Lisa Thobe recently inducted into OHSVCA Hall of Fame
The Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association recently recognized Lisa Thobe of New Bremen for her 22 year career as the former head volleyball coach for New Bremen High School.
Thobe was welcomed into the OHSCVA Hall of Fame recently after being nominated by New Bremen Varsity Volleyball Coach Diana Kramer for the second time in two years. She was nominated mainly for the 336 wins and 173 losses she’s had over her career, leading her team to two MAC Championships, one Division IV District Title, one Regional Runner-up title and being active in the OHSVCA and the District 8 Volleyball Coaches Association.
“It’s a huge honor. I never thought it would happen,” Thobe stated about how she felt about receiving the award from the organization. “It probably wouldn’t have happened if Diana Kramer wasn’t head coach at New Bremen. This was all of her doing.”
Thobe is very appreciative for being nominated, considering it an “elite class” since she knew quite a few other coaches that had been accepted. She’s very proud of what she’s been able to do for the New Bremen volleyball team, looking back on her career so far fondly.
“This is my
39th year this year, so I’ve been doing it for a long time. I’ve done every level,” said Thobe about how she looked back on her career. “It’s a
I wouldn’t keep doing it if it wasn’t at some point fun.”
She enjoys the game and intends to keep coaching as long as people are willing to have her around. Thobe mainly credits the tenacity of her students as being a big part of the successful seasons. If they weren’t inspired to work as hard as they did, those title games wouldn’t have happened.
“For the most part, you hope the kids respond to you and believe in you and believe what you’re telling them,” stated Thobe. “They still want to be there. That’s probably the biggest part in success, because the kids are willing to work and fight for those positions.”
She plans on continuing to teach at the 8th grade level, teaching them the fundamentals and getting them to continue playing in the future. She encourages anyone that is looking into becoming a coach themselves to gain thick skin and have a passion for what they’re doing.
“The biggest thing is that you have to love the game,” said Thobe. “You’re always going to have people who aren’t going to believe in what you’re doing, you’re going to have people who love you and think what you’re doing is great. You’re going have to take the criticism with the praise.”
For more information about the OHSVCA, feel free to look up their website at OHSVCA.org. Information on their Hall of Fame winners, past and present, can be found under the awards section.