Coaching Staff
We are blessed to have so many experienced coaches, that have played, taught and loved the game for numerous years. These coaches come from diverse backgrounds in the volleyball community ranging from former collegiate players, past and current high school coaches, and former collegiate assistant and head coaches. We strive to bring in quality coaches that will bring the energy and passion of their love for the game into our gym and practices. Please read about them and their backgrounds below.
CLUB ADMINISTRATION
Lloy Ball
Owner and Founder of Team Pineapple, 16 Black & 17 Black PHP coach
Hey hey...this is Coach Ball. My job...simply is to continue to fuel the love and teach young athletes some of the things that I have learned over my 40 plus years of volleyball.
I plan for all teams to play hard, have fun and execute the fundamentals of the game at a "high" level.
We will see you soon!
Link to full bio:
https://www.teampineapple.com/page/show/3530256-club-director
Rachelle Gilbert Cooper
Head Assistant Club Director
Rachelle was our site director at DeKalb last year and has joined our full-time staff as the Head Assistant Club Director of Team Pineapple and BSA Services and Operations Manager. Rachelle went to DeKalb High School. She was a 4 year varsity player there and was MVP in 2007. Rachelle was voted NHC All-Conference ('05, '06, '07). Rachelle played college volleyball at Mount Ida College NCAA DIII. She was a 3 year MVP and Team Captain. She was rookie of the year in 2009, finished #8 in the schools All Time Offensive Points, and made the 2000-2010 All Decade Team after one season.
Rachelle's has coached at all high school levels including Freshman, JV, and Assisted Varsity at DeKalb HS (2013-15) and served as JV coach at Angola High School from 2015-2020, the Varsity Assistant through 2024. She coached club volleyball at: Smash VBC (2008-13), Empowered VBA (2014), and Team Pineapple (2015-Present). She will be coaching the 15 Black team for the 2025-26. Rachelle resides in the Angola area with her husband Luke and their daughter Auden.
Kourtney Crawford
Director of Volleyball/ Recruiting Director/ Master Coach
Kourtney has been a coach at Team Pineapple since 2019, and made the transition to Assistant Director in 2022. Kourtney over sees scheduling (practices & tournaments), college recruitment, VolleyTots, coach development, certifications, and social media.
Kourtney is originally from Indianapolis where she attended Bishop Chatard High School and was a three sport (volleyball, basketball, track) athlete. She went on to earn a volleyball scholarship to play at the University of Indianapolis NCAA DII.
As a member of the Greyhound volleyball team, Kourtney and her senior classmates still hold the winningest record in school history with a 121-27 (.818) record. During her four years with the Hounds, Kourtney played in three regional championships, two NCAA Elite 8s, and one Final Four. She was the starting right-side hitter when the team went to the Final Four in 2012.
Coach Kourtney's coaching career began at the age of 19; coaching at a small club in Indianapolis and freshmen mens volleyball. She found a passion for teaching and volleyball and loved that coaching was a mix of both. Coach Kourtney has coached several club teams of various ages, high school girls volleyball, three seasons at UIndy as an assistant coach, and spent four years at Goshen College as the head coach.
In 2023, her 18 Green team went on to win the Asics Navy Pier Nationals national championship; going undefeated and not dropping a set. Also, in 2023 Kourtney was named the AVCA 18s Club Coach of the Year. In 2025, her 12 Black team finished 5th out of 165 at AAU Nationals in Orlando. This upcoming season Kourtney will be head coaching 13 Black and 15 Green.
CLUB COACHING STAFF
Arnie Ball
40 years of coaching experience. Arnie will act as a consultant/mentor to all our coaches. Arnie is in the AVCA HOF, he led the IPFW Volley Dons to 6 NCAA Final Fours. Arnie consults all of our teams and will be seen at practices.
Justin berger
Coach Berger joins Team Pineapple for the second season this year coaching our 17 Black team. Last year he was one of our Pineapple HP assistant coaches. He has been around the game of volleyball for over 25 years. As a player he was First-Team All-State for three years. Was a state runner-up twice, and continued his playing career as an outside and libero at IPFW. He has coached at multiple levels, bringing over 15 years of coaching experience from the elite club, high school and collegiate level where he also performed recruiting responsibilities.
