GHS Lady Cats in gym preparing for season
Veteran volleyball coach Maria Huelsman has been settling into her new role at Gilmer High.
Huelsman has been an educator and coach for 21 years, and she was tabbed to lead the GHS volleyball program in late spring. Out of those 21 years, 19 have been as a volleyball head coach, and her teams have only once failed to qualify for the state tournament.
Huelsman and husband Steven have two children, son Zachary (25) and daughter Kendall (19), who is currently enrolled at the University of North Georgia and plays softball for the Nighthawks.
They became familiar with the area during Kendall’s softball recruitment and started to build a house in Coosawattee in early 2020. At the time, they were looking to arrange for Maria’s late father to move down from North Carolina. After his passing, Huelsman continued her time at Houston County High School, where she was the volleyball head coach for the previous 15 seasons.
She continued to visit the area in recent years, which is how she discovered the position at GHS. During a trip with friends, they were discussing their fondness for the mountains when one discovered the volleyball opening on Gilmer’s website.
“When we got back to the cabin, I started filling out my application,” Huelsman said. “One of us was working on my cover letter and another was updating my resume. It was like a group collaborative effort. I didn’t want to lose out on the opportunity, because positions just don’t come open like that.”
Huelsman’s journey to GHS spanned an ocean. As the daughter of missionaries, she arrived in South Korea when she was 6 months old. That is where she grew a fondness for volleyball, softball and competitive co-ed cheerleading.
“My parents went over right after the Korean War, so they saw it go from a third-world country to what it was when they retired in 1991. It was my home for 18 years. That was my childhood, and it was an amazing experience,” Huelsman said.
She graduated from high school in 1987 and returned to the U.S. to attend Charleston Southern University where she was a cheerleader and played volleyball. She continued to play in adult volleyball leagues through her 20s and got her start in education at Anson High (N.C.) in 2002.
Her four state qualifying seasons at AHS were highlighted by a trip to the Elite 8 and the school’s first ever region title.
Huelsman’s initial year at Houston County was 2006 where she was an assistant volleyball, softball and basketball coach. She took over the head coaching reins of the volleyball program in 2008. Over 15 seasons, she led HCHS to five region championships and finished as runners-up on nine occasions.
Huelsman mentioned what she believes are keys to a successful program and how that applies to GHS.
“Winning starts in the weight room, and these girls have got to get in there,” Huelsman said. “I know some of them have had weight training for a year or two, but that’s where I saw my athletes down in Warner Robins start changing and taking it to the next level.
“You also have to branch out from playing local teams. You have to go to Atlanta and face the best of the best. They have huge schools and a lot of athletes to pick and choose from. That’s one of my goals is to not just play everybody up in the mountains.”
The majority of programs at GHS have roots in the rec department. Athletes get accustomed to their sport of choice at a young age and continue to develop as they mature. Local volleyball options begin in middle school, and Huelsman would like to see that change.
“I’d like to see the park and rec start volleyball,” she said. “We need to get these kids touching a ball a whole lot earlier. Pickens and Fannin have it in their rec departments, and we need Ellijay to hit the ground running with it or we’re going to get left behind. It’s a great sport, and we need to get it moving in the community. If they can do it for all the other sports, they can do it for volleyball, too.”
Huelsman moved to Ellijay full time at the conclusion of the school year. The GHS and Clear Creek Middle School Lady Cats convened for separate camps following the GHSA’s mandated dead week.
“We had two days with collegiate coaches,” Huelsman said. “The growth we saw in those sessions was tremendous, and it was amazing to see over those two days.
“These girls are hungry to learn, hungry to be coached, and I want to see them get strong physically and mentally. I want them to compete and grow as young ladies not only representing the school, but representing me as a coach and representing the county.”
GHS will focus its time in the preseason on practice and weight training. Huelsman said they may pick up some local exhibitions, and there are plans to attend a camp in Lee County in late July.
Huelsman said of their summer plans, “We want to get our skills developed and our systems installed.”
Huelsman will assist with classes in the special education department at GHS and also teach adaptive physical education.