San Tan Charter hires experienced volleyball coach

San Tan Charter School has hired  Kristal Harris as the school’s new varsity girls volleyball coach, varsity sand volleyball coach and P.E. instructor.

As Athletic Director Kristofer Sippel Jr. noted, Harris is a highly accomplished volleyball coach and educator with more than two decades of experience in both indoor and beach volleyball.

“We are super excited to have Kristal on campus to lead our high school girls volleyball program,” he said in  a release.

“We have an opportunity to send multiple girls to the next level in the coming years, and I feel with all of Kristal’s experience and connections, she can help elevate our program to heights we have not seen before. I think she fits right into our family environment mentality and we are looking forward to the upcoming year!”

Harris brings a deep level of technical knowledge of the game to her new role at San Tan Charter School, along with a strong dedication to youth development and a championship background, according to the school.

A standout athlete at Marcos de Niza High School, Harris was a two-time state champion, named State Player of the Year, Region Co-Player of the Year and earned MVP honors.

At the collegiate level, Harris competed as a Division I athlete, playing for Northern Arizona University as well as Arizona State University, where she earned all-tournament honors and academic awards. She went on to a successful professional career on the beach volleyball circuit.

Harris began her coaching journey in 1997 and has worked with athletes of all ages across club, high school, and collegiate settings.

She served as a physical education teacher and coach at Mesquite and Casteel high schools, as well as assistant beach volleyball coach at ASU.

Most recently she served as the college placement recruiter and a head coach for Club One Beach, helping student athletes pursue opportunities at the next level.

Harris’ teaching credentials include a master’s degree in education from NAU, a bachelor of arts in sociology from Arizona State University, and a physical education teaching certificate from Ottawa University.

As Harris noted, she is excited to join San Tan Charter School because of its positive community, strong values and student athlete philosophy.

“I was inspired by the small community, the culture of the school, and it’s in Gilbert, where I live,” she said. “It seemed like a great fit for me.

“I am looking forward to coaching and teaching at a school where everyone has fun and learns the value of teamwork, compromise, winning and losing.”

Brandon Tauscher, principal of the San Tan Charter School 7-12 Power Campus, said Harris is an ideal addition to the San Tan Charter School community.

“Coach Harris’ experience as a player and coach from the prep ranks to the pros provides our student-athletes the kind of mentorship many high schools could only dream about,” he said.

“We are certainly blessed to have her and welcome her into the San Tan family.”