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Amber Wiedeman takes over for Robby Haley as the Assistant Volleyball Coach at NJC

Wiedeman steps in as NJC volleyball assistant

August 11, 2008

STERLING — Once a member of the Northeastern Junior College volleyball team, Amber Wiedeman is back representing the black and Vegas gold — this time, as part of the coaching staff.

An immediate opening was created once longtime former assistant Robby Haley stepped down to fully cast his responsibilities as the school’s sports information coordinator.
It wasn’t long before both Haley and head coach Marci Henry contacted qualified candidates in attempts to fill the opening. Wiedeman’s name came up and she gladly accepted the position.
She officially began work July 12.

“I am very excited to be back with Northeastern and in Sterling,” Wiedeman said. “The coaching staff and the community was great to me during my two years here and I’m very happy I’m in the position where I can give back to those that treated me well.”
Amber is from Eaton, where she grew up and eventually played high school ball before coming to Northeastern Junior College as an outside hitter. She would play two years and help her team place second in back-to-back years in regional play.

After NJC, Wiedeman didn’t continue playing volleyball, but continued her education, graduating from the University of Northern Colorado, where she majored in recreation. From there, Amber returned to her roots by going back to Eaton, where she was brought on by the school as the head coach of the “C” volleyball team.
Once the year past, she was promoted to the junior varsity team and helped assist a varsity team that placed second at state.
Now, just four years after earning her bachelor’s degree, she finds herself back in Sterling as an assistant to Henry, a coach she respects very much.

“I had the thought that I would be back in Sterling coaching, or helping out one way or another,” Wiedeman said. “It was a good place to live not only as a player, but as a student as well. I was never treated differently, which is something I really like about NJC.”

Barely a month officially into the job, there is a lot that Amber has learned, and even realized, about what her job description entails.
“There is so much more that coaches do behind the scenes that you never see as a player,” Wiedeman said.

Amber also added that recruiting will be one of the toughest aspects of the job to learn, stating that “in high school, kids come to you to play. In college, you have to go to them.”
Even with the little experience under her belt, Henry is confident that Wiedeman was the right choice.

“Bringing her in will improve our outside hitters and defense,” Henry said. “She provides youth and enthusiasm to the team, which already has shown to be really beneficial. ... I know she is very excited to be here and to give back to both the program, as well as the community.”

NJC players have turned in physicals between Friday and Saturday and will kick off opening week of practices with three-a-days. Northeastern is coming off a season where the team posted 41 wins and a second place finish at the Region IX Tournament.