MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Sarah and Sellers Dubberly met in Auburn in 2009, they were neighbors. They were engaged in 2012 and were married on June 20, 2014. The couple coach the Capital City Juniors Club volleyball team, but coach for separate private schools in Montgomery. Sarah is the head coach at Trinity Presbyterian School, while Sellers is the head coach at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School. This is where things get interesting, not only are the schools rivals, but they are in the same classification (3A) and the same area.

“It’s not exactly the ideal situation to coach against your spouse. It’s especially difficult because we coach together in Club and are so used to bouncing ideas off each other then when we get to school season we try to avoid volleyball talk at home. We’ll tell each other if we won a game or lost a game but we do not talk about lineups or players strengths and weaknesses,” said Sarah. Sellers added, “I feel like sports are all we talk about at home, but the tone definitely changes around school volleyball season. In the past (before we were direct competitors), Sarah and I would bounce ideas off each other and compare notes on how our respective teams were doing on a daily basis. Now that we’re area rivals, we try to steer clear of anything that might give the other an advantage when we meet on the court. Funny thing is, we know each other so well that nothing is ever a surprise when we match up. It’s definitely a balancing act but I think we do as well as can be expected.”

Sarah was named the head coach at Trinity in 2019. It was the first time she had coached without Sellers by her side. “My first season with varsity I knew I wasn’t going to have Sellers coaching with me and anyone who has seen us coach together knows that we have a very good balance. I felt like since I wasn’t going to have him, so I needed to be someone I wasn’t. It did not work well for me or my team. We didn’t make it to the playoffs. The next year I really focused on coaching as I always have and it was a much more pleasant experience for all of us. It’s important to not try and be something you aren’t,” she said. Sellers has no formal background in volleyball, he got his start as Sarah’s assistant coach in 2012, by 2014 he was coaching his own team. Sarah has been a great coach to Sellers, he has seen tremendous success over the years.

“I’ve been fortunate to coach volleyball at so many different levels and have had teams win area championships, three at Edgewood and one at Catholic as the head coach, one Capital City Conference championship at Saint James as the Junior Varsity head coach, five state championships as the head coach at Edgewood, two with the varsity and three with the JV, and various championships and tournaments at the club level. Some of the games that stand out the most aren’t necessarily a championship, but when we were able to upset a team we had no business beating- those tend to stay with me the most,” he said. 

Sarah’s Lady Wildcats are the reigning state champions. “Last year’s team was such a special group. They had great chemistry, they trusted me, they trusted each other, they worked hard, they were very talented and their efforts/mentality paid off during the playoffs and championship match. After the area tournament, the girls didn’t drop a set the rest of the season. Almost unheard of in volleyball. One thing I’ll never forget was knowing Sellers was in the stands supporting me every step of the way,” said Sarah. Sellers recalled, “it was so exciting to see Sarah work so hard toward a goal and see her accomplish it. I had a front row seat to all the hard work and dedication she put in working to help these girls accomplish their dreams of winning a state championship. Sarah inspires me.” 

While their teams have seen tremendous success, part of being a coach is teaching your athletes to deal with disappointment and adversity, the Dubberly’s know there is more to life than sports for these girls. “I feel like the majority of our losses come down to our mindset. Sometimes it’s a weak mindset, sometimes it’s a lazy mindset, sometimes it’s a selfish mindset, etc. We try to use any loss to evaluate ourselves, grow from it and then put it behind us. Sports are a tiny microcosm of life, things aren’t always easy, you won’t always get what you want, you don’t always get rewarded for hard work. I try to help the girls see this, oftentimes it’s easier to see after a loss,” said Sarah. Sellers added, I just point out the fact that it’s only one game and if we learn from it, then we can use it to better ourselves as a team and as individuals. That’s the incredible thing about sports, there are lessons to be learned in every practice, workout, and game, regardless of whether you win or lose.”

It is obvious that the Dubberly’s are a winning duo but while winning is a great legacy to leave, it’s the relationships with the athletes that matter the most to them. “I want every player I coach to be a better athlete and individual because of their time spent with me. I tell every player I coach that I care about them both on and off the court and I truly mean it. I try to teach them lessons and habits that will benefit them for years to come, in every facet of their lives. I think winning is a byproduct of the change that I can affect in those other areas,” said Sellers. Sarah added, “ I hope that every girl I’ve ever coached knows that I love them and care about them. I try to remind them to stay humble, stay kind and to make good choices. Three simple concepts that sometimes teenagers need to be reminded of.”

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