10 questions With Jayme Frazier

 Jayme Frazier has been the volleyball coach at Linn-Benton for 27 years.


Sports have always been a part of Frazier’s life and she continues to show her love for them through coaching. Frazier played sports all through high school and college and went from coaching basketball to coaching volleyball over the years as well.


Frazier shares advice for first-time coaches through what she has observed and experienced. She also puts in a lot of time outside of coaching itself to prepare and get her team ready for any matchup they are put up against. Frazier has coached for a total of 33 years and continues to spread her wisdom every season. She has a lot of experience under her belt and I was lucky enough to dive deeper into her life as a coach.



How long have you been coaching? What have you learned throughout your experience?

Thirty-three years (27 seasons at LB, two different years / sports (volleyball and softball) at Western Oregon University, four years at high school level -- coaching volleyball and basketball) Every season is a new and exciting challenge. You must adapt to the current student athletes on your team.The people on your coaching staff are extremely important -- they should provide support and challenge you to be better. While winning makes everything easier and enjoyable in the moment, we have to be deliberate in making sure everyone understands the importance of the process/journey. Take care of the details on and off the court. Stay current with the sport, understand the importance of teaching about well-rounded health of student athletes and most importantly nurture a growth mindset in yourself because there are always new things coming your way … technology, techniques, etc.



What got you into coaching?

I have always been involved in sports and competed in volleyball and basketball in college so it seemed like a natural progression when I graduated to continue on at the local high school during my student teaching. It gave me a competitive outlet immediately.



What is your favorite part about coaching?

At the college level I really love seeing the improvement that student-athletes make from the start of a season in August to the final tournament in November. Additionally, there is so much growth and maturity from the start of freshman year through the middle of sophomore year. It is very rewarding to be a small piece of that process.



Did you always think that you were going to be a coach? Why?

Honestly, I was that older sister who always set up competitions and then timed my two younger siblings in races. I think they probably knew I would be a coach before I did.



What is the most rewarding part about coaching?

I love it when I see someone finally get it. I know they have struggled to work on something for awhile and then it clicks. It makes me happy to see players graduate with their degrees and move on to another level and play or just continue on toward a degree that will lead to their career. I've also had the honor of going to many weddings and it is usually a reunion of sorts. That's the big stuff!



What is the hardest part about your job as a coach? Why?

Preventing injury and then dealing with it when it happens. However, now that we have a strength coach and an athletic trainer, it's a game changer. They help prevent the major injuries (hopefully) and they reduce the time off the court with the therapy and reconditioning that occurs.



What is your favorite memory while coaching here at Linn-Benton? How does it make you feel?

So many memories! Not sure where to even begin but one that is not necessarily happy but I often reflect on is Sept 11, 2001. I remember being in a fog but made my way to morning practice as did everyone on my team. We just sat in a circle and stretched. We were primarily silent but took solace in what seemed normal and comforting by being surrounded by teammates. It took me several years before I reflected on the importance of being there for one another in such a chaotic moment.



What keeps you coaching year after year?

It is such a challenge every single year. I love that about coaching. I get to recruit my team, plan our year, plan our off season, plan our bonding activities, start our daily doubles and then work to hit the benchmarks. I've been coaching for awhile so I know that each group needs to reach some tangible and intangible marks by a certain time in the season. As you can imagine, this covid year was a bit unpredictable to say the least.



Do you have any advice for coaches who are just starting out?

Get involved with coaching associations such as American Volleyball Coaches Association. Ask questions. Find a mentor. Volunteer in a program. I had some key people along the way who helped me -- from my high school and college coaches, I assisted three very experienced coaches who were teachers to their core, and I have learned from some incredible coaches in the Northwest Athletic Conference. I watched how they prepared, coached, and treated their student athletes. And ... you gain much from just watching their character … how they deal with wins/defeat.



How much do you prepare outside of actually coaching for games, practices, etc.?

There is quite a bit of prep before a match. As coaches, we have to know what the other team is doing, strengths/weaknesses, etc. We then have to prepare our team on the court and in the classroom. The biggest lesson I learned about prepping for a team though was that it was more important to control us and our details since we had no control over the other team. The other thing I believe to be important in preparing our team is that every game is important, none could be more special or important than the next.



At a Glance:

Jayme Frazier

Occupation: Coach at Linn-Benton Community College and an Instructor

Years Coaching: 33 years total

Years Coaching at Linn-Benton: 27 years