Coaching Staff

     Joe & Joanie Williams, club founders

Founding the first junior volleyball club in the state of Arkansas in 1985, Joe & Joanie Williams began an activity that would stretch across 20 states and watch thousands of athletes enjoy J.O. volleyball over parts of three decades. Joe Williams was honored with the Oustanding Service award by the Youth and Junior Division of USA Volleyball in 2001.  He was volunteer head coach at Lyon College in 1999 and is a nationally-recognized coaching and officiating clinician.  Joe serves as club director and 18s coach.  In 2003, he was elected as Commissioner of the Delta Region of USA Volleyball and serves on the national Competition Commission.  Joanie is a former recipient of the USA Volleyball Robert Lindsey Meritorious Service Award and now serves at Registrar/Office Manager for the Delta Region.  She is also Scooter's mother and will show you pictures of Cissy & Sandi upon request.

     Joe Thomas, coach
Joe Thomas worked with Joe & Joanie Williams in 1985 with the first Arkansas Jrs. Volleyball team.  He began coaching teams solo two years later and has been a fixture of the Arkansas Jrs. program, recognized across the country by hundreds of players and coaches.  
Warren Coots, Coach
An avid Elivs fan, Warren Coots has enjoyed the most success of the Arkansas Jrs. coaches, winning the Lone Star Classic and a 4th place finish at USA Volleyball Junior Olympics, plus top finishes in a variety of regional events, as coach of the top Arkansas Jrs. 14s team.  In 2005, his 14-1 team won the Cajunland Easter Classic and the Delta Regional Championships and Bid Qualifier.  Warren began coaching in 1989 and assumed head coaching duties the following year.  Both of his daughters competed in the Arkansas Jrs. program with Jaime playing college volleyball at UNC-Charlotte and Toni playing at Eckerd College in Tampa.  

Fred Gramlich, coach        Fred Gramlich coached 12-1 in 2004-05, winning Delta Regionals and the Bid Qualifier in 2005.  Fred has been an active player in men's volleyball (including two trips to the U.S. Open Nationals) since moving to Jonesboro from Fort Smith.  Daugher Katie Gramlich was a standout player in the Arkansas Jrs. program  and was an All-State tournament selection in 2005 at Westside High School.  She now plays volleyball at Williams Baptist and coaches our 10s team.

Coach:  Laura Bennett; Native of Kansas City, KS.  Sophomore setter for ASU Red Wolves.  A little intense, but in a really nice way. 

 Coach:  Erin Neeley; Native of Bono, Arkansas and former member of biker gang known as Rebel Red.  Libero for ASU Red Wolves; played for umpteen years for Arkansas Jrs. and her former coaches think karma will provide proper payback.

 Coach:  Katie Gramlich; Returns for her fourth year of J.O. volleyball coaching while a junior volleyball player at Williams Baptist College.  Won her first Cajunland 10s championship in 2006 in her first coaching season and hasn't let us forget it. 

Coach:  Kristen "Cat" Catalane:  Returns for her second season of J.O. volleyball coaching while a sophomore volleyball player at Arkansas State.  Our tallest female coach at 6-0 and a native of Bonham, Texas.  Has excellent knowledge of cattle & barbecues.

Coach:  Heather Gillion:  After seven years of Arkansas Jrs. Volleyball and three years with ASU volleyball, we finally talked her into coaching...and we're convinced she'll turn out to be one of the best.  Probably the best thing to come out of Cardwell, Missouri since Mr. T's.