Daniell Shirley

I grew up in Reno, Nevada playing beach volleyball casually with my dad, but didn’t really fall in love with it until high school when I joined the team just looking for something to do between swim seasons.

Most of my athletic background is actually in swimming — I swam competitively for 13 years and, last I heard, still hold a couple of records at my high school. Volleyball and basketball came later in high school, but I quickly found I loved the strategy, teamwork, and competitive energy of both. I went on to play college club volleyball for two seasons before an injury ended my season, and I’ve been playing casually since and learning new sports like bowling and golf.

I’ve lived in Utah for the last 15 years and for the past two years, my twins have played with Vortex which brought back my passion. I currently coach Club Prep and assist with the 18U Boys team. This season, I’m excited to be coaching the 15U Girls team.

Professionally, I’ve spent years as a training coordinator, teaching and developing adults in professional settings. It’s given me a strong foundation for breaking down complex skills and helping people grow — and honestly, kids are way easier! There’s nothing better than seeing the moment it clicks — that spark when feedback turns into confidence and confidence turns into success. My goal is to make practices challenging but fun, where everyone leaves the gym a little better (and a little sweatier) than they came in.