Coach Slaeker has coached the girls’ volleyball team at La Joya Community High School for 7 years. Coach Slaeker started out as an assistant coach when she first started teaching at La Joya, and she is now currently the head coach of the volleyball team.

“The second I stepped on campus as a teacher, I was also stepping into being a basketball and a volleyball coach.”

Coach Slaeker believes that teaching at La Joya has helped her stay connected with the volleyball team.

“Teaching at La Joya has helped me better coach the volleyball team because I know our kids. And so, building a relationship with our kids, walking around, saying hi to them every day when I pass them, holding them accountable if they’re making poor choices is so much easier when you’re on campus.”

Coach Slaeker believes that understanding what her students go through is an important factor in coaching as it allows her to see more of the “human” side of her students and players. Coach Slaeker hopes to have a lasting positive impact on her students and players by the end of the year.