Coaches Bios

Get to know our great coaches and staff!!!

Hi, my name is Alayna Baker. I am currently a senior at Free State High School. I started playing competitive volleyball when I was 11 and I have loved the game ever since. Although I can not play the game now because of severe injuries, I took up coaching and found a passion! I love sharing my joy and knowledge of the game. This will be my second year coaching for Midwest, but my fifth year in a coaching position. When I am not coaching I am on the swim team at my school, working, hanging out with friends & family, and going tubing and surfing on our boat. I also have a passion for helping kids and adults with special needs, so I am involved with a lot of stuff for that at my school. Now that you know a little bit about me, I would like to say how excited I am for the upcoming season! I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know every single one of you! With that being said I coach my team with a lot of enthusiasm and energy and I hope and expect the same thing back! I am so excited for this season! 

Hello! My name is Danielle Balsman. I live in Baldwin City and am in my 14th year of teaching math at Baldwin High School. I started coaching volleyball in 2008 for the Freshman team at Baldwin High School. I have coached the 7th grade Varsity volleyball team at Baldwin Junior High for the last 11 seasons. This is my 7th season with Midwest Juniors. In my spare time, I enjoy watching movies with my husband and baby girl and cheering on my Alma mater, the KU Jayhawks!!  

Hi! My name is Kaelin Bones. I am currently a senior at West Franklin High School, along with dual crediting as a freshman at Butler County Community College. I plan to attend either the University of Kansas or Washburn University next fall! I started playing rec volleyball in third grade & club volleyball in sixth. Throughout my years, I’ve played for Fireballs, Lawrence Juniors, and Midwest Juniors. I also played at Lyndon High School and West Franklin High School. I currently work for the Ottawa Recreation Commission, reffing adult volleyball. Volleyball has always been a huge part of my life. As my time as a player has come to an end, I wanted to ensure I could help someone grow just as I did. The opportunities and experiences you gain through sports are awesome. My favorite memories of club volleyball would definitely be the traveling tournaments. It’s so much fun to get to see a different city & play the sport you love!! I can’t wait to get this season started and watch my 12-1 girls grow!! :)

My name is Kaci Evans. My love for volleyball began in high school when I had an amazing coach and then began to play for Sunflower Juniors. I played volleyball for 4 years for Ottawa University. I began as a defensive specialist my freshman and sophomore year, played outside my junior year and right side my senior year. I continue to play in the Ottawa Rec league whenever my schedule allows. In regards to coaching, I have coached for 21 years kids from 6-18 years old (birth to 18 if you include my own children😊). I have coached for Midwest Juniors, The Attack VBC, Fireballs and Jr Cyclones. In addition to the volleyball in my life, I have been married to my husband Ian for 20 years and we have three daughters-Kirsten 16, Kamden 14 and Kirby 10. All three love volleyball and will play for Midwest Jrs teams again this year. The girls are very involved in basketball and softball also, so if we aren't on a court, you will find us on a field. Then, in my spare time, I am a School Psychologist for the Ottawa School district. 😊 My #1 priority in coaching is for the kids to have fun. Volleyball is the best sport (in my opinion) and I want these girls to develop a love for it and to be versatile players. You never know the role you will be in at some point, so I want the girls to work on all skills even if that isn't a position they currently play. The best way to develop these things is to have fun while doing it. I am very excited to coach again for Midwest Juniors!

My name is Katie Gardner. I am going into my 3rd season as a Midwest Juniors Board Member. I went to school in Paola and graduated in 2005. I played volleyball in middle school, and played for the Junior Slammers Club out of Osawatomie all through high school. I met my husband Dustin, right out of high school and moved to Wellsville. We have three daughters. Addison (13) Tatum (10) who both play for Midwest, and Calliope (3). I’ve coached both my old two daughters in rec softball and volleyball the past few years. Our older girls also play competitive softball, so if we are not in the gym we are at the ballfields. We love spending time with the kids, friends, and family in our spare time! Excited to see all the new and returning faces and ready for another successful Midwest Juniors season! 

Hello everyone! My name is Emma Grossoehme and I will be your assistant coach on the 16-2s team! This is my 3rd year coaching for Midwest. I am primarily a setter, but I will also be working with Liberos/Defensive Specialists. I’m a senior at Baldwin High school where I play volleyball, softball, and I wrestle. I love being involved in extracurriculars, spending time with my friends and family, and listening to country music. I am a very loud, energetic, colorful person... :) I will also be playing for the 18-1s team for Midwest, marking my 9th and final season for this club. I love Midwest Jrs. and volleyball in general, so I can’t wait to share that love with your daughters! 

