My name is Natasha Shorts, a graduate of Charles F. Brush High School in 2011, and I am entering my second year as the Head Volleyball Coach, and third year PE/Health teacher here at Brush. As a Brush Arc I was a 3-sport athlete in Volleyball, Basketball and Track. In Volleyball I was a 2 year starter on Varsity where senior year I became captain. I won the Integrity Award and the EMcT scholarship that is still offered to Volleyball players here at Brush.
As a starting member of the basketball team we won back to back District Championships and became the only team male or female to be one game away from States here at Brush. I was named Honorable Mention All Conference my junior and senior year for basketball. I also received Basketball MVP my senior year. In 2010 for track I was the NOC Lake conference Champion in the 100m hurdles. I was a 3x Regional Qualifier for Track as well as a 3x MVP. I also received All Conference All-Academic for every sport.
After graduating I continued my education and athletic career in college where I played Volleyball and ran Track at Otterbein University. In 2012 our volleyball team won the Ohio Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship. In 2015 I won the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship in the javelin throw. After college I worked as a missionary for seven years with Athletes in Action ministry with athletes at Otterbein University, The Ohio State University. The University of Tennessee, and around the world. I had the privilege of working with athletes in South Africa, Puerto Rico, and more countries teaching them how to use their platform of sport to advance the gospel and gain freedom in how they play.
Coaching has become not only a joy in my life but a major passion. I love being able to work with young girls to help encourage them to become whatever they were created to be. As a coach I have more access to their lives so I get the privilege to speak into the more difficult parts and give hope just by being there for them each day. They see us at our best and worst and we see them at their best and worse so that creates a bond of respect and care that is hard to explain. Plus I LOVE seeing someone who has never played a sport try something new and learn to love it! That is what I pride myself on as a coach, seeing potential in girls who have never played and giving them the opportunity to become great.
As Alumni, I take a very special pride in coaching for a team that I once played for as a student athlete. I do not take this lightly. Great people, great athletes, great teams have come out of Brush. It is time that we get back to that fun winning atmosphere that Brush Volleyball had in the 90s. It is time we make Brush Volleyball a force to be reckoned with in this city and beyond.
I am excited for the city to see what we are working with here at Brush, I think we will be a good surprise to many this year and in the years to come.
