Jayla Jeske is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover St. Mary's High School for AZPreps365.com

PHOENIX — She went into labour while coaching a volleyball game, stayed until the final point, then got wheeled out. That's the kind of commitment Coach September Lopez has to the sport she loves. 

Coach Lopez leads the girls volleyball program at St. Mary’s High School, where her passion for the game has shaped the program from the ground up.

After growing up playing both volleyball and basketball, Lopez knew her love for competition would never fade. 

“Right out of high school, I started coaching. I coached both, but I enjoyed coaching volleyball more because I could develop players and it was just more fun,” Lopez said. 

From that point forward, Lopez would go on to make a career out of her expertise.

With 20 years of coaching experience, and even her own volleyball club, Lopez has become the foundation of St. Mary’s volleyball. Over her 12 years at the school, she has not only built winning teams, but a culture of dedication and growth.  

“For the first four years, I wanted to quit frequently,” Lopez said. “There weren't volleyball players here, and so I put myself in a decision making position of, if you're going to stay here and you want results in, you're the one that has to make a difference.” 

Coach Lopez was the difference, and the spark the program needed to find its identity. 

“Wearing gold is an expectation for us now,” Lopez said, referring to the schoolwide playoff tradition. 

The road to gold isn't always an easy one. With Lopez, it's all about the journey. 

“I am a coach where I enjoy developing players. So if there's a player with potential, then I'm going to push,” Lopez said. “I am a coach where I'm very transparent with my expectations. I am direct, but never mean,” she added. 

For Lopez, pushing players is how progress happens.

“If I'm not pushing you, then you've reached your fullest potential,” Lopez said.

Lopez strives for a balance between friendship with mentorship with her team. 

“I build relationships with my players. It's not just about wins and losses,” Lopez said.

This message aligns with what the players of St. Mary's girls volleyball had to say about their head coach. 

“She pushes us because she knows our fullest potential,” said outside hitter Nellie Coover. 

The Knight’s players testify to Lopez’s character and coaching style. After experiencing it firsthand, they speak highly of her impact as a mentor. 

“Coach September has really helped me just in life,” said middle hitter Emmorie Hamilton. 

Hamilton said her coach’s influence reaches far beyond the court, shaping who her players are as people. Lopez’s guidance has helped the girls of St. Mary’s volleyball grow as both athletes and young women. 

“She's a very hardworking person and she loves all of us,” said Hamilton. “She really pushes us to be better and be the best person that we can be.”

For Lopez, success isn't measured in wins, but in the golden legacy she’s built at St. Mary’s and the players she’s impacted along the way.