Chaney Brodbeck
This is Coach Chaney’s second year coaching at Team Pineapple. She has 10 years of playing experience and has been playing at Team Pineapple since she was 14. She graduated from Archbold High School in 2023 and played volleyball her first collegiate year at Wheeling University in West Virginia. She then went on to transfer to Defiance College where she is continuing her academic and athletic career. Coach Chaney coached the 14 Yellow team last year, and will be coaching the 15 Yellow team this upcoming season.
Kelsey Closson
- 4 year Varsity starter who holds records for Coldwater High School (Coldwater, MI) in Season Aces, Career Aces, Career Digs, Season Assists, and Career Assists.
- Top 25 in Career Assists for the State of Michigan.
- All-State honors 3 years in a row.
- Inducted in the Coldwater High School Hall of Fame.
- High School Coach for 19 years, Varsity Coach for 11 years at Coldwater HS (MI)
- 8th year coaching at Team Pineapple, 12 years coaching club overall.
kassidy faler
Coach Kassidy is from Pioneer, Ohio. She is currently a senior at Goshen College where she is studying education and biology. Kassidy is also a libero/DS for the women’s volleyball team at Goshen. She has played volleyball for 12 years and has previously coached 16 Yellow and assisted 17 Green for two years. She is excited to continue her coaching career this year at TP! Coach Kassidy will be coaching 18 Green and assisting the 14 Black this year.
Devanee gehl
Coach Dave is starting her second year with Team Pineapple! She is a sophomore at Trine University where she plays on the volleyball team as an OH/OPP hitter while also studying communications and marketing. After coaching 11/12 Green last year, she has decided to help out around BSA wherever she can, especially with the littles! She cannot wait to be back in the gym for another great year with TP!
justen gerber
Justen is starting his fourth season at Pineapple where he will be coaching our 14 Black team and assisting our 18 Green team. He was the head coach for the junior varsity team at Lakewood Park Christian and he assisted the varsity team. Before coaching high school he coached middle school for 4 years.
sarah hirschy
Hi! I am Sarah Hirschy. I am a freshman at Defiance College playing volleyball. I played club at Team Pineapple and Pineapple High Performance. I was a student-athlete at Burr Oak in Michigan. I excelled in volleyball, basketball, and track. This will be my first year coaching at Team Pineapple and I will be the assistant of the 13 Black team.
MADDIE HOELSCHER
Coach Maddie is in her third year coaching at Pineapple! She has played volleyball for 13 years. She attended St. Phil where she helped lead the team to two back-to-back state championships, two Regional titles, and four District titles. Maddie played club at Redline Volleyball Club for 8 years where she helped lead the team to many tournament championships. Coach Maddie played volleyball at Trine University for 2 years, but decided studies and coaching was just a little bit more fun! She is currently a senior at Trine University. This season she will be Head coaching 16 Green and is looking forward to this season!!
East Noble Feeder
Payton Hunley
This is Coach Payton's third year at Team Pineapple! She comes with 11 years of playing experience: high school, club, and college volleyball. Coach Payton holds four records at East Noble, where she is currently the head coach in her third season. When she attended East Noble, she was selected All-Conference and All-Area three out of the four years. After high school, Payton attended Bethel University, where she was an outside hitter and DS. During her junior and senior year, she achieved Crossroads League All-Conference honors. In 2020, she helped her team win the National Christian College Athlete Association National Championship. She has coached at NIVA, Impact VB, and Bethel University, where she was awarded NCCAA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021. She currently works at the Dekko Foundation and resides in Kendallville with her husband and two German shepherds.
Olivia Kracium
Olivia is a first year coach at Team Pineapple. She has 6 years of playing experience and played here at Team Pineapple for 2 years and 1 year at Pineapple High Performance. She graduated from DeKalb High School in 2025, and is currently in her freshman year of college at Indiana Tech; where she is a middle hitter on the volleyball team. Olivia will be the head coach of 11 Green.
KIM KREBS
Coach Krebs played middle and high school volleyball. After graduating from Ball State University with a teaching degree in K-12 Physical Education and Adapted PE she began coaching volleyball. She has coached for Webber Middle School in Fort Collins, Colorado, and East Noble and Prairie Heights Middle and High School Volleyball. She previously coached 13 yellow and green teams for Pineapple. This year she will be the assistant for the 11 Green.
East Noble Feeder
Trina leffers
Coach Leffers has always had a love for volleyball. She played through her early elementary years through high school. After graduating from Ball State University with an elementary teaching degree, she coached middle school volleyball. She also coached a fifth and sixth grade team at her elementary school for 11 years. She currently coaches at East Noble High School as their JV coach.
