Mother-Daughter Leading Columbus High Volleyball

Columbus, GA - Now that October is here, the talk at the Fleming house will not be what candy to give out for Halloween, it will be what play are we calling to start out the next game. Columbus High volleyball is a family affair as head coach Donna Fleming says she has a team full of daughters, but only one lives under the same roof. Donna’s daughter is junior setter Kristen and volleyball is always on the mind.

“We always take volleyball conversations home with us always,“ Donna said. “In the car, at the house, talking about what matches are coming up, what has worked or hasn’t worked. We are always talking volleyball, I am sure she gets sick of it some, but it helps having the setter be your daughter.“

But Kristen says it never gets switched, she is mom at home and coach at practice. “I don’t treat her any different than any other coach that I have had in any of my other sports,“ Kristen said. “Sometimes one the way to school, I will be mom, can I have five minutes with no volleyball, and she will say, ‘wait, one more thing, one more thing.‘“

That relationship has led Columbus to the number 3 ranking in AAA as the playoffs begin this weekend. Donna says Kristen is like Coach Fleming on the court. “I trust her to run the offense with the different plays, and we work on it in practice and they are able to execute in the games,“ Donna said.

At home it is never coach pass the break, and on the other side, Kristen never gets grounded for bad play.