Episode #176: Danlynn Silva

Danlynn Silva on Ohana & Building Cameron Volleyball | Significant Coaching

Danlynn Silva, the new Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at Cameron University, joins the Significant Coaching Podcast to discuss leadership, culture, family, and the Hawaiian concept of ohana.

Danlynn shares her unique journey from high-level player to successful club director, business owner, parent, and now NCAA Division II head coach. Throughout the conversation, she explains why authentic relationships, long-term development, and family-centered culture remain at the core of how she leads.

This episode explores:
 🏐 Hawaii volleyball culture
 🌺 Building a program around “ohana”
 📈 Athlete development and leadership
 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Coaching alongside family
 🎯 Creating sustainable program culture
 💬 Why her non-traditional path prepared her for this opportunity

Transcript

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On the latest edition of the Significant Coaching Podcast, a presentation of the Coach Matt Rogers YouTube channel, available audio only everywhere you get your favorite podcasts. I'm your host, Matt Rogers. This week's conversation is one I've been genuinely excited about for a long time because today's guest is not only someone I deeply respect professionally, but someone I'm proud to call a friend. Danlyn Silva, or Coach Dani, the new head women's volleyball coach at Division II Cameron University, Has one of the most unique backgrounds you'll hear from any college head coach in the country. Her path hasn't always followed the traditional blueprint. She's been a high-level player, a successful business owner, a parent navigating the recruiting process with her own children, and the builder of a championship-level volleyball club rooted deeply in Hawaiian culture and values. Alongside her husband, Royden, She has spent years developing athletes and people through a model centered around relationships, accountability, growth, and family. And honestly, that's why I think she's such a smart hire. In a world where so many people are trying to copy leadership styles they think they're supposed to have, Danlyn has built her own. It's authentic, it's relational, it's grounded in something bigger than volleyball. One of the themes you'll hear throughout today's conversation is the Hawaiian concept of ohana, the idea that family extends beyond bloodlines and becomes a responsibility to care for, develop, and support the people around you. That mindset has shaped the way she coaches, the way she leads, and the way she plans to build the culture at Cameron. This conversation isn't just about volleyball, it's about leadership. It's about identity. It's about building programs where people feel connected, valued, and challenged to grow. And I think coaches at every level and in every sport will take something valuable away from this one. And don't miss part two of our conversation coming on Monday, May 18th on the Significant Recruiting Podcast, where Dani gives tremendous insight from the perspective of both a parent and a longtime club coach on what families should and shouldn't do during the recruiting process. And as always, make sure you subscribe to this week in Significant Coaching newsletter at coachmattrogers.com so you never miss an episode or our weekly blog, the Recruit, Coach, and Parent Tips of the Week, and great access to all of our recruiting books, journals, and online classes. All right, let's get into part one with the new Cameron University head volleyball coach, Dan Linsilva. Coach Silva, I am so excited for you. I know how overwhelmed you are taking a new job. I've taken enough new jobs to coaching that I know how much is being thrown at you right now, but I couldn't be more excited that you are where you are at, and these young women you're gonna be coaching have you. Thank you. I appreciate it. I'm excited. Good. You should be. All right. I, I'm gonna, I'm gonna throw a curveball at you to start. Here on the mainland, it's, it's kinda taboo that you don't buy sushi at a gas station. But when we go back home to Maui, I have found that that's where some of the best SPAM musubi and sushi can be found. Am I wrong? No, you're right. Absolutely. It's a thing about, I guess, the certain fish they use as well, right? Yeah. I mean, frozen fish kinda thing per se, fresh, you know what I mean? But- Yeah I guess it's the more so of the, the different ingredients we use, I think- Yeah because it's based at home, right? Yeah. So even just being... I watch the girls, they love sushi, right? Yeah. A lot of kids do, right? And stuff like that, but the things they use in there, like their poke bowls, n- we don't use carrots. That's r- You know what I mean? But you watch them and- Right and you're like,"That doesn't look good." But they love it. Yeah. They embrace it. But yeah, I would say you don't go to a gas station and just buy sushi. You just- Yeah don't know what's in it. Well, I made SPAM, uh, musubi last night for my kids,'cause they love SPAM, so- Nice I had, I had to ask you, ask you about it,'cause I know you won't be finding much sushi and SPAM in the gas stations in Oklahoma, so. No, that's a lot of things we carry with us that we just- get shipped from home, basically. Let's just be real. Yeah. And, you know, a lot of the girls like SPAM musubis. Yeah. You know? It, they, when they do try it, they're like,"Whoa, what is this?" Yeah. So I think I like that. I like that one little thing that I plan to bring to them here. Yeah. I, we did it at Florida Tech. Yeah. And they absolutely fell in love with it, even the pineapple with li hing mui. Yes. So I'm gonna try that with different fruits and see if they like that. Yeah. Well, my wife is Japanese, and my sister-in-law is, is Hawaiian, so I've, I've been eating Hawaiian and Japanese food since I was a little boy. So I, I can't get enough of it. It's, it's my favorite. So everything you're talking about, my mouth is watering. Uh, so I had, I had to talk a little Hawaiian food with you to start. All right, so Coach, for people who may not know, You and I, during this process, we've had many conversations during your interview process for this job, and you and I have talked about ohana a lot. Talk a little bit about what ohana means to you, and how you're gonna use that word and that, that feeling of ohana with your program you're building. I think for me, having ohana, which is family, it's very big in Hawaii. For people that don't know, family is pretty much everything and how we basically use everything. That's the base of it. So for me here, having that as o- ohana and family, I feel like my, myself and our staff and the team, I want us to know that we're all together. Like, family means together, right? We're all gonna... We're gonna be there for one another. We're gonna take responsibility, and we're gonna build relationships together here, but beyond. Like, just become family members, you know? And I'm hoping that these girls and the relationships that I build with them here, that that's something that we can carry on beyond them here, uh, when they go home for the summer, or even when