From player to coach - Haley Brightwell is still making an impact on the court in a game she loves. Brightwell transferred to UMSL in 2012 and spent her final three years starting for head coach Ryan Young and the Tritons. After her time as a player was over, her career coaching began. Brightwell has quickly moved up the ranks, going from UMSL to USC to Switzerland, where she is in her first season as an assistant coach for Viteos NUC, a top division professional club.

She tells umsltritons.com about her coaching career, while also reflecting on her time as a student-athlete at UMSL:

HOW DID YOU END UP IN SWITZERLAND COACHING VOLLEYBALL?
After coaching at UMSL for three years, I took a position as Director of Volleyball Operations at the University of Southern California (USC). The 'DOVO' is a managerial type role that involves organizing and planning all responsibilities of the program off the court - travel and hotel logistics, scheduling, gear, alumni events, coordinating between volleyball and all other parts within athletics. The DOVO is a non-coaching role but I was in every practice and on the bench for every match, which allowed me to absorb a lot about high level coaching. Soon after moving to California, I was introduced to my partner Lauren, who has been a head professional volleyball coach in Switzerland for more than five years. After two years at USC, we had a head coach change, and combined with the onset of COVID-19, it seemed like a better time than ever to take a recently opened assistant coach position with Viteos NUC, which is a top division professional volleyball club in Neuchatel, Switzerland!
 
SO MANY SPORTS HAVE BEEN PUT ON HOLD RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF COVID-19. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO STILL BE ABLE TO DO A JOB YOU LOVE?
It's really difficult to think about all the athletes and all the coaches and administrators whose lives revolve around athletics and having it be stripped from them (us) so quickly. For a while I wasn't sure I could even get into Switzerland, but luckily COVID-19 isn't as prevalent in Switzerland as it is in other countries, so I was able to obtain a visa and start my job after 10 days of quarantine. I definitely do not take it for granted that I am in practice every day with our team and that we plan to go about our normal season. I think this will spark a new appreciation for what we do in all of us. 
 
WAS COACHING VOLLEYBALL ALWAYS IN YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?
No! I was finishing my MBA at UMSL when I started coaching as a Graduate Assistant Coach with Ryan (Young). At that point in time, I believed I would go on to start my own non-profit organization. After just one season coaching at UMSL I was hooked. I continued coaching in a larger role at UMSL while working other jobs, including one with a local startup company, but it started to become very obvious where most of my time, energy, and attention went. As I realized that I was most passionate about coaching, I started to speak to other coaches around the country to learn more, started reading books and Ryan helped me go to volleyball coaching seminars at the Final Four. I slowly got rid of jobs that didn't involve volleyball and picked up two other coaching jobs on the side. I haven't looked back since!
 
LOOKING BACK ON YOUR CAREER AT UMSL, WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE UMSL WHEN TRANSFERRING?
Drake University (my previous school) actually played UMSL in a spring tournament and I remember seeing multiple Iowans on the team. When I was ready to transfer, UMSL ended up being one of my very first calls. I wanted to be somewhere where I could have a greater impact both on and off the court and I can remember on my visit how close the different UMSL sports teams seemed to be. (Athletes using the same facilities, all the coaches and administrators know each other, most athletes living in the same apartment complexes). Additionally I was excited about the business program at UMSL as I already had thoughts to get my MBA. 
 
In hindsight, I am so thankful UMSL exposed me to a lot of diverse people and experiences that I hadn't had previously. If I had to do it all again I'd pick UMSL every time!
 
WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR COLLEGE PLAYING DAYS?
Honestly one thing I miss the most is living near my teammates and friends. Being able to just walk across the grass to chat or eat dinner with my teammates was one of my favorite things. Now I am in Switzerland which is seven to nine hours ahead of most of my family and friends.
 
I also miss the adrenaline. The feeling when you are really competing for something. Luckily I am still around that atmosphere almost every day with my career, but it is MUCH more stressful to be coaching on the sidelines than to be competing in the match. Haha who knew :)
 
FAVORITE MEMORY FROM UMSL PLAYING DAYS?
I can remember the very first match that Coach Young put me in as an outside hitter (which was a huge risk on his part haha). I had been a middle blocker most of my career and spent some time as an opposite, but neither of those positions have a lot of experience in serve receive, back row, or serving. We were down 0-2 against McKendree and then he switched the line-up and put me on the outside and we ended up winning in five sets. Now I'm not saying we won because of me because I was actually horrendous! But something clicked and I stayed as an outside for the rest of my career and serve received became my best and favorite skill in volleyball. 
 
Off the court I LOVED being SAAC President and being involved in meetings, volunteering and planning events for our athletes. The chili cook-off, Smore's after Soccer, the Senior Citizen Prom. I loved it!