For Jamie O'Bryan, coaching is not about wins. Her grade school teams win some games, and they lose some; that’s not what’s important, according to Jamie O'Bryan. What she tries to instill in her players is a taste of the values she believes are important in everyday life: practice, dedication, teamwork, and a fun, healthy competitive spirit. With a new volleyball season fast approaching, Jamie O'Bryan has been working with her young players to get them ready for the big first game; all the while, she maintains that the winning or losing is not the important thing, but the game itself.

Jamie O'Bryan has been volunteering as a sports coach for grade school children since her own children were in grade school, many years ago. She says that the volunteering lifts her spirits, and she believes it is important for the children, as well. Jamie O'Bryan believes that sports keep children active, and focus their energies on positive things like teamwork, community, and tradition. Over the years, Jamie O'Bryan has coached several different sports; her favorites are volleyball and cheerleading.

“Coaching has been a wonderful experience for me,” says Jamie O'Bryan. “When I am able to connect with young people in a meaningful way, to bring them together toward a common goal, it is a feeling that is hard to describe. It really means a lot to me to be able to be here, leading these kids, educating them in the skills of the sport, and watching them have fun. I love being able to do this. If our team never won a game, it would make no difference, as long as they were out there having fun and doing their best.”

Coaching volleyball in grade school does come with a few challenges, says Jamie O'Bryan. For starters, it can be difficult to maintain focus with a group of young players; they can sometimes get easily distracted. And it is true that some parents take the game very seriously, according to Jamie O'Bryan; she tries to tell her children not to worry about the outcome, but sometimes there is a lot of pressure coming from the stands. Still, she says, in the end it is all worth it.