graduation comes to be, and when they become an, uh, young women and they get married, and they have their own families. And hopefully that we draw that to know that we're family beyond. Even though we're not blood-related, you can still rely on me as being your family member if you need anything. So that's how I look as family being for ohana. I love that. And, and I know how unique that is. I know a lot of coaches talk about family, but I know how important that is to you, and that it's deep in your soul. So I'm so excited for the, the, the young women and the families that are gonna be a part of your family moving forward. I don't think they quite understand what they're getting and how real that is for you. Played high-level college volleyball, and then you ran a very successful business for years. You built a championship level volleyball club on the islands. You built that from ground up. You've raised your own kids, and recently you finished a year as an assistant NCAA Division II volleyball coach. You don't have the typical resume of a head college coach, which I love. Why does your unique journey make you a smart hire to lead a college program like at Cameron U? I think the uniqueness of it being that I was able to experience so many different things in life. I think it just brings me a lot of experience of just being a mother, like, you know, a- and then being able to translate that over to the court as being, as being passion- passionate, like loving people and caring for them on and off the court. So I think me being able to play volleyball in college, which is a great opportunity to play at the high- highest level, right? And learning that way of life. Right. Right? You being a person, you learning to step out of that box and being an adult, right? But with all the things of having to plan a team with rules and regulations, going to school, making sure you keep the grades. So that whole area of experience, that grew me as a person, you know? So that was great. Then I went home, be able to... I did experience a GA position, which was opened my eyes as far as coaching, right, at North Texas. Being able to be in that position, now realizing on the other side, right, doing all the paperwork, um, being that person with the ear to listen for the kids if they're complaining, right? That's, you know, just for them to, I guess, be able to relieve everything off their chest and get to talk to somebody. So being on that opposite side, I was like,"Dang, was I like that back in the days when I was there?" But, you know, just- Right you know, having to do the paperwork, being able to coach, learning that to have that relationship and grow, learning that you can only say certain things, right? It's just about being more professional about it. You know, I was hoping that I could have journeyed further with that, but just the way that life went, moved home, be- had a family, went on that avenue, had two beautiful kids, and then started a business together with my husband. You know, I think w- through this has also grown for me as a person, and knowing that I have to rely on my husband. You know what I mean? The two of us, but we work with each other 24/7, and not everybody can do that. Being a wife, being where you are also the, you work, you partner hand-in-hand working as work, and then now coming to be club coaches, and so we see each other 24/7, right? You wake up in the morning, you go to work with the guy, then you gotta come to club coaching, right? And then you do that side by side, and then now you go home and be husband and wife, plus mom and dad, two girls. So I think for me, I love the relationship. It's grown. I've grown even stronger. I've also, he's also taught me a lot that I don't... He's taught me one thing that I will remember for the rest of my life, is that I don't need him. He wanted me to be able to know that- I don't need anybody. I can stand on my own two feet and I can do it myself. So I think that's the biggest thing I learned from here, and I think that's what brings a great uniqueness for here, that I know that I can stand on my own two feet, I can be the head coach, and I can do what I, I can do on my own. Yeah. So it just grew me to be a stronger person, and an individual. Right. Yeah. You know? So that's what I think for me, with all of these different things and doing, learning about, even when I went to Florida Tech, learning about all the different things about being an assistant coach. You know, learning about how being behind the scenes versus you being the head coach, you learn a lot of different things, and you learn how the kids were, and how do you attack certain situations. But it brought growth for myself and for him, but I think more for me, just knowing that I actually could take this step and become a head coach. I always thought,"No, it's not possible. There's no way that anybody would hire me." Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. With having all the credentials on paper, but just being a person, I guess, in itself to take on that role. Yeah. So I think for me, just with all the different experiences in life, I think I bring a lot of different things to the table. Well, I grew up in a really small town, about 2,000 people, so for me, I know exactly what you're talking about in terms of I, I didn't grow up on an island, but it pretty much was. You know, stepping out of that town, even I, I grew up about two hours from Chicago. I remember going to Chicago the first time, and I thought I was, we might as well have flown to Mars. I'd never, I'd never seen anything that wasn't, you know, two lane traffic, one car going this way, one going... All of a sudden there's five lanes everywhere, and everybody's honking and going 100 mile an hour. And now I work with so many young women, and a lot of my clients are from Hawaii, and I know that the stress that they have of leaving home, leaving their family, there's so many things that feel different on the mainland. You're, you've gone through that now as an adult. So I completely understand why that's so important for families to see you as that surrogate parent to send their daughter to, because you get all that. You get that to the heart of how hard that is to leave home and go trust other people besides your family. Absolutely. Yep. Yeah. So that's fun. What are some of the things that as you start this new job, this first head coaching job at the college level, what are some of the things you're really excited about, that you feel like,"This is what I know I can bring to this and do well with it"? I think it's my, it's our, like, vision. So I guess for a v- on the volleyball court, it's more of our style of play. Yeah. And bringing it here to the college level and us doing it, you know, being able to execute it. Like in club it we made a difference just the way we chose to do it in our different schemes of volleyball, and it, it brought a lot of people to be like,"Oh, wow, you guys play like this." And it just brought fun, especially for the girls. Yeah.'Cause it's sometimes it just gets boring when it's always the same thing over and over. But allowing them to know that they can grow as a player, and they can do so many different