NAME: Alex Hoekstra
JOB TITLE: Head Volleyball Coach
MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT MY JOB IS: Practice. I enjoy developing relationships and the challenge of helping our players improve and reach their potential.
"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care" - Theodore Roosevelt
HOMETOWN IN HIGH SCHOOL YEARS: Liberty Township, Ohio
HIGH SCHOOL: Lakota East HS
Played: Volleyball (4 Years), Football (SR), and Basketball (FR)
Lakota Hall of Fame Class of 2017
COLLEGE/GRADUATION YEAR: Undergraduate: University of Mount Olive 2010/Graduate: Western New Mexico University 2013
MAJOR: Bachelor's: Business Management/
Master's: Kinesiology and Psychology
SPORT(S) THAT YOU PARTICIPATED IN COLLEGE: Volleyball
Two years starting Setter. Conference Carolina Champs in 2010
COACH or COACHES IN COLLEGE: Sasha Gutar (2007-08) Cole Tallman (2009-10)
CURRENT HOMETOWN: Silver Spring, Maryland
FAVORITE ATHLETE(S) WHILE GROWING UP: Grandfather: Wayne Hardman Golden Gloves boxer turned down college boxing for Air Force during the Korean War.
Father: Tony Hoekstra ran Track at the University of Cincinnati.
Sister: Andrea O'Dell played Volleyball at the University of Tenn-Chattanooga.
CURRENT FAVORITE ATHLETE(S): LeBron James
FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM(S) GROWING UP: Cincinnati Bearcat Basketball Coach Bob Huggins
CURRENT FAVORITE SPORT TEAM(S): I am more of a fan of players and coaches rather than one specific team. Maybe because my hometown teams are the Bengals and Reds.
FAVORITE MEAL(S): LaRosa's Pizza and Skyline Chili Cheese Coney (Native Cincinnati Food)
FAVORITE MOVIE(S):
1. Rocky
2. Tombstone
3. The Godfather
MY FAVORITE BAND/ARTIST IS: Kings of Leon
THE LAST SHOW(S) I BINGE-WATCHED IS/ARE: Game of Thrones
TO RELAX I LIKE TO: Playing with my two daughters Jordan and Jamie.
IF I COULD EAT DINNER WITH ANYONE IN HISTORY IT WOULD BE: Gyro's with Faisal Hallaj and Phil Porterfield
VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW THAT I: I follow the college basketball and football recruiting and make my own NBA and NFL mock drafts.
MY FAVORITE MEMORIES AT SHEPHERD ARE:
- Saturday's in the Fall when the weather is nice, the leaves are changing colors, and there are both Football and Volleyball games. Tailgating with the player's families, recruitment visits, and the crowded campus atmosphere.
- Qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 2018.
- Making it to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament in 2019.
- Setting the consecutive wins record at 18 in 2019.
- Winning 23 games in 2017 meant a lot to us. It gave us confidence and momentum for future seasons.
