Benny DeShields, one of the area’s most successful volleyball coaches, has decided to step down from coaching after a 24-year career, including the last 16 at West Branch High School.
In a statement sent last week, West Branch Athletics praised DeShields as a coach “dedicated to helping young athletes and fostering their passion for the game of volleyball” during a career “marked by victories and memorable moments.”
West Branch athletics credits her with leaving an “indelible mark on the volleyball community.”
Her coaching career includes eight years at Louisville followed by 16 years at West Branch. She compiled a record of 141-55 at Louisville before going 204-173 at West Branch. Her overall career record is 345-228.
Her Louisville teams have won three league titles and three district championships, including 2001 when the Panthers rallied from a 14-7 deficit in the deciding set to win 16-14. She left Louisville with the most coaching wins in program history (she now ranks second) and still holds the school’s highest winning percentage, at .714.
Her West Branch teams have been regulars in the district tournament, going 53-21 over the past three seasons with three straight runner-up finishes. That stretch included a 20-win season in 2021 and she earned EBC Coach of the Year honors last season after the team went 15-10.
Penny DeShields also currently serves as assistant principal at West Branch High School.
A 1990 graduate of West Branch, she credits her former basketball coach, Chuck Campbell, and volleyball coach, Sue Dias, for leading her on the path to becoming a teacher and coach.
“What I loved most about coaching was the relationships I built with the other players and coaches,” DeShields said in a statement released by West Branch.
She “expresses her deep gratitude for the unwavering support and opportunities the school has provided throughout her journey,” the statement said.
She also credits her family for their support and love of athletics. Her husband, Walt, is West Branch’s longtime girls basketball coach and also served as her assistant volleyball coach this past season. Their three boys, Kip, TJ, and Drew, excelled in athletics.
TJ and Dru both play college football and she’s looking forward to watching them play in 2024.