things. They don't have to be one-dimensional, right? It's just expanding their horizon and being a better player in general, and just being open-minded. So I think a lot of things that I'm excited for here is just bringing that vision to the court. And I think also just our personalities more so,'cause we're, we're easygoing people, to be honest. We're just very simple people, and I... We love... Hawaii people like to talk, talk story, hang out, you know, get to know people, barbecue, right? Right. And stuff like that. So I, I, I think that bringing that here, and having and teaching the sense of Hawaii and what it's about amongst my staff members here, and also the girls. And, you know, our athletic director, he's amazing. And I realize that if I could just add to it,'cause the community here is great. I mean, Matt, I couldn't have been more thankful to have picked a great AD as a boss. He's super open, open to ideas, easy to talk to. And then just getting to know all of the other staff members here, they're just down-to-earth people, and they're starting just like us. You know what I mean? We have some that are s- been here for a while, and others that are newcomers like me. And so we get to bounce off each other. And so I'm excited just to be here. Like, they made us feel like family, to be honest. That's great. It was awesome. Yeah. Yeah. And I, and I know just talking to you and Roy, n- they've been really responsive to you. Like, when you've had questions- Oh, for sure or you needed something or, you know, or worried about something, they've responded to you in a way that said,"Hey, we really want you here. Absolutely. How can we make this easier for you?" And I, I, I think we take that for granted as people, how important that is to return a text, to return a phone call or,"Hey, l- I t- I'm gonna tell you I'm gonna do something for you, and then I'm gonna go do it, and, and get, get a response for you." Right? And... Yeah, no, and I think that I, what I liked about it is they saw you as a human being. Yes. I, I guess i- I mean, as simple as that. I, it might sound too simple, but they value you as a person. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It, it sounds, it sounds logical and practical, but we don't get enough of it in, in the real world. Yeah. Absolutely. Right. I agree. Yep. What are some of the skills you're excited to learn and, and some of the things that you know you've gotta, you've gotta kind of figure out and you wanna get better at? Uh, I think I need to learn to be able to, as a lot of people say, like my husband has it, the gift of gab. I'm not too good about... I'm not too great about that. Like I know what I wanna say, but I, I just can't, like, free flow it, you know what I mean? Like, I'm one of those that kinda looks at the situation, analyzes it a little bit, and then it's like I have to find my words. But I, I think I need to be more impromptu. But like, you know what I mean? Like, I just need to be better with that. And I guess maybe it comes with comfort, you know what I mean? Like I, I have to just be able to do that. And so I think with the experience of getting to talk to others around here is just helping me open up more, right? And you know, and I, I need to improve in that area. I mean, I'm not a terrible person. I'm a really nice person. I just feel like I think I just have to stop analyzing it so deeply and just kinda be like, just take it in for a moment, think a little bit, and then just be you. And so I need to be better with that, like, you know? And'cause I feel like I'm a nice person, I'm a good person, and I'm a... You know? And I think they would love me, it's just I have to just present myself better. Yeah. Does that make sense? Absolutely. And I, and I think, you know, the, there, there's stereotypes. Like, I'm a basketball coach. I think most people, the, the stereotype of basketball coaches is we're loud and, you know, we can walk into a room and, you know, we can bring, you know, talk, talk everybody's ear off. But volleyball coaches, I think it's the opposite. You, you look at some of the best coaches in the country, oftentimes, uh, you watch a game and it doesn't look like they're ever talking. It looks like their assistants are out and doing all, all, all the talking and all the teaching, you know? And so I think there's- Mm-hmm that, that stereotype that's a little bit different. But I think for you too, and I know this really well, being married to a Japanese woman for almost 30 years, is it takes her a little bit to go,"Okay, when we go somewhere new, is this safe for me? Is, is, are, are people gonna look at me because of I look different, or are they going to treat me, like you said, a human being?" So I think there's a little bit of that fence that we all put up when we're worried about that, don't you agree? No, I agree. Absolutely. And I, and I think that's what it is. I think that's how I see it too, is just kind of checking out the area first, and then knowing that all is okay, and then, you know, and then present itself. So I feel that same way. I just, I just wish I could be better at the gift of gab like my husband, but I get it. It's just work in progress, and I think when I'm more comfortable in this situation, then I probably just can't shut up. Well, I, I, I think there's that, that comfort level. And that's what I love about- Yeah the partnership that you two have, and I wanna get into that a little bit.'Cause it's, it's unique. Y- you know, you, you look, some- there's some really great college volleyball programs across the country where it's a husband and wife team, where either the husband's the head coach or the wife's the head coach and the other one's the assistant. And I, and I'm not sure you're ever gonna see that with any other sport. You're not gonna see that with basketball. You're not gonna see it with baseball. You rarely see it with softball. But with volleyball you see it. Talk a little bit about the dynamic that you two bring to that and, and kinda how you co-coach and how, how you attack that program together. I think it started basically just because we can do business together. Right. And I guess because we solely are with each other. I mean, don't get me wrong, we get a lot of people like,"I don't know how you guys do it. You guys are with each other 24/7." And I think we just have learned that we just bring different things. You know, he's more of the dreamer, and I'm more of the black and white side of it. And it's great. You know, I guess I kinda help him along the way for, to present his dreams and let it be accomplished. And I'm just one of those silent people behind that kinda help him, be like,"Hey, you can't do that." But I think both, you know, doing this, he's, he's shown that I need to believe in myself. You know,'cause he's the dreamer, right? But then it's like I do all the backend of it, but he's like,"You know that it's your time for you to shine." So him putting it out there, knowing that I can be self-sufficient and be good I think has brought me to where as we change roles, right?'Cause normally, I mean, you know on paper that normally I'm the president and the one just because I'm a woman, right? And