Hi, I'm Coach Harms. I am a high school business teacher at West Franklin. I have been an assistant high school volleyball coach for 7 years, 6 of those at WF where I am currently still coaching. I have also coached basketball for the past 6 years, 5 of those years at the middle school level and one at the high school level. I currently am the assistant coach at WF for the MS girls basketball team. This will be my 7th year as a head club coach (4 years with Fireballs VBC). In the last 10+ years I have also put on numerous volleyball camps, clinics, and private lessons for girls aged 8-14. I grew up going to school at Pomona/West Franklin where I played varsity volleyball and basketball all 4 years. During my senior year of volleyball our team qualified for state and up until this year we had been the only team to do that so far in WF history. I also hold the record at WF for most kills in a season (489). Sports have always been a huge part of my life ever since I can remember. My experience of volleyball comes from playing on my school team, numerous club teams, and also in college. My first 2 years of college I played Division I volleyball at Centenary College of Louisiana. The spring season of my sophomore year they decided to drop down to Division III, so I transferred to a Division II school to finish out my volleyball and academic career at the University of Arkansas-Monticello. There I graduated with a Bachelor's in Business Administration with a Management emphasis and a minor in Spanish in 2012. After realizing how much coaching meant to me and teaching (something I wanted to do ever since I was little) I decided to go back to school to obtain my teaching license. In April of 2017 I earned my Master's of Arts in Teaching. If I'm not coaching a sport, I am watching or playing. I love KU and the Royals. I play sand volleyball, rec volleyball, and kickball in my spare time. I am married to a really amazing guy who supports me in everything I do in my crazy, busy, chaotic life I live. We also are expecting our first child this April (needed to add more craziness!). I am committed to helping your daughter(s) grow as volleyball players as well as young ladies and hope you and your daughter(s) are as committed to our success. I love how volleyball prepares you for life's many challenges and I am truly passionate about this sport. I'm excited to start this season!

Hi, I’m Kirsten Hoyt, but most people know me as Bear. I graduated from West Franklin in 2018. During my time there I played varsity basketball for two years and varsity volleyball all four years. Volleyball has always been a huge part of my life. I started playing around age 7 for Fireballs and played for them until I was 14, then I started playing for Midwest Jrs. I have previously coached, one season for fireballs and am going into my second season with Midwest Jrs. I was a hitter, I played both outside and right side some, but middle is where I called home. I chose not to go play in college but I continue my passion for the game as a coach and play on a REC team whenever I can. Through coaching I hope to help your girls stay passionate about the game and remember why they started playing in the first place. Outside of my Volleyball life I’m an operations specialist for First Option Bank Financial Services. My Boyfriend and I live in rural Osawatomie with our two dogs Maggie and June, and are expecting our first baby due this summer! Outside of work and volleyball I spend most of my time with my family and friends.   

My name is Chrissie Jeannin and I have been coaching for Midwest Juniors for five years now. I went to Tonganoxie High School and I attended Ottawa University for four years where I was the setter on the volleyball team. My senior year I was an All-American setter and the Setter of the Year in our conference. I helped lead our team to a perfect 18-0 in conference while making our first Nationals appearance in a number of years. While at OU I also made it to Nationals my freshman year in track and I played basketball my sophomore through senior year. I graduated from OU in 2013 with a degree in Human Services. I just completed my first year of head coaching at Tonganoxie High School. I am looking forward to this season and seeing how far they will grow not only on the court but off of it too!

Janessa Lute, this is my fourth year coaching with Midwest Jrs. But I’ve been apart of the Midwest Jrs family since I was 12. That is where, when and how my volleyball career got started. That says a lot about Midwest Jrs, as it’s a strong program! I live in Ottawa with my husband, two kids, 3 cats and 1 dog. My son Gabe was born deaf so if you see my using American Sign Language, that is why! My daughter Anita and I communicate using ASL 80% of the time! I work for The City of Lawrence. My favorite show is The Walking Dead. I played college softball at Hutchinson Community College. I love to workout and run long distance. I am beyond excited for this season as I will be getting to coach along side with one of my best friends, Sam Mendez. She has been my setter in volleyball and my catcher in softball throughout our younger years to now. We’ve always had that special bond as we’ve always had to rely on each other in sports. We have big goals this season.