East Noble Feeder
elizabeth phillips
Coach Phillips brings over six years of volleyball coaching experience to the Pineapple Volleyball Club, with three of those years spent leading teams at the varsity level. Now in her second season with Pineapple, she continues to share her knowledge of the game and passion for player development with athletes at the club level.
A former player at Tippecanoe Valley High School (2000–2004), Coach Phillips held records for best serving percentage, highest serve receive percentage, and most assists in a single game. She went on to play at the collegiate level for Trine University, continuing to increase her understanding and knowledge of the game. Her background as a setter and her competitive playing experience fuel her coaching style, which emphasizes skill, discipline, and team chemistry.
With a strong commitment to developing confident, well-rounded athletes, Coach Phillips strives to create an environment where players can grow both on and off the court.
MADDIE SWAN
Hi! Coach Maddie is a Camden, Michigan native. She is a senior at Indiana Wesleyan University, majoring in Sports Management with a double minor in Business Administration and Coaching. This is Coach Maddie's third year serving as the Operational Manager for the IWU Women's volleyball team. Her past two seasons with the team have ended in Back-to-Back NAIA National Championship wins and memories that she'll hold onto for a lifetime! Coach Maddie played volleyball through middle school and high school but didn't pursue playing in college. Instead, she got to work in sports, and she loved it! Her long-term goal is to pursue a career in collegiate or professional sports, and she holds a special passion for the fast-paced and detail-oriented world of athletic operations! This, however, is Coach Maddie's first season coaching and she is the head coach of the 12 Black team this year! She is looking forward to this new opportunity and hopes to learn a lot!
Gabby Rodriguez
Sarah Ball
Sarah has been a coach with Team Pineapple for 8 years serving in the capacity as an assistant or head coach, working mostly with the younger 10-13U Pineapple Teams. Sarah is the BSA Pro Shop and Concessions Director.
Sarah served as an assistant/co-coach at Angola Middle School for 3 years with the 6th grade team and has been the head coach for 7th grade for the past 2 years and leading the team to a 25-2 season, winning the Jr. NECC title. In 2021, Sarah was named Assistant Varsity coach at Angola High School. This club season, Sarah will be a "floating" assistant coach that help runs practices and fills in for other coaches when needed.
Ella barnett
Ella is from Kokomo, Indiana. This year will be her second year at Trine University in Angola, where she plays on the volleyball team as a defensive specialist. Ella is majoring in biology and has been accepted into a physical therapy program, also through Trine. This will be her 9th year playing volleyball, and although she has not coached before, she cannot wait to start her coaching career with the 12 Green team!
katie carbaugh
This is Coach Katie's third year coaching at TP! She is currently studying nursing at Trine University here in Angola, and will graduate in December of 2026 with her RN. Katie played club, was a varsity starter and captain in high school and played a year at Trine before ultimately deciding to focus on her studies after realizing coaching was now her passion. This season she will be head coaching 13Green after an exciting year coaching 15s, she is super excited to get back in the gym and is looking forward to this season!
Lindsey decamp
This is Coach DeCamp's 7th season working for Team Pineapple. Lindsey has 12 years of playing experience, 4 of those at the varsity level for New Haven High School. She also played collegiately at Trine University as a libero and defensive specialist. Lindsey majored in Sport Management with a minor in coaching and later received her MBA through Trine University as well. She has coached multiple levels and teams throughout her tenure. Lindsey coached at New Haven High School for 3 years. For the 2025-26 season she will be coaching the 16 Green team. She is so excited to continue her coaching career at Team Pineapple!
Mike FinEfrock
Mike is in his 10th year as an assistant coach at Carroll High School in Ft. Wayne, 2024 4A IHSAA State Champions. He has been a part of Team Pineapple for the last 8 seasons as either an assistant coach or head coach. Last season, he was an assistant coach for 17 Black and head coach for our 14 Black team, who finished as AAU Nationals Runner-up in 14 Premier. For the 2024-25 club season, he will be coaching the 18 Black team 2025-26 club season.
East Noble Feeder
Dan hart
Coach Dan is in his third year as the Assistant Varsity coach at East Noble High School and his second year assisting with the East Noble feeder program. A Kendallville resident, he is the father of two adult children, Evan and Payton, and the proud grandfather of Teddy.