in business that's supposed to be better and all that great stuff, right? Yeah. But as far as business mindset, that would be him. That's just the way he's lived life, and he's grown that way. You know, I'm a eight to four kinda g- girl when I grew up, and he was more of a business,'cause his dad was always a business. So it's what side of the pie do you wanna be on? Yeah. So I had to learn that as well, right? Right. Being in that aspect. So I think being able to see his vision and knowing that, and with my hard work and being the way I am, it just made it together. So we're able to work hand-in-hand,'cause I was gonna support him that way in the business aspect, but he can be the, the one going out there and doing all this business stuff. So same for volleyball. We chose to ch- to coach volleyball. Mind you, he is a basketball- True and true, right? He's a basketball player. But he loved volleyball, and he just started volleyball later in life. And that's how we crossed paths and how we know each other is through volleyball, which had become an amazing experience, um. But I think with us two having that love for volleyball and bringing it here and coaching together, it just balanced the two of us. He's more of a offenses type of person that loves to do that kind of things, and I'm a defensive person. So we complement each other that way. As far as you do you and I do you, and we just put it together, and it makes some... It makes great things. And I think with my personality, he's one of those that are, like, the fun and playful, and I'm more the hard ass. Like,"Hey, no." You know what I mean?"We gotta do this and this." Oh, right. And I'm the black and white type of person. So I think it helps each other. And our, our... The way that we do things, too, as far as with players, they can see he's the playful and I'm the, the boss. Like- Yeah but I, I, I mean, I'm playful, too. Don't get me wrong. But I think they can see the difference in how we both interact and what they can get away with and what they can't get away with, right? But who's the fun? And not saying that Coach Dani's not fun. She is fun. It's just that we see different things. So for me, beneficiary is that I can lean on him and he can lean on me. And I think we think alike. Our like minds think alike of what our vision is together, of where we see our goals and what we wanna accomplish. And us doing with my mind and his and what we've learned over the years just makes us stronger. Yeah. Well, it's, it's funny'cause I, I spent my whole career as a head college coach always looking for the assistant that could balance me out, you know, that could do the things that I knew I couldn't do well as a h- head coach that I needed them to be able to do. And a lot of that was, you know, being friends with the players and, and, and being someone that... You know, I was the person that had to make the cuts. I was the person that had to be, you know, get serious- Yes you to get serious. And I was always looking for that person that could be really responsible and accountable, but also be, be that person that the kids could rely on, that they had that balance between us. So that's what I love about you two, that your girls, your young women, I should say, are going to get... They're gonna get the best of that from both of you, don't you think? No, I agree. And it's different personalities, you know what I mean? Mm-hmm. And it'll be good. And I think it'll be great. Like, I love his vision. I love what I can bring to the table as well, and they, and they see it. Like, I think- Yeah that'll show them too that that family that we're looking for- Right they can see it amongst us, right? It's we're not here to buck each other, right? We're supposed to complement each other, and so that's what's gonna make us stronger, right? Yeah. And so I think that's how we complement each other, and I'm hoping that our relationship will shine onto them to know that it's okay, and that, you know, I'm just to make it stronger, and family is important to us. Yeah. They got a mom and a dad. You know, they're leaving mom and dad, and they're, they've got a new mom and dad coming that are gonna be on the court with them every day. Right. Absolutely, yeah. You know they can trust lean on you, and they've got you both, and they know that you two have got each other's backs as well, which is, which is huge. You know, that loyalty. It is. Ag- again, finding an assistant coach that can do all those things and be loyal, that's, that's hard to find, and you guys got that built in already. Yeah, and I actually like it'cause it, it has changed, right? It... Now the shoe is on the other side where I'm actually the head coach, and I get to- Right tell him what to do. I love that too. And we both know he needs it. Yes, for sure. Um, I wanna talk a little bit about the club world because I, I, you know, my daughter played club volleyball for eight years, and I'm really close to, uh, Bubby- Bubba and Jimmy Thibodeau over in Maui. We, we talk a lot. You've spent years building athletes over the long term in the club world. How does that development mindset translate to the college level? For Hawaii it was different, right?'Cause we're always smaller, right? So it's just trying to get the kids to know that what they have, their skills, to utilize it can make them better, right? Everything in SOYO is you're too small or you're too this, right? So I think for us, being the way that we chose to play volleyball and our s- the way our scheme is, we wanted to give them confidence to know that no matter, you know, no matter what you choose to do, and you wanna go to college to play ball, it's great. And it's totally accomplish- accomplish- where you can accomplish it. But, like, giving them all the tools they need to be successful, but they have to be open-minded too, right? But they gotta be able to take it all in. And knowing that they work hard, put in the effort, and all these things will happen for them. So I think for me, that's how I see it as far as, like, having it translate to them that they gotta work hard. No matter if it's here in high school, right, or in club. No matter what you do, you have to work hard, and it'll show when you get to the next level. And that's doing on and off the court. And that's even, you know, to work out even though when you're not at high school practice or if you're not at club practice, right? What are you doing on your downtime? That makes you better. Yeah. Yeah, and I, I think that's the hardest part for any athlete at any age is l- learning that, you know?"Well, I work really hard in practice every day." Okay, that's great, so is everybody else. You wanna separate yourself. You wanna play in college. Right. You wanna be all-conference. You wanna be a starter. That means you have to do the extra work when practice is over, now what are you doing? So I, I love that mindset. Coach, what are some of the foundational pieces when... And I know you're, you've got a billion things. You're gonna have paralysis by analysis for the next couple of months,'cause you're gonna have so much information being thrown at you. What are some of the foundational things you want to build your program