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The lure of coaching was too strong for Zoe Bell.
Bell, after 2 1/2 years as Providence High's athletics director, is back coaching volleyball, where in 19 years she developed Providence into a state power. Bell roams the sideline at Ardrey Kell, where her Knights improved to 4-1 with a 3-0 victory at Independence on Tuesday.
“Some people are made to move up and run a whole (athletics) program, and I enjoyed doing that,” Bell said. “I thought I did a pretty good job. But I enjoy coaching. I was made to coach, and that's what I need to do. That's not to say I won't be an AD again one day, but for now I'm enjoying coaching.”
Two easy assessments for Bell, she said, were waking daily and looking forward to practice and games, and the agony of volleyball matches when she was AD at Providence.
“I just couldn't watch it,” she said. “I wanted to be back into it.”
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools rules prevent ADs or school administrators from coaching teams.
Bell was Providence's first volleyball coach when the school opened in 1989. In 19 seasons, she won four state championships (2005, '04, '02 and 1996) and was 432-86.
“I know I still want to do it because before our first match this year, I had butterflies in my stomach,” she said. “When I don't have that feeling anymore, I know it will be time to get out of coaching. But I jumped back into it pretty easily. It's exciting.”
Bell's squad has talent in outside hitter Samantha Gostling, middle blocker Dianna Marren and setter Aubrey Olsen. Ardrey Kell plays in the Southwestern 4A, a very competitive conference.
“I just want to see the team improving from when we started in June to now,” Bell said. “It's not so much about wins and losses, but how they improve and handle adversity.”
A key date looms on the schedule, Oct. 2, Bell's first trip back to Providence as the opposition.
“Nineteen years of my life were there,” she said. “It will be a little weird that day.”