Hey my name is Samantha Mendez! This is my 3rd year with the Midwest Jrs. I’m super pumped to meet everyone and get things started. A little about myself, This will be my 3rd season as an assistant Softball coach at Ottawa University. I recently got married to my husband Julian who is the Offensive Coordinator at Ottawa University. Volleyball has a special place in my heart and I can’t wait instill the knowledge of the game to each and everyone of you while also creating a family based culture.  

My name is Laura (Jeannin) Meyer. I am a graduate of Tonganoxie High School where I played volleyball, basketball, softball, and ran track. I went to Ottawa University to get get my degree in elementary education and play volleyball. While there, I also got the opportunity to run track. After graduating from Ottawa University, I began teaching first grade and then moved to second grade. This will be my 12th year of teaching! I am currently teaching second grade at Sunflower Elementary (in Ottawa) and am the head volleyball coach at Ottawa High School. We just finished our 2020 season with a third place finish at state! Working with kids of all ages is a passion of mine, and I feel blessed for the opportunity to follow my passion. I believe volleyball presents opportunities to learn life lessons while meeting new people. I have so many memories from playing and coaching at Midwest Juniors. It is a great place to be!


Hi, my name is Vicki Mignot. I started coaching club volleyball in 2006 and I coach the have coached 10U, 11U, and 12U during the past 14 years. In addition to coaching club volleyball I worked with the Baldwin City Recreation Commission to develop clinics and a recreation league for 3rd through 6th graders in Baldwin. My favorite part about coaching youth volleyball is sharing my love of the sport with so many young girls and seeing the excitement in the girls when it all starts clicking. I grew up in Baldwin and still reside there with my husband of 27 years and our two sons. I work at the University of Kansas in the School of Social Welfare. I have worked there for 21 years working with undergraduate students in social work. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my boys, Chase 23 and Nathan 19, my husband Jim and also our two puppies Bogey and Kaiser! I also enjoy reading, running, and biking.  

Hey all! My name is Grace Newhouse and I am super excited to be coaching the 14-2’s this season. I graduated from Wellsville in 2018 and I am currently enrolled at Neosho County Community College. I’ve been playing volleyball since the seventh grade and it is something I absolutely love. As a coach, my goal is for each player to improve their skills throughout the season but also create an opportunity for my players to have fun and fall in love with the game. I can’t wait to see what our season brings!

My name is Kari Patton. I am currently in my 16th year as the club director for Midwest Jrs. And have coached for Midwest Jrs. as well. Volleyball has been a big part of my life, running Midwest, coaching, refereeing middle school and high school volleyball, running camps in the summer and running summer leagues. But most of all the joy of watching my 3 girls compete. I played volleyball and basketball at Wellsville High, graduated in 1986. I work at George King Bio-Medical, Inc., and have been there 33 years. In my spare time I like to spend time with my children, Kayla 29, Kristin 27, Karly 22 and my dogs, Ellie and Kleo. But the best is spending time with my grandkids! I have 4 grandsons, Jackson 6, Maveric 4, Judd 3, Maddix 1, and granddaughter Kharlie 1. Being their Nana is the best thing ever! All three of my girls played for Midwest since they were 8 years old. I have been married for 31 years to Dale Patton. 

Hi Everyone, my name is Karly Patton. I went to Wellsville High School and while attending I played volleyball, basketball and ran track. I started playing volleyball for Midwest Juniors when I was 8 years old and had many great coaches that made me a good player and led me to be a great coach. Putting in the time to play competitive volleyball gave me the opportunity to get looked at by many different colleges. I decided to further my education and volleyball career at Emporia State University. Now that I am no longer playing competitively I am lucky enough to be able to stay close to the game by coaching and playing in leagues. This will be my sixth year coaching for Midwest and I spent two years coaching freshman volleyball for Ottawa High School. I just started my second semester of nursing school at Neosho County Community College. I will be able to graduate with my LPN this December and then go on to complete my RN. When I am not in school, working or coaching volleyball I am spending time with my dog Kleo. She just turned three at the end of the summer and she is a handful. She loves to run and is obsessed with her ball. I enjoy going to Chiefs and Royals games and will never miss a chance to tailgate. I am also a full time aunt to 4 nephews Jackson 5, Maveric 4, Judd 3, Maddix 1 and 1 niece Kharlie 1. 