on? And that can be anything from what's on the court to the things you wanna do off the court. Um, I wanna... I guess my two big things that I wanna develop here is love and trust. That's the biggest thing I wanna develop here is with the girls on and off the court. I want them to know that h- uh, here we're here to build, to bring love. Like, we're gonna love on them like they're our own kids. That's exactly. We're gonna know that their parents need to know that we're gonna take care of them.'Cause we're parents at the end of the day as well, and our job is to make sure, right, after they sign that paper that you get sent over and you get sent to us, our job is to take care of you. That's what it is. That's what the contract is part of, too, right? So I want them to know as well as parents to know that we're gonna love on them each and every day. And to build that relationship, to know that I am here for them, I'm gonna help them any way I can. And the, and to trust. I want them to trust that I'm gonna be a good coach, and I'm also gonna be a good mom, I guess you could say, for them- Yeah as well, and that, that they can re- that they can trust all that we're doing, and I need to learn to trust them, right? There's rules that you have to follow and all that. You don't... If you can show me that I can trust you and respect you, all is good. It's easy. Life is easy. Yeah. Yeah. So I, I, yeah, I think those are the two important things that I wanna bring here. And, and again, why does the foundation have to be more than love and trust, right?'Cause a, a part of love and trust is I'm gonna kick you in the butt if you're not working hard. I'm gonna kick you in the butt if you're not doing these things we expect from you. I'm gonna kick you in the butt if you're not treating this as your our ohana, and you're, you're not taking that seriously. But you have to trust, too. You have to, we have to earn that trust that I'm gonna kick you in the butt, and we're gonna discipline you when you need to be, but that doesn't mean we're not, we don't love you anymore and we don't trust you. That's, that's a part of developing that trust. Yeah. Right? And I feel like those are two words that you should have in your household when you're small So that's something that is easy for them to relate to, right? That's not new words that they've never heard, and that's just the same type of things that you have at home. So I feel like bringing it here, they should be able to understand that it's as simple as that. Yeah. I love that, too. Coach, I know, again, this is a really hard question to ask you, but let's, let's look ahead to next May. You've finished your first year. Okay. Forget about what everybody else thinks. What does success look like for you in a year? What are, what are you gonna be... You know you're gonna be happy and proud of that year. What's it look like? For me, I think what I'm gonna be proud of is just being able to make the whole year, to be honest, and I survive it. Let's just be real, you know what I mean? Let's- Let's be- just happy to know that I made it let's be real, yes. Like, to be able to survive the whole year. Right. I, I mean, going through all the trials and tribulations, you know, and I think if I can stay within the budget. You know, everything is budget over here, and I'm just like,"I get it. It's very important." Yeah. And I'm just like,"Wow." I... You know, now that you're here and on paper and you realize it's not just about coaching volleyball. Right. Like, you physically have to, like, make sure you're within the rules and regulations, too. I... So I think for me, success would be that we get through the year without anything happening and everybody is healthy- Right all of our girls. Um, gaining great relationships with these girls. That's my biggest. Having to know that I've grown a great relationship here with the staff and the school. And getting good wins through volleyball season, you know, being able to put our product out there, getting the girls to buy in, to love it, and, and also to, for know- for them to know that they love the game. Just seeing, like, happiness. Right. You know, wanting to change the program, to bringing more smiles and not disappointment- Yeah m- moving forward. So I, I'm hoping that that brings. You know, even if it's just to see, to even learn that the g- the kids learn something, they like the, what we brought to the table, they had fun throughout the season, and it's gonna be a memorable season. So for me, that would be considered a win, to make a memorable season for the girls that are here and for the seniors that leave, and just knowing that we brought something here that will give them something that they will, that will, they will know for the rest of their life. You know what I mean? Just a memory that they can take for the type of p- people we are, and take it with them and share, and maybe refer other people to come to Cameron. That right there, Coach, is why I know you're gonna do great. You're not just gonna do good things. You're gonna do great things because I, I, and I tell people this all the time, the best coaching job I ever did was the year- I went 3 and 24. We only won three games. We transitioned from NCAA Division III, one of the weaker conferences in NCAA Division III, to one of the best conferences in NCAA Division II. Wow. So it was like going from middle school to the e- to the pros in a year. And we didn't have any scholarships. All the other teams had 10 scholarships and we had zero. So we were, we were throwing babies out at these grown men. And we only won three games, but by the end of the year, we were playing better than everybody. And we, and we beat a team we weren't supposed to beat. We weren't supposed to beat anybody, but we beat, you know, somebody in the conference that was really good. And it was that, that's when we knew we were having fun, we were playing the way we wanted to play, we were believing in the way we wanted to play. Yeah. And all of a sudden we saw the fruits of all that labor and all that sacrifice. So I love that perspective and I love where your priorities are at. Um, and, and that will continue. Um, we're gonna get into recruiting in part two, but talk a little bit about, a little bit about the X's and O's,'cause I, I, I think the way you guys use your middles is really cool. Talk a little bit about the X's and O's on, on what makes your style a little bit different. For us, I feel like we value, we value everyone on our team, but our biggest push is our middles. We just love... You know, a lot of people work f- when they look at volleyball, they work from outside and in, to in- Right where we go from inside to out. We feel like our middle blockers are the biggest contribute to allow us to run our scheme. We have to run the middle. The middle has to be respected on the other side, and that just opens up everything else for everybody else. And we want our middle blockers to be middle hitters and not just middle blockers. They work the hardest when it comes to volleyball, and I don't know if everybody understands that. They might be only in for three rotations, but they work hard when they're in there for three rotations. But