TRAVERSE CITY — Rita Jones and Allison Yenshaw stepped up when no one else did.
Traverse City St. Francis had trouble finding acceptable coaching candidates who were also interested in the pressure of leading a program that’s been to consecutive Division 3 state finals.
Kathleen Nance stepped down after last season, when her daughter Avery graduated and committed to Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina.
TCSF athletic director Aaron Biggar talked to Rita Jones about the job opening. She was reluctant, wanting to enjoy her daughter Reese’s senior season from the stands instead of the sideline.
She helped St. Francis reach out to more than 20 potential coaches, all of whom couldn’t do it or weren’t interested for various reasons. Jones said TCSF has three prospects from those where the timing may be much better next year.
Biggar originally didn’t want to hire parents of players as coaches, but as the season drew closer and no candidate was found, he circled back to Jones. She said she’s coach for one year, as long as Allison Yenshaw coached with her.
Jones coached this year’s Gladiator seniors along with Yenshaw from fifth through eighth grade.
“I’ve been on all sides,” Jones said. “I’ve been a player, a coach and a parent, and now I get to coach again. I can see all everybody’s point of view.”
The TC West grad coached TCSF’s junior varsity from 2010-11 and varsity 2012-17. She coached the Titans freshman volleyball and softball teams before three years as an assistant coach with TC St. Francis softball, and also coached the TC Thunder softball travel team for five campaigns.
Jones played on TC West’s 2000 state finalist team, along with current Titans head coach Emily Baumann. Jones coached St. Francis to a state finals appearance in 2012, and the Glads followed that with runner-up finishes each of the last two years with Reese Jones serving as one of the team’s two setters.
“It’s another level,” Rita Jones said. “All the seniors, I coached most of them for four years. Some of them just two years in middle school. They’re all close and Reese’s friends for years.”
Jones and Yenshaw both said coaching TCSF is a one-year thing, giving the school time to find a new head coach for the 2026 campaign.
Yenshaw, whose daughter Quinn is an all-state outside hitter for SF, played high school volleyball at Midland Dow before a collegiate career at Northwood University.
“Rita and I make a good coaching duo,” Yenshaw said. “We feel like we have we’re different personality types, and our strengths lie in different areas. I love to coach technique.”
Jones and Yenshaw are bringing in some help as well, bringing in legendary Leland coach Laurie Glass to occasionally help in practice, as well as former Traverse City Central girls basketball and TCSF volleyball co-coach Heather Simpson. TCSF 2018 grad Lauren Johnson serves as a varsity assistant coach.
The Glads’ junior varsity has a similar situation, with parents Tonya Ratajczak and Cheryl Schmuckal leading that team.
“This wasn’t what I predicted would happen, but because we didn’t have someone who stepped up to fill the position, I am more than happy,” Yenshaw said. “And I know Rita is more than happy to coach these girls. There was no way that we could see this capable, super-talented group of girls go without a great coach, so we’re more than happy to step up and provide that for the girls.”
Yenshaw said she put 36,000 miles on her vehicle during Quinn’s travel season, playing out of Grand Rapids.
The Glads graduated setter Tessah Konas, libero Avery Nance, defensive specialist Grace Mason and outside hitter Landry Fouch, but the cupboard is far from empty.
A good core returns in outside hitters Quinn Yenshaw, Harper Nausadis and Aubrey Lesinski, middle blockers Lola Brown and Reese Muma, setter Reese Jones and defensive specialist Coco Miller.
“I cannot be more excited for this group of girls,” Yenshaw said. “We definitely lost some valuable players, which are missed. However, the things that we aren’t missing is the drive, the passion, the motivation and the desire to get back to Battle Creek, and especially for these seniors and juniors and one sophomore that were on varsity in the past, we want that state title more than anything, and that is our sole focus and goal for this season.”