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02/07/2023 09:02 AMDiana Kalman had one of the more decorated careers in the history of the East Haven volleyball program, with memorable moments, key victories, and stunning solo accolades. She is now ready to give back to the Yellowjackets in a whole new way from the sidelines.
As a member of the Yellowjackets, Diana contributed 402 kills, 39 aces, 70 blocks, and 108 digs from her middle blocker position. She was additionally part of a program-best 21 wins in the 2017 season, as East Haven made the Class M State Tournament final her junior year before being named senior captain in 2018. This was a campaign in which she also was named All-SCC First Team and Team MVP.
Moving to Albertus Magnus College in 2019, the now Branford resident posted 521 kills, 110 aces, and blocked 122 balls for the Falcons as a four-year starter and senior captain. She was also selected to the Academic All-District Team in 2022 as a senior.
Yet after coaching the CT Juniors and being an assistant coach for the 15U Travel team in town, Diana has come back to where it all started in a new coaching capacity, as the new JV Coach for the Yellowjackets’ volleyball squad.
“I saw the application for the opening posted and was so excited,” says Diana, who is in her second year coaching with CT Juniors in Woodbridge. “I am also doing student teaching at East Haven, so I was excited to be interviewed. It feels great to be back in the school that gave so much to me. It is an honor to come back and give so much to a place that helped me.”
Diana denotes that she loves seeing her players’ burgeoning passion for the sport through unlocking their own max potential. She adds that when it comes to building a sound team, completing the balancing act of cultivating a serious but relaxed atmosphere is crucial.
“It is most joyful when I see my players get excited when things click in their heads. They realize they can be great. With CT Juniors, I had someone who was afraid to come to practice, but then she showed up to a tournament and was so excited. She was so happy about the game,” says Diana. “I want to stay as positive as possible and have the girls stay confident in their abilities to do everything volleyball entails. I like to keep the girls focused while also having fun.”
Seeing several summits with the Yellowjackets during her tenure as a player, Diana has an added advantage of knowing what it takes to build a rock-solid program that can contend for conference and state crowns.
“The advantage of knowing the program is a privilege to me,” Diana says. “[Head Coach Craig Brown] and I will work well together, I think. I learned a lot from him when I played, and I hope to give the girls the same experience with me that I had with him. I hope to see them experience moments like the state semifinals win we had.”
After going from coaching Diana to having her as a coaching colleague, Brown notes she is a marvelous measuring stick for personal and program success in all facets of life.
“We are very excited to have Diana returning to the program,” says Brown. “She accomplished great things for this program as a player, but more importantly, it’s what she’s accomplished as a person. I don’t just see her as someone who is going to be a great leader and developer of these young women, but I see her as a true role model. A woman who came from this program, this town, just like them and through her own strength of will, has accomplished so much. It’s an honor to welcome her back to the volleyball program.”
At the JV tier of the program, Diana wants to have girls master abilities that are tailor-made to their compositions. She goes on to explain she will place an added emphasis on defending their side of the net, with keeping the ball afloat frequently.
“With JV, I want to teach them how to be as versatile as possible as players,” says Diana. “I want them to learn skills that are good for their body types, but I also want them to become well-rounded players. Defense is also a big thing for me, with building a strong foundation on defense. As long as the ball doesn’t touch the floor, we always have a chance to win the point.”
In terms of her targets in her new occupation, Diana is aiming to keep a revolving door of student-athletes, with them moving up to the top ranks of the roster. She wants to be along the sidelines of them in contests where stakes are at their highest.
“I hope to have the girls at JV move to varsity to experience high-level games in states,” Diana says. “I hope to be on the bench with them in SCC and state tournament games. I hope they also reach an SCC Tournament final, which I never did. I want to help put East Haven volleyball back on the map.”