it also comes to where we tell them,"Hey, you're only in there for three rotations. You have to bust your butt for three rotations." But they're our biggest biggest contributors that we need. Like, we need to realize that they're valued and we need them all the time. Like, you can't take plays off. Without, with you taking plays off, that just messes everything else up, right? You need to be respected, and you need to earn that. So by you busting your butt and being there and being on time and doing your job just makes life easier for everybody else. But then also to know that they're not just gonna be blocking, they're gonna get the ball to hit. They have to be a threat. Yeah. And we're gonna use them. And if you're the person that is the hot hitter, then we're gonna give you every ball, and that just shows them value, and that's how we s- how we choose to work our scheme of play is from the middle and out. Right. And I love that. To me it's, it's kinda like football. You know, the great football teams, they have a great running back that, that has all those hard runs. They're the ones getting tackled the most. They're the ones that gotta bring everybody in and suck everybody up and, and that, that's the hard job. But when they do that well, now everything on the outside opens up. All the wide receivers are open. Now they're on one-on-ones instead of being double-teamed. So I, the way you guys talk to me about your middles, I, you know, I think about baseball and the great baseball teams that do that, and the, and the great basketball teams that think that way. They s- they get the ball into the post. So I, I'm really excited to see not only what happens this year at Cameron, but three, four years down the road when you get your kids in and really teach them how to play the game the right way, what that's gonna look like. Um, go ahead. No, and I think it's for them, like the girls here, like just recruiting, right? Yeah. You're, you're... They never heard about things like that, right? They're like,"What? You value me as a middle? I'm just not gonna do this?" It's like, no, we base our scheme around you. So even for our returnees here, she, you know, the girl Pressy was like,"What? For real?" And I said,"Yeah. You're, uh, there's a reason why you're here." You know, and I think just the thought process is a little different. Like, whoa, I like that. Yep. You know, and knowing, you know, just giving them a sense of confidence, right? Like, there's more to it than just being that person that goes to block and that's about it. Yeah. I said, so I think just opening their eyes to new things, and I think what bringing the way that we play, I think it'll just make them feel more, I know I keep using the word valued, but knowing that they matter. Yeah. You know? And I, and I, yeah. They- they're so underappreciated. They're so underutilized, and at every level. You know- Yeah even, even on the Olympic team, there's times where the, the middle will have, just dominate, and then she doesn't get a ball for four or five sets. Right? You know, and, and, and it's, and it's hard, it's hard to keep that energy up that you're talking about when you never know when you're gonna get set, and you never know when that next opportunity's come.'Cause oftentimes your, your prima donnas are on the, on the pins. Yeah. And they just- They need to g- they, they wanna get fed, like our, like the- I agree libero receivers, you know? Y- yeah, and you get... You don't want them to get discouraged, right? Right. You don't want them to feel like,"I keep running and I'm not getting anything." And I get it. Right. And I, you know, and I understand that. But y- you know, we have, like, a, a percentage that we do, and we, we teach that to the setter, and how and who and what, and just to vision the game and how they see it. So I know it starts from somewhere, but we always tell them,"It starts from you." Yeah. You start the base. Yep. Well, and it's, it's amazing the confidence that happens around a middle when they're dominating at the net offensive and defensively, right? Mm-hmm, yeah. You know, all, all of a sudden the... Everybody's a little bit more relaxed, everybody's a little bit more aggressive because they know that middle can get them a point or steal a point. And so I- Mm-hmm I, I've, I'm really excited to see what that mindset is. Coach, uh, I've loved this. I, I wanna wrap up this first segment with a little rapid fire with you, give you some fun questions. Um, I wanna get to know you a little bit better, but I want our audience to get to know you a little bit better. Um, do you have a favorite artist or m- a musician or band that you like? Um, I like Maoli. Not sure if... I mean, I don't know if anybody's seen, but he's kinda taking the scene of around the world. And he's like a reggae/country- Yeah singer. Yeah. Spell that, spell his name for me. M-A-O-L-I. Yeah, I've seen him. Okay. Awesome. Do you have a... Y- Is there a favorite song that you love? No, I like all of his songs. Okay. I can't... I mean, I've... No, I actually like them all, to be honest. I know- Y- that's sad, but yeah. Is there a s- is there a song from growing up? Like, th- there, there's, there's songs for me that I could play and I could play 500 times and it never got old. Was there songs like that when you were growing up? Oh my lord, you're making me dig deep, Matt. Oh my gosh. I sh- I mean, there are- I lo- Hawaiian songs, but I don't really have a mo- I mean... Yeah. Yeah. That's okay. I'll, I'll, I'll- Sorry I'm gonna dig into... Is, is, how do you pronounce it, Maoli? Or m- M- uh, Maoli. Maoli. Ma-oli. Maoli. Yep. Okay. Yeah. I'm gonna dig in and listen a little bit. Um, what's your favorite thing about Hawaiian volleyball culture?'Cause I know you guys came over to the mainland a lot to play with your club teams. Is there something about the Hawaiian culture that's different than what we see over on the mainland? I think it's the auntie and uncle- Yeah to be honest. You know what I mean? Like, for- Dig into that a little bit more. Explain that a little bit more I think for us, you know, me, my husband, and myself, we don't like to be called coach You know, especially, I guess you can do that when you're in Hawaii, right? Right. And everything is auntie and uncle. Yeah. And, and that's just something that w- the endearment that we love, you know, knowing that, I guess. Yeah. And even, I guess, in culture in general, like, you go to the grocery store and be like,"Oh, Auntie, thank you for that." It's just, like, something we use all the time, and it's, like, normal- Yeah kind of thing. So I think that's what I like to bring here. And I get it, it's more about, like, coach and this and that. Like, for me, it's even hard, like, being in the mainland and calling you by your first name. Yes. That's weird. Yes. And, and I know that's terrible, and I apologize to a lot of people, but I just... We weren't grown up that way, so to utilize somebody by their first name, it's hard for me to do. What's, what's the term you would use for a friend, you know, somebody that's not, maybe not older than you, or someone in a position like a teacher, what would you call them in the, in