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Board of Directors
President
Molly DeSerf
Bolingbrook High School
Coach Molly DeSerf has been an Assistant Coach at Bolingbrook since 2009 and the Girls Head Coach since 2017 and Boys Head coach since 2018. Coach DeSerf previously served on the IVCA Board as Secretary and is looking forward to growing in her role as President. She enjoys being a part of the IVCA and working with and learning from some of the very best coaches, leaders, and mentors in the sport. Coach DeSerf looks forward to expanding the association across the state and engaging with more coaches to give volleyball recognition across the state of Illinois.
Vice President
Justin Tomaska
Champaign Central High School
Justin started coaching in 2011 and has coached high school, club, and middle school throughout his career. He loves trying to keep the game growing throughout the state. He has been the vice president since the start of the IVCA. He is currently the Girls Volleyball Head Coach at Champaign Central High School.
SECRETARY
Dina Beamon
Oswego East High School
Coach Dina Beamon has been around volleyball most of her life beginning with watching her mom play sand volleyball on North Avenue Beach. She has coached high school and club volleyball for over a decade and truly loves the sport and developing athletes. Coach Beamon is currently coaching club at Lions Jrs. Southwest Prairie and has been the Head Girls volleyball coach at Oswego East High School for the past 4 years and looking forward to growing the sport of volleyball across the state with the IVCA.
Treasurer/Awards Coordinator
Crystal Franklin
Thornwood High School
Coach Franklin serves on the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association (IVCA) Board of Directors as the Awards Coordinator and Treasurer, and the Region 6 representative on the All-American committee for the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). With seven years as the Head Women's Volleyball Coach at Thornwood High School in South Holland, IL, Crystal's commitment to the sport and her community is unwavering. She has successfully guided players to college after high school and achieved numerous other successes as a coach.
Armed with a Master’s in Public Administration and a second Master's in School Social Work, she amplifies volleyball's presence and ignites passion within Thornwood and beyond. Crystal's journey in volleyball spans both the court and the sidelines. As a former four-year collegiate volleyball player, she brings firsthand experience and a profound love for the sport to her coaching. Even as an amateur player, Crystal continues to relish the thrill of volleyball. With her extensive knowledge and enthusiasm, Crystal eagerly collaborates with coaches statewide, aiming to cultivate an environment of growth, sportsmanship, and excellence. Her dedication to volleyball shines through her every endeavor, making her a beacon of inspiration within the volleyball community.
Girls Volleyball Representative
Matt Slechta
Plainfield North High School
Coach Matt Slechta is a science teacher and the Head Girls Volleyball Coach at Plainfield North High School since 2018. Coach Slechta has been coaching high school volleyball since 2012 as an assistant at Geneva and Wheaton-Warrenville South where he was an assistant on the 2012 WWS Boys State Championship team. Coach Slechta is also in his 13th year of coaching club volleyball at Sports Performance Volleyball Club. He won an AAU national championship in 2019 with the 16s and in 2022 with the 17s, took second in 2013 and 2017 with an 18s team and in 2021 with a 16s team. He hosts the largest girls tournament in the state at PN and is looking forward to bringing this mindset to growing the IVCA.
Girls Volleyball Representative
Kelly Stapleton
Hinsdale Central High School
Kelly Stapleton is in her 4th year as the head volleyball coach for the women's volleyball program at Hinsdale Central High School where she is also a special education teacher, assistant department chair, and assistive technology Coordinator. Kelly has been coaching with Sports Performance for over 15 years and is currently the 15 Elite Head Coach. She is excited to advocate for girls' volleyball to connect coaches to expand opportunities for girls and increase high-quality coaching throughout the state as a member of the IVCA Executive Board.
Boys Volleyball Representative
Ken Dowdy
York Community High School
Ken Dowdy is entering his 15th year as the Head Boys volleyball coach and teaches Social Studies at York Community High School in Elmhurst. Coach Dowdy started as a freshman coach in the program in 2004, and became the head coach in 2011. His team finished 2nd Place in the state in 2024. Ken is proud to advocate for one of the fastest growing high school sports in the United States, boys’ volleyball.
AVCA Staff Liaison
Tara McGuire
AVCA
AVCA Staff Liaison
Kennedy Wells
AVCA