Stuart leaves huge legacy at Rich

Cindy Stuart never expected to have the kind of impact on high school volleyball that she has. So it makes sense that she has no idea how much she will be missed.

After 23 years at the helm of Rich High's volleyball program, Cindy Stuart is taking a time out. Now if you know Coach Stuart, you know she doesn't take a break unless it's absolutely necessary.

"I'm not really sure this is newsworthy," she says with a laugh. "I don't want to say retired. … But I resigned last Friday. It's just a tough time for me. I have a lot going on. I hope I'm not done with volleyball."

Stuart is taking a break from running one of the most successful sports programs of any kind in state history so she can enjoy her son Parker's final two years of high school. She also needs more time to care for her ailing mother and mother-in-law.

"There were just more conflicts, even more than when my children were little," said Stuart, who continues to teach at Rich High.

So the woman who changed the way small schools approach volleyball will not be on the sidelines next year. She admits she might still be in the stands, and she has already offered her help to the brave soul who decides to take over her program.

And make no mistake about it — the Rebels volleyball program belongs to Stuart. In 23 years, she won 14 state championships and more than 500 matches. Her coaching helped dozens earn college scholarships. Her leadership helped hundreds of girls be successful in life.

That's because Cindy Stuart doesn't just teach teenage girls how to play volleyball. Stuart teaches volleyball in a way that transcends sports. Her methods teach them to set goals, work hard, trust other people, cooperate, compete and be gracious regardless of the outcome. Her methods help young girls redefine the possibilities of their lives.

She purposely scheduled games against 3A, 4A and 5A teams — quality teams — so she could prove to her players that they were capable of more than most people would ever believe. And while she really didn't care what outsiders thought, she wanted those girls to believe in themselves. Every year I watched her convince a new group of girls that they were tougher, smarter and stronger than they thought they were when they first walked into that gym.