Division I athlete added to coaching staff

GONZALES — Relatability can be an important aspect of coaching, especially at the high school level. Rachel Walker hopes that, as well as all she’s learned from her time playing Division I sports at the college level, will lead to the success of the Gonzales Apaches program.

Athletic director Kodi Crane recently announced the addition of Walker to the program, touting her success on the court as well as her knowledge of both basketball and volleyball.

“Whenever we can get someone with that type of experience, Division I volleyball and basketball experience, to our high school we jumped at the chance,” Crane said of Walker. “Her experience … she’s seen the world, she’s played at the highest level, so to have her, we’re extremely excited.”

Walker has been in Gonzales for a little over a year now. Along with her husband, Patrick Walker who coaches football and powerlifting, the duo moved down from Michigan to pursue coaching and teaching.

“My sister lives in Yoakum with her husband and family and they kind of talked us in,” Rachel Walker said. “We visited and saw how it works down here and were really interested in getting into teaching and coaching. A year ago, we moved down here and Coach Crane gave us the opportunity to start teaching and coaching and we can’t thank him enough for giving us the ability to be a part of Gonzales. We’ve only been here a year so we’re excited to see what teaching and coaching, what road that takes us.”

From Michigan, Walker graduated and went on to play at the University of Michigan for basketball under scholarship. After her four years there, she used her fifth year of eligibility to play volleyball at Western Michigan University.

“After graduating from Western Michigan, we moved down here,” she said. “We love [Gonzales]. The people down here. it’s unbelievable. The family feel from being so far away from home…everyone is so accepting. It’s just awesome.”

Although she’s now been announced as a new hire, Walker has already spent time around the program throughout the year.

“She worked with our kids at pre-athletics and she volunteered in basketball in the spring time,” Crane explained. “Then she volunteered and did a little bit of track here and there. We knew that we’re going to hire her, but didn’t know what capacity.”

When openings popped up, the Apaches found a good spot for her as Walker was named assistant coach for basketball and volleyball, both sports she’s played at the college level.

Her experience on the court is sure to be a positive impact on the girls’ athletics program.

“Not only can she verbalize [her coaching],” Crane noted, “she can demonstrate as good as anybody that we have. So, she’s going to bring a wealth of experience and knowledge. Firsthand, this is what works, not only here in Gonzales, but at the highest level of Division I college, so that’s going to be awesome for our girls.”

Walker’s presence in the coaching staff is yet another example of what happens when you have a successful multi-sport athlete.

“From personal experience, I think that is huge in the aspect of always being shape, always being ready as well as being coached by different coaches,” Walker explained. “Being a former athlete, now a coach, it’s unbelievable the values and lessons you get from athletics, so as busy as you can stay, I’ll say do it. You’re going to get so much out of it down the road in life that it’s going to be tough and it’s hard but some coaches might not like it but I think the values you can get from it for life is unbelievable.”

On-the-court experience isn’t the only thing Walker is bringing to the program. Being around different coaches, the new coach says she’ll bring all the sensibilities and aspects of the game she’s learned and use that to instill her own set of values that she believes the girls should take with them throughout high school and further.

“Obviously, I think my experiences are what got me here today,” Walker admitted. “But I think the lessons and the mentality and the mindsets of what has been instilled by the other coaches to me are going to be the biggest things. I think fundamentals and doing things the right way on the court or on the field are huge to a program. But being able to teach not only the sport or the logistical things of the sport but the bigger picture things, the things that I want to teach, I want the kids to take on into life and into their careers, into college, into all these things. I want them to realize that and not just show up to practice and say hey, I got to run for three hours, I got to do this. It’s always going to be the little things for me. If you can get the little things done and find a way, you’re going to be set and you’re going to great things in the future.”