Hawaii? You would call them by, like, Mister or Missus, right? Right. By their last name, right? It's not just like,"Hey, Matt." You know what I mean, kind of thing. You know? So it's, it's just kind of- Yes y- I had to get used to to that. You know, like, even coaching at Florida Tech, right? Yep. Everything is by your name. A- and I get it, you know, they're adults, so I can see that part. You know what I mean? But it just had to get used to to it,'cause normally it's auntie and uncle, right? Yeah. And not, you know... So that's a little bit where I had to kind of be like,"Oh, that's how we have to do it." You know what I mean? But- Same way you know. Yeah. I'm the same way. I, I remember not recruiting kids that I would call on the phone, and they would call me Matt. And, and I, I don't know why that- Really? affected me. But I was like, I, I just... There was something about the fact that they didn't call me Coach. Not that I, I needed that respect, but it's like, it was the way they used my name. Like I was a guy on the street, you know? I wasn't someone that was going to coach them and mentor them. I was just another, you know, person at- Yeah the gas station or the, you know, the person they were walking by on the street. So i- and I'm not saying- I agree I didn't recruit that kid, but it bothered me. It just... You know? And, and I'm- Well- an uncle, too. I, I've got, I've got s- 14 nieces and nephews and 25 great-nieces and nephews. Wow. And Uncle, Uncle Matt is what I hear a lot, you know? No. And I, and that's why, for me, I had to take it back, and I was just like... It was kind of weird. And, you know, on the flip side, you have a lot of kids that are from Texas that are,"Yes, sir." Yes."Yes, ma'am." That's right. You know what I mean? So- That's how I was raised and that's like... Yeah. And it's like, you know what I mean? But you take back to it, but very respectful, and that's what comes out of your mouth, right? Right. When you, they do that, you're like,"Wow, she's very respectful." Right? It's just- And so, and I, and I think that's what it is in Hawaii, right? Just by the endearment of saying Auntie and Uncle, that's still respecting them, right? Grand- Yes'cause you don't know their name, right? So I think that's what- That's the respect that we show in Hawaii, that,"Oh, Auntie, thank you so much." You know what I mean? Like, it, that's how I feel. But then, like, when it comes to where you're like,"Hey, Matt," you're like,"What?" Like, you know what I mean? You just kinda get taken back by it. It's like,"Whoa, okay." Yeah. So a lot of things I have to learn about that, but don't get me wrong, I am like you. I feel like respect is a big thing. Yeah. And I think when you start talking to your, the young women in your program about that and, and have that conversation with them,'cause I... It'll go, some of the kids are really gonna struggle with calling you auntie or Royden uncle. And but once they understand what that really means, I think they'll love it, and I think they'll appreciate. It'll, it'll make them feel closer to you so much faster because of it. And I think so, and just having them, right? So, like, if my parents were come to visit, right? Right. Or, you know, just be like,"Oh, hi, Auntie and Uncle," and just l- them understanding that, right?'Cause don't get me wrong, here in our future we're hoping to go to Hawaii. Yeah. So I just wanted to give them that little tip- Yeah that, like, hey, even if you see them and be like,"Oh, thank you, Auntie and Uncle," it's gonna go far. Right. So just couple things like that, just simple stuff. Yeah. That's what I see that if they can take with them, for sure. I took, I took my first team to Hawaii back in, like, 2003, 2004. And my sister-in-law, the Tarikina family on, on the, on the north, on the north island, um, they were so, they were so loving to my players. You know? My, my kids didn't wanna leave, you know? We, they did- Yeah, for sure the pig roast, we did the luau. We, we did everything, and they just, they treated them s- with so much love and respect. They're like... A- a- and it, and it hurt me a little bit that we don't get that here on the mainland enough. That y- y- you, you know, you walk down the street in Hawaii and people are gonna respect you. They're gonna treat you with kindness. They're gonna... And we don't always get that here, you know? When you do get that, it's al- almost like,"Whoa, I wasn't, I'm not ready for that." And that's where I'm a little concerned, too, about, like, right? Yeah.'Cause you don't want them to take a step back to be like,"Oh, you're invading my space." I think that just for them to understand just, just the way, genuinely, that's just how we are, right? We wanna share the aloha and bring you in, make you feel that way, and make sure you leave the island knowing that you have a friend, a family member that you just met, and you c- or maybe a friend for life. That's right. And it's just that feeling. And you know, I, I am a little hesitant about that just because I don't wanna be overbearing, to know- Yeah that that's just the way we are as genuine people. But also hoping they embrace it and take it. It's new, but they're gonna be so hungry for it. I think we all are. I think we're all hungry for, for ohana and aloha, and what that means and, and, and, and l- learning how to feel that in our bones. So I, I think, I think over time you're gonna have kids that are just gonna be... You're- They're gonna be such better human beings because of what they're gonna experience that's a little different than their culture that they grew up with. So I l- I love all that. Um, what's the thing you're gonna miss not being in Hawaii the most? I know you just spent a year in Florida. What's the thing you miss the most when you're here? The food. Yeah. It's hard to top. I, and just, and I, you know, I, I think I like just family time. Yeah. Like, we sit around the table, like, you know, just sit down, ask how you're doing. Yeah. Have a few laughs, remember old times, and you talk about anything. Yeah. You know what I mean? And I think that's what I miss, like, visiting family time, like asking about,"So how was your day? What'd you do today?" Right. You know what I mean? Like, we don't do that a lot. Like, at Florida, we, we're lucky. Jordan and them love to do that, so we would go out and eat versus- Yeah you know what I mean? So that we can touch base and see how everybody's doing outside the world of volleyball. And so- Yeah I think I, the, that's what I miss. You know what I mean? Just being able to sit at a family table, enjoy each other's company, and just check on each and every one and know what they're doing. Yeah. That's, that's what I, that's what I love about my family. It's, and when I l- I w- the reason I love going back to Hawaii is the TV and the cell phone, it's all, all of a sudden it disappears. It doesn't exist. You know, you're more excited about playing cards. You're, you're, you're- Right. Yeah more excited about being in the kitchen and talking and cooking all at the same time. Even if you're not the one cooking, it's the conversation that's going on in that kitchen and, and how it- Conversation moves