Head Coach -Mike Jantz
Assistant Coach- Sandy Dutt
Sandra Dutt grew up in Southeast Nebraska. She has one older sister, Cindy.
She is married to Greg Dutt, also a teacher and coach in the Abilene schools. They have two daughters, Abby Markley and Alexis Dutt. Mrs. Dutt enjoyed playing volleyball, basketball, track and softball in high school. Highlights of high school sports were sharing summer softball with her parents as her coaches, playing in the Nebraska State Volleyball tournament twice, and playing on an undefeated girls basketball team her senior year of high school. After high school, Mrs. Dutt went to Fort Hays State University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1979, in Health and Human Performance, with a minor in Speech and teaching endorsements in health and driver education. Coach Dutt played one year of college volleyball at Fort Hays State. In 1985, Mrs. Dutt finished up her Master of Science in Counseling, and has served as a school counselor and coach since that time. She began her teaching and coaching career at Otis-Bison Middle School in 1979, where she coached volleyball, basketball and track. In 1981, Coach Dutt began her head coaching career at Otis-Bison High School. She coached the Cougars for 14 years, leading them to several league championships and 6 trips to the Kansas State Volleyball Tournament. Her teams placed first, 2nd, and 3rd twice in the 80's and early 90's at the 1A and 2A Kansas State Volleyball Tournament. Coach Dutt was also part of the first coaching staff for Golden Belt Juniors Volleyball Club, and later Volleytech, based out of Barton County Community College in Great Bend. Her 1997 team placed 3rd in the Colorado Crossroads Volleyball Tournament. Six out of those eight girls went on to play collegiate volleyball, including Coach Dutt's oldest daughter, Abby.
Since moving to Abilene, Coach Dutt has been an assistant coach for Coach Jantz and the Cowgirls since 1996. The Cowgirls have become a power in the North Central Kansas League, and placed 3rd in the 4A State Tournament in 2004. She has enjoyed being a part of a quality volleyball program these past 10 years. Coach Dutt also has enjoyed coaching in and helping to direct Abilene ACES Club Volleyball team and helping with the Abilene Parks and Recreation volleyball program and camps.
Getting to know the girls and watching them grow in their volleyball skills in a competitive environment, is the best part of coaching!
Coach Dutt looks forward to Cowgirl Volleyball in 2008!!
Her new favorite quote is..."whether you think you can or you can't, you are probably right."
Coach Jantz will start his 21st season as head coach at Abilene High School, prior to that he was an assistant coach at Smoky Valley High School while he attended college. He graduated from Bethany College in 1988 with a BA in Social Studies education. He completed his Masters at KSU in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Technology. His hobbies consist of sports, reading, outdoor activities, home remodeling, and lounging by his pool.
Stephanie Becker attended Abilene High School where she graduated in 1998. She went to Kansas State University and graduated in 2002 with a Bachelors in Elementary Education. In 2006 she graduated from Emporia State University with a Masters in Adaptive Special Education. Stephanie enjoys playing volleyball and softball in her spare time. She also enjoys camping, fishing, and spending time with her family. Coache Becker has been married to Kyle Becker. who was also an Abilene graduate, for 7 years. They have two little boys Kaleb and Kyson. She has coached many little league teams. After graduating college, she coached Freshman in Abilene for two years. Taking a year off she moved to 7th grade volleyball for a year. Now she is back at the High School coaching Freshman.
Coach Becker enjoys coaching at the high school levels because of the pace. She enjoys coaching and watching student athletes be successful.
Quotes Coach Becker likes are:
Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them--- a desire, a dream, a vision.
--Muhammad Ali, American Boxer
Whoever said, “It’s not whether you win or lose that counts.” Probably lost.
--Martina Navratilova, American Tennis Player
“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.”
--Laura Ingalls Wilder, Author
“You have no control over what the other guy does. You only have control over what you do.”
--A.J. Kitt
Assistant Coach- Stephanie Becker