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Longtime coach, mentor gets nod

By TONY JONES
The Daytona Beach News-Journal
STAFF WRITER

N-J/JESSICA WEBB SIBLEY Deland volleyball coach Debbie Rawlins was recognized for her coaching and community work as the News-Journal Sportsperson of the Month winner for February.

DELAND — Debbie Rawlins never dreamed that her volleyball coaching career would last for over three decades.

At the most, she thought, her tenure would last a few years. She’d get married, have some kids, and life would continue in another venue.

Those were her thoughts in 1969, when she graduated from Stetson University. Marriage came, and so did the children. But her love for volleyball never ceased. For Rawlins, volleyball became a lifelong love. And because of that love, she acted accordingly.

Today, Rawlins is one of the best coaches in Volusia County. And as the coach at DeLand High School, she’s one of the most recognizable names as well. It’s for those attributes and more Rawlins is the News-Journal’s Sportsperson for the month of February.

Rawlins will be honored today in a ceremony at Main Street Grille.

“It’s a real honor to get this award,” Rawlins said.

“It’s an honor for people to recognize what you do in the community. I’ve been here my entire life, I went to school here, and I coach here. So, this is really quite an honor.”

Rawlins has just finished her 12th season coaching the Bulldogs. In those 12 seasons, she’s turned DeLand into a perennial powerhouse. In her tenure, DeLand has won four five-star conference championships. The Bulldogs regularly make the state playoffs, and Rawlins has won over 200 games while coaching DeLand.

Before she started coaching the Bulldogs, Rawlins coached the New Smyrna Beach Junior High volleyball team in the 1970’s. During this time, Rawlins has established herself as a players coach.

She regularly sends her seniors off to college to continue their volleyball careers, with 20 receiving collegiate scholarships in 12 years. Her ability to strategize and make in-match adjustments has been a staple of hers over the years, and her players continually keep in contact with her after they finish playing for her.

“Coaching has always been a great experience for me,” Rawlins said.

“It’s always been a great experience working with the girls. My goal is for my players to get scholarships. I’ve always had a great relationship with the girls, and I want to continue to do so.”

Of her former players, the closest one to Rawlins may be Cara Swayze, the head coach at Spruce Creek. Swayze, who played under Rawlins in middle school, headlines the most dominant program in the area other than DeLand’s. And with that success, the two have also become friendly rivals, a natural thing considering they coach the two most successful programs in Volusia County.

But more than anything, Rawlins and Swayze have worked hard at starting feeder programs within the area. That’s an important thing for Rawlins. For so many years, Rawlins would receive a freshman that’s had little to no volleyball experience.

As a result, Rawlins would have to teach the basics of the game to the freshman, and it would be a few years before that player could make a meaningful contribution to the team.

But that’s changed with the start of the feeder programs. Now, Rawlins receives players that enter her program with experience. And that’s been a welcome change.

“It’s important,” Rawlins said. “We have to play the Orlando schools and they have feeder programs. When the Volusia schools don’t have a feeder program, it puts us at a disadvantage.”

Rawlins doesn’t know how long she’ll continue to coach. But, for her, she’s sure of a few things. The fire to compete hasn’t worn off. She still loves the game, and she still learns from the game.

“The game has changed so much over the years,” Rawlins said. “I try to get involved as much as I can. I’m always willing to learn new things. I want to keep learning every single year.”

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