good news; Jordan Larson to take the office of u.s volleyball coach……
ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 24: Jordan Larson-Burbach of the USA women's indoor volleyball team poses for a portrait at the American Sports Center on May 24, 2016 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Jordan Larson finds a much-needed safe haven the moment she walks into the office of longtime U.S. volleyball coach Karch Kiraly.
She can take a deep breath and know she will have his support through any life challenge.
Larson never expected to be wearing a volleyball uniform at age 37. She retired after leading the Americans to a long-awaited gold medal at the Tokyo Games. Yet after a divorce and some serious soul-searching, Larson finds herself back with the national team and headed to a fourth Olympics.
Kiraly is a key reason. Larson realizes she wouldn’t be on this path without him after both started with the women’s team in 2009.
“Karch and I have been on this journey now together. … He’s known my whole professional career and all the stuff that’s come between,” she said. “I think there’s obviously more that goes into coaching — friend, mentor, he’s just the epitome of everything.”
Kiraly has lifted her up through two divorces and following the death of her mother, Kae, to breast cancer 15 years ago.
Larson credits Kiraly for having “an impact without judgment.”
“Life gets hard and he’s just been there and consistent for me,” she said.
Kiraly, a decorated beach and indoor Olympian himself, helped guide Larson and the Americans to a silver medal at the 2012 London Games. They captured bronze in Rio de Janeiro four years later with him as head coach, and then won that elusive first gold in Tokyo.
Larson then walked away, ready to move on from a sensational volleyball career as an Olympic champion.
Married again and eager to start a family, her sights were set on beginning her new life. No more traveling the world for an international season before returning home to play domestically. Coaching had become a nice option, and Larson embraced the idea of mentoring the next generation of American players.
Until that plan all fell apart.
“I had gotten married right after the Tokyo Olympic Games and I was living in my dream, ready to step away, ready to start a family, and life happens,” she said. “I’m away a lot so I think it just gets hard at times. I learned some things and needed to step away and figure out what I really wanted to do
