Get to know New Bremen HS volleyball coach, state champion Diana Kramer
NEW BREMEN, Ohio — Meet the New Bremen Volleyball Team as well as their head coach, Diana Kramer, who has secured the 2022 State Championship Title. They are a hardworking and passionate group of athletes and we are honored to celebrate their successes.
Diana Kramer has been a head volleyball coach for 13 years with an overall record of 315-40.聽 Before she became a head coach, she was a JV coach for 4 years and has coached club volleyball for Pittsburgh Elite and Grandlake for almost 10 years.
After she graduated from St. Henry High School, Kramer continued her education at Duquesne University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education as well as her Master鈥檚 degree in School Administration.聽 She played volleyball in college at Duquesne University, which is a member of the Atlantic 10 conference.聽 In 2014, Kramer was聽 inducted in the Duquesne Athletic Hall of Fame.
鈥淢y favorite thing about volleyball is everything that it has taught me about life,鈥� Kramer said.
鈥淰olleyball is a team sport and forces you to build relationships and trust others.聽 Volleyball challenges you.聽 It forces you outside your comfort zone and teaches you to respond to mistakes.聽 Volleyball is a game that teaches you to live in the moment and enjoy all the little moments.鈥�
After graduating from college, she knew she wanted to move back home.
鈥淚 started teaching 3rd grade and coaching volleyball at St. Henry, Kramer said. 鈥淚 was the JV coach there for 4 years and the varsity coach for 6 years.聽 We finished State Champions in 2011 and State Runner-Up in 2015.鈥�
Kramer decided to make the transition to teaching and coaching in New Bremen because it was the school district she and her husband were raising their four children in.聽 Therefore, she started teaching at New Bremen in 2015 and coaching at New Bremen in 2016.聽 She just finished her 7th year coaching at New Bremen.聽 The team has finished as State Champions in 2017, 2019, & 2022 and State Runner-Up in 2018 & 2020.
鈥淢y favorite thing about being a coach are the relationships that I get to make with my players, coaching staff, community, family, and others involved in the game of volleyball.聽 These relationships don鈥檛 just last a season,鈥� Kramer said. 鈥淭hese relationships last a lifetime.聽 Creating memories with these people is incredibly special to me.聽 I also enjoy watching my players accomplish goals, both individually and as a team.聽 These goals happen both on the court and off the court.聽 Playing sports teaches so many life lessons.聽 I love watching my players and teams take what they are learning on the court and apply to their real world off the court.鈥�
The road to the recent 2022 State Championship was one to remember and it is one that Coach Kramer and her team look back on fondly.
鈥淟ast season, we finished the regular season undefeated and ranked number 1, but we lost to the eventual state champion New Knoxville in the district championship game,鈥� Kramer told us. 鈥淎fter that game, we talked about 鈥榦ur dash.鈥� Our record was 24-1.聽 The numbers represented the games we played, but the dash represented all the memories made.聽 There were so many wonderful memories, but that game left us longing for more.鈥�
鈥淭his team worked hard in the off season in the gym and weight room,鈥� she continued.聽 鈥淭he energy level and confidence was high.聽 Then, our team faced two season ending ACL injuries.聽 One of the girls injured was Mia Schmitmeyer.聽 She was a 2021 first team MAC, 2nd team District 8, and Honorable Mention All-Ohio player.聽 She was one of our best players returning.聽 We were all heartbroken for Mia.聽 Mia kept a great perspective and attitude.聽 She showed up to early morning weights and open gyms, even though she couldn鈥檛 participate.聽 She played one point this season, on her senior night, where she registered her first and only kill of the season.聽 Mia鈥檚 leadership was a key to our success this year.鈥�
鈥淚 posed a question to my team, 鈥榃hy not us; Why not now?鈥� This stuck and became our team motto this past season.聽 Every challenge we faced or low we experienced, we always stayed focused on the process of getting better, competing like crazy, and being the best teammate.聽 I told them this could be a very special season.聽 鈥淲hy not us?聽 Why not now?鈥�
鈥淭hey continued to believe and work hard,鈥� Coach Kramer said. 鈥淪eason started off great.聽 There were so many close games throughout the season.聽 My team continued to stay focused and got better.聽 However, in the middle of September, we played Marion Local, and we suffered our first loss of the season.聽 We were ranked #1, and they were ranked #2.聽 While we were disappointed, we used that loss to learn from and get better.聽 We didn鈥檛 lose a game since then and finished the year MAC, Sectional, District, Regional, and State Champions.鈥�
Coach Kramer emphasizes the immense amount of talented and hardworking players she has on her team. Many of them received honors such as 1st and 2nd team All MAC and 1st Team All Ohio.
The atmosphere on gameday is filled with excitement and anticipation from the fans, players, and managers. Everyone wants to watch and see what will happen next.
We asked Coach Kramer what makes New Bremen volleyball so special. She responded, 鈥淣ew Bremen volleyball is unique because of the family-like atmosphere.聽 The high school players interact with the future players.聽 The future players love to come to our games and cheer on the high schoolers.聽 The alumni are still connected and huge fans.聽 The most unique thing I think is the constant community support.聽 Our fans are dedicated.聽 We are all proud to be Cardinals!鈥�
She and her players extend their greatest appreciation towards the community for their continued love and support throughout this journey.
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