HOUSTON – Twenty years ago when Geoff Stresman moved to Texas from Michigan, the Canadian-native didn’t know anyone.
Stresman didn’t have family in the Lone Star State to lean on. He found that “family” at Lutheran South Academy.
“It’s a place that I’ve seen grown over the 20 years,” Stresman said. “I’ve seen it grow and change for the better. I love the people here. I love the students and athletes here. It’s a lot of fun to be here, coach and work here.”
Now, two decades later and 17 of those walking the sidelines as the LSA volleyball coach, Stresman found himself in a milestone moment on Thursday.
At home against Cypress Christian, Stresman entered the night with 299 career wins. A 3-0 sweep of the Warriors improved LSA’s season record to 7-3 and gave Stresman career victory 300 at the same time.
“It was in the back of my mind,” Stresman said. “Going into the season knowing I was close to it, being at 293 when we started the season, I knew that was going to be there. Part of me was glad that we were able to do it at a home game.”
Following the win, Stresman was presented a plaque to commemorate the night by Director of Athletics Jon Mueller in front of his team.
“I’ve been very blessed and very lucky to have a lot of talent and good teams at LSA that worked hard and really wanted to achieve their goals,” Stresman said of the accomplishment. “Those wins come through that. On my end, trying to constantly get better and learn new things and try new things with practices, games and teams.
“Having teams that really wanted to work hard at it is what has gotten me to where I am at right now with 300 wins.”
As Stresman continues to reflect on the career accomplishment he thought back to his very first team. The veteran coach went and looked at that roster from two decades ago. The group that got him win No. 1.
It was some of those players and more from over the years, their parents and even his family members calling and texting Stresman congratulations on the monumental achievement.
“I’ve had some former players send messages or talk to me,” he said. “Even some parents of former players have reached out to say congratulations. When my family found out, they were congratulating me. To me, that’s what is important is the people that have been close to me and supported me throughout my career or life that they are the ones who reached out to me.”
The coach that the first group got and the one that his 17th team is getting is a different one but for the good.
In coaching, just like any profession, you learn over time. You change things here and there. That is what Stresman has done and continues to do.
It has paid off.
“As I’ve grown through coaching, I’ve realized there are often a lot of ways to do things,” Stresman said. “Early on, it was this was the best way and this is how you have to do it. That was my mindset. I’ve grown to know there’s more than one way to get things done. We’ve got to be able to adapt to it. Whether it is skill sets, form, concepts, or game strategy. You must adjust to the players and athletes that you have. You can’t always force them into the mold you want them to be when you first started.”
Towards the end of the phone conversation after talking about the career win and his time at LSA, the natural question came next – So what about win No. 400?
“God-willing and if everything goes to plan 400 is sooner than later,” Stresman said with a laugh. “I look at other coaches who have been at places 30, 40 or 50 years racking up 800, 900 or 1,000 wins. I don’t know if that’s in God’s plan for me, but we’ll get as far as we can get.”
Even though the story has been about Stresman’s 300 victories, the veteran coach stressed that there is still more to this season. This group has major goals and so does Stresman.
“It’s a close group, I think this group of players is something special that we haven’t had here in a while,” he said. “The goals that they have set are extremely high. They have the drive to do that. I’m excited to coach this group and work with them because I know they’re going to push hard and get better.
“To get an awesome achievement with a group that works this hard is exciting.”
