Zody coming back to lead Triway volleyball
Jacki Zody
A familiar face will return to lead the Triway volleyball program.
Jacki Zody, who had a successful run leading the Titans from 2002-12, has been recommended as Triway’s next coach, pending board approval.
Zody compiled a 200-75 record coaching the Titans, highlighted by three regional trips (2007, 2008, 2010) and five conference titles. She was 27-20 at Northwestern in 1998-99 before stepping down to spend more time with sons Colton and Zach, former Triway multi-sports standouts who are now both in their early 30s.
After moving with her husband, fellow Triway alum Steve Zody, to Texas from 2013-15, Zody was an assistant coach in the Lone Star State. Since moving back to Ohio in 2016, she has been a science teacher at Northwestern.
“Every time there’s an opening, I’m always inquiring, but the time hasn’t been quite right,” Zody said. “It was right this time, and I’m really excited to get back into coaching.
“I’ll get a whole new generation of volleyball players working toward getting better and being successful. I love athletics, and I’m a firm believer that athletics is a great vehicle to empower kids, girls in particular. It just really gives girls the needed confidence and self-esteem boost and just all the great things that athletics can teach.”
Pat Honza, Triway co-athletic director, has known Zody going back to their days teaching together at Triway Junior High and has a lot of respect for her.
“We only had a few applicants, and Jacki was the best fit,” Honza said. “I knew of her body of work here at Triway. She was very successful, and she handles parents with respect and class. She goes all in coaching the girls.”
Zody, a 1982 Triway grad, is hoping her second run leading the Titans is special. She will replace London Gilbert, who stepped down as head coach after two years and followed an outstanding stretch under John Finn from 2013-21.
“I love game day. I always love game day,” Zody said. “All the work is all the other days, but game day is always very fun.”
When asked to describe her coaching philosophy, Zody summed it up concisely: “All in, all the time. Better the ball every contact. Really, that’s the game of volleyball,” Zody said. “Most of the game is played out of system. You have to better the ball so that the next person contacting the ball can attack.”
Triway will graduate six seniors from last fall’s team, and Zody doesn’t have much familiarity with any of the returnees. That doesn’t faze the coach at all as she’s looking forward to everyone starting with a clean slate.
“They’re graduating some pretty skilled players, but the great thing about a program is there are always kids waiting their turn to move on up,” Zody said. “I know very few of the kids or the current families.
“We’ll just have to get in there and get to know each other, watch them in the gym and see who can do what. We’ll get some training in this summer and start putting a team together.”