This is “Dots,” VolleyballMag.com’s weekly look at 10 things in high school volleyball, past or present, that interest me and hopefully will interest you. Look for Dots every Tuesday until the last high school state championship in November.
• A week ago Friday, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Lafayette High School honored Chris Toomey, a coach with the Lancers who passed away unexpectedly during the summer from a cardiac event.
He was just 46 years old.
“It was a very emotional but special night,” said Lafayette coach Zach Young.
Toomey, a very successful Division II college coach in Tennessee before moving to Missouri, joined the program five years ago as a volunteer coach.
“Chris came to watch us play a few times and reached out to me about helping out with our team,” Young explained. “The connection was instant. He developed a deep connection with our players and became like family with our coaches. Chris’ loss has been devastating to all who knew him. However, everyone that he came across felt his love. We’re trying to take the example he set and all be better people. This year our team is trying to, ‘Love Like Chris.’”
“Chris was one of those special people, once in a lifetime type of people, that when you met him you just knew he was different,” Young continued. “He was so genuine, kind, and selfless. Our program has been really hurting with his loss.”
Proceeds from the match, which Lafayette won 3-0, went to the Dig Pink Foundation (Chris’ sister, Kelly, is a cancer survivor) and the Chris Toomey Mission Fund, which was set up as a scholarship fund through Pathfinder Church for youth to go on mission trips.
• Prestonwood Christian of Plano, Texas was always going to be good this fall. The Lions were 39-6 in 2021 and returning two outsides who logged more than 500 kills apiece, a terrific setter and superb libero. That was before Cari Spears showed up. Spears, a 6-3 sophomore outside and perhaps the most physical sophomore in the nation, transferred in from Flint Hill in Virginia. The daughter of former NFL defensive end Marcus Spears is averaging 4.7 kills and 2.0 digs per set for a Lion team that is 29-1 and ranked among the nation’s top five. The team is positioned for greatness this year and next, as ALL of its key players return again next…
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