DeKalb Feeder
JACKIE KEMPF
Jackie is excited to be coaching for Team Pineapple while continuing to support DeKalb volleyball, where she played four years of varsity and earned First Team All-NHC honors for three of those seasons. After graduating from Indiana University, she returned to DeKalb to begin her coaching career, leading the Freshman and JV teams before serving as the Varsity Head Coach from 2008–2012.
After taking time off to raise her children, Jackie is thrilled to be back on the court and coaching at the middle school level, sharing her love of the game and passion for player development. She is especially excited to coach with some of her former players.
DeKalb Feeder
KARA MOREHEAD
Kara is a first-year coach with Team Pineapple and is excited to be a part of such an outstanding program while supporting the DeKalb volleyball community. She is a DeKalb alumna, where she played four years of volleyball as an outside hitter and also competed in track and field. After graduating from DeKalb in 2013, Kara continued her athletic career at Trine University as a member of the track and field team. During her time at Trine, she earned five All- American titles in shot put, weight throw , and hammer throw.
Kara is currently a special education teacher at DeKalb Central Schools. She brings four years of volleyball coaching experience at DeKalb High School, including three years at the junior varsity level and one year coaching the freshman team.
Mallory holmberg
Coach Mallory is from Brighton, Michigan. She is currently a sophomore at Trine University, here in Angola. She is majoring in Psychology and is an outside hitter/defensive specialist on the volleyball team. Last year, she coached 15 Yellow and loved it. Coach Mallory is super excited to be coming back as the head coach of the 12 Green team this coming season!
Lisa “Cheeks” Hormann
Cheeks has a storied volleyball history as a player, coach, and mentor for our director Lloy Ball. She began her career at IPFW under Coach Arnie Ball. As a player, Cheeks had a stellar career as she is still the individual season record holder and career record holder in service aces for the Mastodons. She was a member of the first GLVC Championship winning team in 1984. After her career as a player, she became a member of the coaching staff and then Head Coach of the Women's Volleyball team for 4 seasons with an overall record of 87-50. For all of her accomplishments, she was inducted into the Purdue Fort Wayne Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.
Cheeks has never lost the coaching bug, and has been a part of our coaching staff since Team Pineapple's inception. She coached one of our 16U Open teams last year, where they won the TP Classic and Smack series event. She and her husband Roger have been married for 28 years and reside in the Fort Wayne area.
hailey laroy
Coach Hailey is entering her second year coaching with Team Pineapple! She went to East Noble and played for Team Pineapple and NIVA for two years each. She has 8 years of volleyball experience total. She coached 15 Green last year and currently coaches 6th grade at East Noble Middle School. Hailey lives in Angola and studies education at Trine University. This season, she’s excited to coach the 14 Green team!
East Noble Feeder
Katie probst
Coach Katie is entering her 6th season coaching with Team Pineapple after leading the 11/12 Green team last year. She previously served as the Girls Head Volleyball Coach at East Noble High School for three seasons (2020–2022), where she also helped launch the boys’ volleyball program and spent two seasons as the Varsity Boys Assistant Coach (2023–2024).
A multi-sport athlete, Katie played volleyball at East Noble (2004–2008) and still holds the school’s career assist record with 1,872 assists. This season, she will be coaching the 6th and 7th grade East Noble Feeder team.
Emilia Shipe
This is Coach Shipe’s second year coaching for Team Pineapple! She comes to us with over 15 years of coaching experience at various levels. She has been head coach at Garrett High School, Leslie High School and Merrillville High School as well as assisted at Carroll High School, her alma mater. After high school, Emilia played one year at Saint Francis before starting her coaching career with Carroll High School. Coach Shipe took a few years off of coaching while raising her three little girls and teenage son. She currently teaches high school art at Garrett High School. She is super excited to coach the 16 Black team this year for Pineapple!
nick shipe
Volleyball has always held a special place in Nick's heart. From the early days of watching his dad compete in sand volleyball to jumping on the court himself, just for the love of the game, the spark was always there. But it wasn’t until he met his wife that his passion truly ignited. Through her, Nick dove deeper into the fundamentals, strategy, and heart it takes to win—not just games, but in life.
Over the past 8 years, Nick had the privilege of assisting at both the high school and club levels, and he proudly embraces the role of the team’s ultimate HYPE guy. But for him, coaching is about more than just volleyball. It’s about building something lasting in every athlete he works with that allows them to strive for success in any avenue they choose.
