School: Edison

She's qualified because: Fifth-year coach led Tigers to a 29-7 record that included a share of the County/Metro Athletic Conference title at 9-1 and the school's first Central Section title with a 16-25, 28-26, 23-25, 25-18, 16-14 win over El Diamante in the Division II final.

Kelly Phillips saw the untapped potential.

She also recognized the challenges of taking over an Edison High volleyball team that had little history of success and virtually no players involved in the ever important club scene that helps fuel the Central Section's powerhouse programs.

"It was kind of the diamond in the rough," Phillips said. "As far as volleyball went, Edison had always been ruled out as far as doing well and succeeding."

"Once I got in there and met the athletes, you could tell they were missing the coaching. They had the talent, but no one had dug their heels in and taught them the skills they were missing."

Phillips continued polishing that diamond a little more each season since taking over as the Tigers coach a couple days into the 2006-07 school year, and now it shines brightest among section Division II teams.

The former Arvin High and Bakersfield College standout directed Edison to the most successful season in school history as it went 28-7, won the Sunnyside Tournament, shared the County/Metro Athletic Conference title and captured the program's first section title with a 16-25, 28-26, 23-25, 25-18, 16-14 victory over El Diamante in the D-II final. Phillips is The Bee's Girls Volleyball Coach of the Year.

"She's really put her whole heart out for our team," said senior setter and team leader Brittanie Robinson said. "We're her family. She cares about us."

Phillips cared enough for her players to admit to herself that she needed help getting Edison to the top after leading the Tigers to an 18-11 season that ended with a 25-15, 23-25, 23-25, 25-17, 15-10 loss to El Diamante in the D-II quarterfinals in 2009.

So she brought in veteran high school and club coach Sonny Perez – who had given Phillips her start in coaching – to be her assistant and technical adviser.

"After last year, they sucked me dry of everything I knew," said Phillips, who, like many members of her team, didn't have extensive club experience as a player. "That's why I brought Sonny in. I was the mental coach and he was the skill coach. I taught them to be tough and how to get through the close games, and he pushed them further than they had been, and it worked out."

Perez said Phillips has come a long way since he hired her right after she ended her playing career as a 19-year-old in 1999.

"When she was younger, she was green," Perez said. "In the past, she saw the kids as friends. Now she commands a lot more respect from her players and they buy into it."

"She is willing to just be herself. A lot of coaches don't want to put themselves out there. But she puts herself out there and is real honest with her players. It just works."