Hi, I am Angie Przybylo. I have been a board member since 2012. Growing up, I was always active in several sports. I started playing club volleyball at 13 for the Lawrence Jayhawks club. I later played for Ottawa Juniors, and played my last competitive year for Midwest Juniors. My daughter, Mazzi, began playing Midwest Juniors when she was eight years old and also plays at Wellsville High School. My mom, Jeanette Selk, started Midwest Juniors in the 90’s, so my family now has three generations involved with the club. I enjoy the outdoors, running, reading, cooking, and quality time with my family and friends.  

Hello! My name is Kaylie Reese and I am going to be a senior at Wellsville High School. This is my second year coaching Midwest volleyball with Jeanette. I started playing volleyball when I was 11 and played my last season when I was 16. I now enjoy playing golf. I am also involved in various student organizations in my school, but I have a passion for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). When I did play volleyball, I was a defensive specialist, or a backrow player (passer). I love the game of volleyball, but I love coaching even more! After high school, I plan on attending Baker University to play women's golf! I am so excited for this season!! 

My name is Kristin Rice. I attended Wellsville High School, graduated in 2012. While in school I played volleyball, basketball, softball, and ran track as well. Volleyball was always my favorite sport to play. I started playing Midwest Jrs. when I was 8 years old, with the amazing coaches I had all those years and all that extra time I put in with Midwest, it helped me further my career at the college level. I played at Kansas City Kansas Community College for one year, after that year I had some health issues that kept me from playing the game. So now I stay close to the game I love by coaching. I just finished my 6th year as the JV coach for Wellsville High School and this will be my 9th year coaching for Midwest. I want to pass my love and knowledge for the game to the girls. The only thing better than being a coach is being a wife and mother. My husband and I have two sons together. Maveric is 4 and Maddix is 1. I'm lucky enough to stay home with them, while I finish getting my Elementary Education Degree from FHSU online.  

Hi, my name is Jeanette Selk. I have lived most of my life in Franklin County and graduated from Wellsville High School. I participated in all sports growing up, with volleyball and softball being my favorites. I love to work with kids, and help them develop skills in all sports. I founded Midwest Juniors in 1993, to give my daughters and other girls a place to advance their volleyball skills. My experience with volleyball includes playing, officiating for 20+ years, and coaching. I have coached for Ottawa Juice, Williamsburg High School, Midwest Juniors and Wellsville High School. I just finished my 12th year at Wellsville High School, coaching the Freshman/jSophomore team. I have coached several levels for Midwest Juniors, and was fortunate enough to coach my daughter’s team and my granddaughter’s team. One of my greatest joys is seeing the love for the game through the eyes of young players. I currently live in Wellsville, with my son Cole who is a freshman at Allen County Community College. My daughter Angie, and grandkids Jerzy and Mazzi live in Wellsville, while my other daughter Jo lives in Boise Idaho with her husband Evan and my grandson Raleigh. My children inherited my love for sports and participated in all sports for the Wellsville Eagles. I am proud to say Midwest Juniors is one of the longest running clubs in the Heart of America. 

Hi! My name is Bella Todd and this year I will be the head coach of the 14-1s team. This will be my second year in the position as a head coach, and I could not be more excited! I love the sport of volleyball so much, and I wouldn't want to coach for any other club. I played for Midwest Juniors from 6th grade to my senior year, and it was a great experience. This club really puts their players first, and one can really improve their game through this program. Sportwise, I have played: volleyball, basketball, soccer, and softball, but volleyball has always been my favorite. Currently, I am a sophomore at Baker University, and am majoring in Nursing. Also, I just finished my collegiate career as a volleyball player, since I will be going to nursing school in the fall of 2021. Other than the volleyball program, I am in the sorority Zeta Tau Alpha and the volunteer club at Baker. Whenever I have free time, I love to watch Netflix, kayak, hammock, bake, and hang out with friends and family. I cannot wait for this season to start and to work with an awesome group of girls! 

Hey All! I'm Brandi Vietze or Coach B, if you will ) I grew up in rural Williamsburg, KS and played volleyball, basketball and ran track. I fell in love with volleyball from day one! As an adult I have watched my daughter and son both play competitive traveling sports and have always loved watching as they grow to love a sport, through fun and training. I was Involved, as a parent with my daughter, Kirsten as she played for a competitive volleyball team, as well as for my son, Caiden as he played competitive football. I am looking forward to developing a Coach/Player/Parent bond with all of you. I had the privilege of working with Jeanette Selk, who inspired me to continue my passion of volleyball and love of children through coaching. It has been one of the most fulfilling endeavors I have yet to encounter! I believe that great athletes are formed through training, positivity, and hard work. I'm excited to make this year, THE BEST ONE YET!