7A/6A-West, which was good for second place. Siloam Springs’ season ended with a 3-2 loss to Russellville in the Class 6A State Quarterfinals.

In recognition of the Lady Panthers’ season and Wright’s performance as acting head coach, she is named NWA Media Volleyball Coach of the Year 
for schools in Class 6A and 7A.

It’s an well-deserved honor for Wright, according to Cheek, who attended most of the Lady Panthers’ home matches and cheered from the stands.

“I definitely think so,” Cheek said. “I knew she could do it. She came to me and said, ‘Rose I don’t know if I can do this.’ I said, ‘Jo you can do this. You think like me. Our philosophy is the same. Our coaching style is very similar.’ … She’s highly competitive. There was no doubt in mind that she would do an amazing job. I didn’t really feel like we would miss a beat. I felt like we would keep on.”

Wright joined the Siloam Springs volleyball staff as junior high coach in 1999 and was promoted to varsity assistant in 2004. The North Carolina native also been involved in the girls’ basketball program, currently serving as seventh grade girls coach.

Cheek said Wright has been given a lot of responsibility as an assistant coach in the volleyball program, which probably made the transition a little easier.

“I’ve always given her free reign,” Cheek said. “She’s been right on target every time. … She’s an amazing coach. Some day when I do retire, I’d like for her to step in. She’s definitely proven herself.”

Cheek pointed out that the Lady Panthers responded well to Wright in a tough situation. In more than 30 years, Cheek has won more than 500 games and eight state championships, including six straight from 2004 to 2009.

She’s well-known throughout the volleyball community. With her out of the mix, some might have doubted how the 
Lady Panthers would respond.

“Sometimes when you lose that figure that has always led, you do kind of wonder how it’s going to do,” Cheek said. “I didn’t question it at all.”

Siloam Springs’ only losses in conference play came twice to Bentonville and once to Rogers Heritage.

Wright said she was blessed to have a strong group of seniors that helped her along the way.

“They were unselfish, team-oriented and pushed each other to give 100 percent,” Wright said. “It was almost textbook, like, ‘Wow, I hope that comes around again.’”

Wright also had the help of a former Siloam Springs standout, Jessie Wade, as a volunteer coach. Wade was an All-State player for Siloam Springs and helped the Lady Panthers win four state titles.

Wright said first-year athletics director Kevin Downing and school superintendent Ken Ramey also were very supportive as well as longtime friends and assistant basketball coaches Rebecca Ault and Janet Moore.

Cheek plans on returning to the bench for the 2014 season, and Wright will be there by her side.

Wright has dreams of being a head volleyball coach and this year did nothing but affirm that.

“Yes, definitely,” she said. “I loved it. It was energizing and challenging. … It was lonely without Rose.”