Blazer Athletics would like to welcome Jordan Shaduk as our new Assistant Girls Volleyball Coach.
Athletic Director Jacob Spenn had this to say about the hire:
"We're thrilled to welcome Jordan to our girls volleyball staff. Her experience as a former collegiate player at Gordon College gives her a unique perspective that will be a tremendous asset to the program. She understands what it takes to compete well at a high level, and we're excited for our student-athletes to learn from her knowledge, leadership, and passion for the game."
Jordan grew up in Baltimore, MD, and began playing volleyball at 12 years old for her middle school team. She quickly fell in love with the sport and began playing club volleyball for Masters Volleyball Academy (MVA) at 13 years old. As she continued her volleyball career, she realized that her goal was to play at the collegiate level. After playing varsity volleyball from 8th through 12th grade, she committed to playing at the NCAA Division III level at Gordon College in Wenham, MA.
During her freshman year at Gordon, she earned a starting position as a middle hitter and was ranked among the top 10 blockers in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). For the remainder of her time at Gordon, she maintained a starting position as she transitioned to outside hitter.
Two weeks before the conclusion of Jordan's senior season in 2021, she suffered a season-ending knee injury during an away match in Rhode Island. After reconstructive surgery and nine months of rehabilitation, she returned to play for a fifth season during her graduate year. While she rehabbed and trained, Jordan graduated from Gordon College in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.
Jordan returned to play in the fall of 2022 while studying for a master's degree in Financial Analysis. During her fifth season, Jordan served as team captain, was awarded a spot on the CCC All-Conference Team and the CCC All-Academic Team, and played a key role in helping the Scots win the regular-season conference title.
After her fifth season, Jordan worked for a marketing agency in Salem, MA, before following her family to Sarasota, FL, in 2023. Now, Jordan works for a home healthcare agency in downtown Sarasota and is thrilled to assist at Sarasota Christian School as well.
Jordan's coaching philosophy is simple: "Encourage first!" She believes that a coach should be every player's biggest fan and loudest supporter, praising loudly when things go well and uplifting players by reminding them of what they are capable of when things don't go as planned. She also believes that sports are a beautiful way to honor the Lord, that keeping Christ at the center of the team is vital to its success, and that success is ultimately measured by how the team treats one another—how they pick each other up when they're down and how they honor God with their actions both on and off the court. A winning season is just icing on the cake, not the end goal.
In her free time, Jordan enjoys going to the beach, fishing, reading, and trying new coffee shops!
