Head Coach Eric Hopper -

Coach Hopper grew up in California where Volleyball is king. He grew up playing on both the court and on the beach. Coach Hopper earned a Liberal Arts degree from Bethany University in Santa Cruz, where he played 3 years for Bethany University’s men’s club program. Coach also played football at Cabrillo College until a knee injury ended his playing carrier. After completing his Degree he taught and coached football and volleyball at Soquel High school. He coached the men’s volleyball program at Soquel and in his final season the Soquel men placed 5^th in Northern California. Three players from that team went on to play D1 volleyball.

In 03, Coach Hopper and his family moved to Wichita where he took a job as an assistant football and strength and conditioning coach at Bethel College. While at Bethel he developed and wrote top notch conditioning programs for both football and volleyball athletes. While at Bethel he earned his teaching license in Health and PE. This past year was spent at Northwest High School as an assistant football coach. He also started and coached the Cougars club program at Northwest.

Hopper coaches kids with passion and intensity. He expects a great deal of effort from his athletes and pushes them to become the best they can be. Hopper’s philosophy stresses excellent physical and mental condition with the goal of teaching kids to become the total student-athlete. He enjoys teaching the technical and tactical aspects of both volleyball and football, which he considers the “ultimate team games.” His players learn to be balanced young adults that are fundamentally sound, as well as being highly competitive as student-athletes.

Coach is married to Mrs. Renee Hopper, a graduate of Northwest High school, and has two boys, Dallas (age 4), and Braxton (age 1).

Assistant Coach Chelsea Breen -

Coach Breen recently finished her first year of teaching. She graduated from Friends University in December of 2006 with a Degree in Mathematics Education. During her last semester at Friends University she student taught at South High and loved it so much she went right into a math position that had previously been held by long term substitutes.

Throughout the year Breen has been a strong supporter of South High athletics. She has attended many of the sporting events and even attended many of the South High women’s soccer practices to lend a helping hand. Breen is very excited about the upcoming volleyball season as is looking forward to coaching the girls.

Assistant Coach Kelsie Suderman -

Coach Suderman grew up playing volleyball in her hometown of Garnett, KS. There she played varsity as an outside hitter under the leadership of her father and coach Glenn Suderman. The Anderson County Bulldogs made a bid to the 4A State Tournament in 2000 as the no. 1 seed. After high school, Suderman pursued collegiate volleyball earning an athletic scholarship to Tabor College located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The Tabor Bluejays were at the top of the KCAC conference for 6 consecutive years and Suderman was part of 4 of them. Suderman played outside hitter for the Bluejays until her senior year when she transitioned to middle hitter. As a middle, Suderman was second in most blocks in the KCAC conference. She also earned second team honors and received the KCAC and the NAIA All-American Academic Athlete award with a 3.8 GPA. Suderman graduated from Tabor College in cooperation with Bethel College in 2007 receiving her BA in Art Education. This is Suderman’s first year to teach and coach and looks forward to achieving personal and team goals at South this year. Kelsi Suderman is the daughter of Glenn and Lynnette Suderman of Garnett, KS and has a brother, Grant, who attends Kansas State University.