A Season in Pictures: Goldendale Volleyball 2023
Click to enlarge
Editor’s Note - We welcome Mike Salsbury this week with a fantastic photo essay on the Goldendale Timberwolves Volleyball Season, which ended at the State Tournament after games in Yakima on Nov. 8 and 9. Salsbury brought this story to our attention noting he was impressed with the team, its coach and the hard work, cooperation and community that has come from it.
Photo Essay and Story by Mike Salsbury
Goldendale, Wash., Nov. 13, 2023 - To understand the value of a small-town school sports program, just ask Goldendale volleyball coach Jodi Bellamy.
Her teams win their matches - lots of them - and their losses are rare.
Click to enlarge
But there is so much beyond the Win-Loss column.
“My goal has been to help kids learn about life,” said Bellamy shortly after her team placed seventh at the state tournament in Bellamy’s final season coaching the Timberwolves. It was a decisive win in her final match on Nov. 9th in Yakima.
"Our goal was to get a trophy at state so after losing the first round, we were disappointed but I feel like the kids got over it quickly, and we realized that we can move forward and win two or three more matches to get a trophy,” she said.
"I told them to let it go ... I’m so seriously proud of them, and their mental toughness, and ability to bounce back."
Click to enlarge
In twenty-three seasons, Coach Bellamy has impressive stats: 14 League Titles, 9 District Titles, 10 State Trophies, 4 Sportsmanship Awards, and 11 Coach of the Year Awards.
Her overall record is 406-157.
Click to enlarge
Attend a typical weeknight volleyball game and you’ll see bleachers filled with noisy students focused on the game and cheerleaders leading the fun. Parents, family and community members are present and helping to provide the foundation that great memories are built from.
And they’ve been doing this for decades in Goldendale.
Amid the kills, blocks and digs, the colorful crowd and their chants of “wooosh”, it would be easy to miss out on noticing the clipboard Coach Bellamy carries. But look closer, the inspirational words taped to the coach’s clipboard do a pretty great job defining the Timberwolves.
Click to enlarge
“Passionate.”
“Fearless.”
“Confident.”
“Intense.”
Once one notices the clipboard, it’s affirmations kind of stand out.
“Many years ago, maybe 2014, we did the words for our season and they have just stuck,” said Bellamy. “Our original paper got really worn out and torn so these seniors and juniors redid it a couple of years ago,” she said.
Click to enlarge
“Love.”
“Teamwork.”
“Kindness.”
“Family.”
Click to enlarge
Coach Bellamy is candid about being a head coach in a small community. “Not everyone has loved me. There’s been some bumps in the road but for the most part it’s been a really good experience,” she said.
“My goal has been to help the kids use sports as a vehicle to learn about life.”
This year’s team has been together for a long time.
“I retired from coaching in 2018 and actually coached little kid club ball. (Current players) Taryn, Brook, Lexi, Brylee and Emily were on my team. The next year the job came open again and the parents asked me to come back.”
“I said yes and did five years,” she said.
For the past four years, the Timberwolves have remained undefeated in league play.
After their final game at the state tournament in Yakima, seniors Taryn Rising and Brook Blain were immediately awarded game balls due to their accomplishments at Goldendale.
Click to enlarge
“Brook broke the school record in blocks so she received a ball. Taryn got hers for the 1,000 kills. I wanted to give those to them in front of our friends and families. Those are big accomplishments,” said Bellamy.
“I’ve had them both since fourth grade or so,” she said. “We had to coax Taryn to play when she was little. She wasn’t real excited in the beginning. Brook has gained so much mental toughness and strength over the years.”
Coach Bellamy understands the development of athletes as well as community.
Click to enlarge
As easily as she references some amazing team statistics she explains, with clarity, the purpose of bringing in a freshman player for some game time and seeing her prepare to serve match point with the district title on the line.
“She suits up with varsity and commits to the team without much expectation to play … she did great.”
Click to enlarge
Under Coach Bellamy, 81 players have played volleyball all four years. Ten are volleyball coaches now or have been in the past and five have been assistant coaches at Goldendale High School.
Click to enlarge
It was during her days as a high school player in the late 1970s and 1980s that Bellamy says she first gained awareness to the high level of community support volleyball players receive in the town. Bellamy is a 1981 graduate of Goldendale.
“I went to school here, and both my mom and grandma graduated GHS. 1919 and 1955. My heart is here for sure,” she said.
Click to enlarge
“Our community support has been phenomenal. Our fans are great. We are really blessed to have them for so long.”
Click to enlarge
The team is integrated with their school and community. Lexi Molnar was homecoming queen this year and will likely be valedictorian, according to her coach.
“We run a summer camp for younger kids, have done an adult league in the past, picked up trash, participated in parades,” she said.
Bellamy sees life lessons taking hold in her players’ lives.
“The kids learn how to function in a group, celebrate each other, work together even if you’re not the best of friends. We overcame adversity early in the year with relationships and learned to put that aside and play together for the common goal.”
A theme for this year’s team was the message of the Duke women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson.
Click to enlarge
“We can’t wait around in life for things to get easier. Things will always be hard so we need to handle the hard better,” said Bellamy.
Bellamy notes the evidence behind her work.
“Sports keep kids busy, and it’s a great statistic that girls in sports do much better in school and gain confidence and strength.”
About doing well in school, Bellamy simply states, “Everyone graduates.”
In addition, Bellamy said she finds rewards in seeing her players celebrate. “The genuine joy they experience is just so much fun.”
Click to enlarge
Support Local News
Available to everyone. Funded by readers
