Erika Simpson
Assistant Editor
Head Volleyball Coach Leo Sayles, after seven years at Bryan College, cleaned out his office and left for Gardner-Webb University (Boiling Springs, NC) where he has accepted their head volleyball coach offer. Sayles said he interviewed for the job on Jan. 31 and received their offer on Feb. 4.
Gardner-Webb University is a NCAA division I school and a Christian college, according to Sayles.
Sayles said that he heard about the job through a trainer on staff at Gardner-Webb, who had been his trainer at Bryan in 2006. He knew a lot about the school from her and she spoke to the athletic director, which “opened the door” for him.
Before this offer, Sayles said that in the last few years, he has had some other schools interested in him applying for a coaching job, but that there are few schools he would leave Bryan for. He said he knew that if the job at Gardner-Webb was offered to him, then it was because God wanted him to go there.
“I love Bryan College, my friends here, the athletic department and my players especially, and I’ve appreciated the student support throughout our run here the past seven years, and this feels like home,” he said “But I also have to be concerned about my family and their needs, and I have to be sensitive to what God is doing in my life.”
He called a meeting with his team on Feb. 7 and announced to them that he would be leaving on Friday to take the Gardner-Webb job. He said he told them early that morning because he did not want the news “trickling out to them.”
“I’m sure that some feel that I’m deserting them, but I hope they don’t,” Sayles said.
Junior Jessica Jones said that the announcement came as a shock to her because Sayles had not mentioned that he was thinking about leaving.
“I was really surprised and sad because I was looking forward to next year and building up the team,” she said.
The upcoming seniors are showing a lot of leadership, according to Sayles, and so is senior Alison Young who is helping lead them in off-season training. The sense of pride and ownership the team has in itself will help them next year, according to Sayles, as they adjust to a new coach. He said he desires for them to make it to the NAIA championships.
“They will always be my team,” he said. “And I want them to complete that task.”
Having a new coach will be a change, according to Jones, but she said she thinks it will be a good change.
“We can’t replace Coach Sayles, but it’ll be good having a new perspective,” Jones said. “I’m excited to see what the new coach brings to the team.”
Sayles said that Bryan is in the process of looking for a new volleyball coach. As for the classes that he taught, Women’s Soccer Coach Mark Sauve is taking over the bowling class, and Adjunct Professor Josh Bogle is taking over the volleyball class with the help of some of the volleyball players, according to Sayles.
Sayles left Bryan on Friday, Feb. 11 to move to N.C. over the weekend, and said that his family will follow him when their house sells in Dayton, or they finish the school year.
He said that he will miss the tight-knit circle of friends in the athletic department along with his relationships with his players and the beauty of Bryan’s campus.
“I truly am grateful for the chance that Dr. Zensen gave me here. Dr. Zensen and Dr. Livesay took a risk with someone who didn’t have head college coaching experience when they brought me in,” Sayles said. “And I am truly grateful for everyone who supported this team and this program, and my prayer is that they will support them even more as they go through this transition.”