into the living room, and then it moves out into the porch, you know? And then- Yeah it moves out into the front lawn and, and so I'm- I'm with you there. I'm, I'm gonna be visiting just, just for that part. I'll, I'll come for the... I'll tell you I'm coming for the volleyball, but I'm coming for all that too. And just laughing, right? Right. Just to share laughs, right? Laughing is great. Yeah. I agree. Um, what's the best coaching advice you've ever received? To be you. Perfect, period. Um, what's the most underrated quality in a recruit? I'm sorry, what did you ask again? What's the most underrated quality in a recruit, a, a, for a young woman that you want on your team? Mm. Underrated. A quality that's underrated. I wanna say personality, and the only reason why I say that is because I feel like when you're making your recruiting videos, it's always about,"I gotta make what I feel like the coach wants to see," right? Right. But I, and it's hard to create that, right? Because, you know, we also wanna recruit the person you are, right? Right.'Cause if, if the, if you're gonna plan to be here for four years, I've gotta know who you are as a person, right? So I think that's where it's underrated,'cause I can't see much of that. Like, I can see how hard you work as an athlete, I can see all of these great things, but I don't see much about who you are as a person,'cause there's not much talking, right? So I think that's where I feel like it's hard. And don't get me wrong, we val- we see you often on, uh, I mean, off the court as well, like as a teammate, if you cheer on other people, right? What kind of positiveness comes out of you. But just looking at you as a type of person you are, I think for me is underrated to show when you're doing recruiting, right? Unless I truly have a full conversation with you. Yeah. But, like, I won't have that till after the fact, right? Like, I have to visually watch your videos and be like,"Oh, I wonder if she's that kind of person," kind of thing. Yeah. I, I, I don't know if that's... Sorry that's weird to me, but I feel like- Oh, my gosh. That's, I- personality is a big thing. I'm not so sure it's not the smartest thing any coach has ever said on this podcast,'cause really what you're saying is,"What I crave is authenticity. I wanna, I wanna know who you really are. I don't want all the, the fluff. I wanna know who are you? Okay, are you serious? But you, you have a lot of fun. You come to work, but off the court, you're, you can be a goofball. I wanna know all those things," right? And it's hard. Don't get me wrong. Yeah. You can't, because your job is to put out your skills, and I, I get all that. Yeah. But then, like, just even recruiting, and then now when you pick up the phone, you actually talk to them, you're like,"That's not what I expected." That's right. You know what I mean? Like, that just kinda be like,"Whoa, that was different." Right. Or you come off and you're be like,"That was an amazing phone call." Right."But I would've never saw that from her based on what she's putting on the video." So- Right I think that's underrated as far as that. Let's end it on that. That is fantastic.'Cause that's, that's one of those things that sometimes I'll get done with a podcast, and for the next three days, that's all I can think about. So when I'm recruiting and I'm talking to kids, that's gonna help me a lot. And we talk about these things already, but just letting her know, be you. It's like dating, you know? Sometimes- I know people that... I know, I know some people that have been married for years, and they're afraid to blow a little gas, you know, out of the, at night. You know, they're afraid to, for that person to see them naked, you know, when they're having a bad day with their body, you know? It, it takes a while to get comfortable with people. For sure. And I think for recruits can say,"Here I am." If you don't like me, and that's a, that's, that's okay. You know? That means I probably need to go somewhere else. Yeah, and it's not for everybody. It's not for everyone. And I, and I get it. Yeah. Right. And you're trying to... And that's why I say by underrated, it's hard because you're trying to, you know, your, your goal is to please everybody personality-wise, right? Right. You want them all to kind of cohesive together. So yeah, that's how I feel about that. Well, and I think that's probably at the heart of why we see so many kids in the portal every year, because it's hard for them to be authentic with new people. And if that- Mm-hmm if they get to a place because they were given s- amount of money or a scholarship, and all of a sudden it's not a good fit and they can't be themselves, so they don't feel like their best self is coming out- Uh-huh well, of course they're gonna wanna leave. So making that a priority early on for the kid and the parents and for the coach, and you're taking that seriously, I think that's great. So Coach, thanks for doing this. For you that are listening, come back on Monday. We're gonna dive into recruiting with Coach Dani and really talk about how she's attacking building her roster and how she wants to build that in the future, and she's also gonna give you some great advice for you families that are going through that recruiting journey. So thank you, Coach. Thank you. As we wrap up part one with Dani Silva, I hope one of the things that stood out to you throughout this conversation was just how authentic her approach to leadership really is. In a profession where so many coaches feel pressure to fit into a certain mold, Dani has built her philosophy around relationships, development, family, and culture. And honestly, that's a huge reason why I believe she's gonna have success at Cameron University. The word ohana came up a lot today, and I think that's important, not because it's a slogan or a buzzword, but because you can genuinely hear how deeply she believes in creating environments where people feel connected and supported and challenged to grow together. Those kinds of cultures don't happen by accident. They're built intentionally every single day. And what makes Dani's story so interesting is that her perspective was shaped through so many different experiences, whether it be playing, parenting, building a successful business, building a successful club program, and working alongside families for years during some of the most important stages of their kids' lives. That gives her a viewpoint that is different from many coaches in college athletics today. But we're not done yet. Make sure you come back for part two on the Significant Recruiting Podcast because Dani gives outstanding insight from both the parent and club coach perspective about the recruiting process. We talk about what college coaches do well, what families need to understand, mistakes recruits make, and what actually gets a coach's attention in today's recruiting world. There's a lot of practical wisdom in that conversation for recruits, parents, high school coaches, and club directors alike. As always, thank you so much for being a part of the Significant Coaching community. Until next time, stay focused on what you can control, stay humble, and keep chasing significance.