Alison Sobataka is next in line to take over Gilmer High School volleyball.
Sobataka, 31, has been an educator for seven years and is a native of Salisbury, N.C. She arrives in Ellijay after teaching and coaching at Newnan High School where she served as the Cougars’ head volleyball coach for two seasons. She was also the head basketball coach for three years.
“I was an assistant basketball coach first in North Carolina and also when I moved here to Georgia,” Sobataka said.
She grew up riding horses in addition to playing basketball. Sobataka went on to Columbia College, S.C., where she was a member of the Koalas’ basketball team for four years.
“I definitely learned a lot about being a student athlete, and you’ve got to make sure you’re balancing both school and your job,” Sobataka said. “I think that teaches you a lot about managing your responsibilities and then there’s just a different level of commitment.”
Her experience at Columbia inspired her to become a coach.
“I had an assistant who just poured a lot into us, and we felt like we were part of his family,” Sobataka said. “I just wanted to give that same experience to other athletes, and then not just teach the game, but also overall life lessons, which is really important to me.”
In her first season as a head coach on the hardwood, she inherited a team that was 0-23 the previous season. Newnan won five games in 2023-24, and they improved to 14-14 the next year and reached the state playoffs in Class 5A. Last season, she led the Cougars to a 20-10 mark and they advanced to the Sweet 16.
On the volleyball court, Sobataka took over a program that was hit hard by graduation. The Cougars still managed a state berth and they were 16-22 on the season. The Cougars made it to the Sweet 16 last year while posting a 32-14 record.
“I had to learn a lot of different responsibilities,” she said of her role as a head coach. “Because when I was an assistant, I didn’t necessarily know what all went into scheduling games and all the administrative things. That was kind of a wake-up call, and then just having to manage everything.
“Not only did I have to do all those things, but I had to also work to turn a program around. That was a lot on my plate at first, but I had a lot of community support that made it a lot easier.”
Sobataka noted she was ready to get back to an environment similar to Salisbury, and GHS piqued her interest. She received guidance from her mentor, Kurt Greene, who is also a coach. She also spoke with the late Rodney Walker, who coached at GHS for four years and also served as county athletic director prior to the arrival of football coach Paul Standard.
“I’ve been to Ellijay a few times,” Sobataka said. “Mother’s Day weekend was actually the first weekend I ever got to go sit down and have a meal. My other trips were kind of there and back, but I really love the area. I’m from a small town, so I like the small-town environment. That’s what I’m used to.”
Sobataka met with Lady Cat volleyball players at the end of April and held tryouts. When the preseason kicks off in July, she plans to work on building individual skills and conditioning. From there, she will introduce team concepts. The Cats will then roll into the season.
“We’ll be on the court Monday through Thursday just to help work on building team chemistry and overall confidence in themselves,” Sobataka said. “I think they have a lot of really great skills, but they need confidence. We’ll work on our overall competitiveness to make sure that we’re winning and putting away games that we know we should.
“I’m excited and a little nervous just because it’s a new experience. I don’t really know a lot of people in Ellijay, but I’m really excited for the opportunity and can’t wait to dive in and get started.”
Sobataka will also serve as a GHS basketball assistant.