Episode 34

Empowering Lives Through Sport - Lori Okimura's Passion

Everyone should have a chance to play the sports they love. As the President of ParaVolley, Lori Okimura helps players with various physical disabilities come together to compete on the volleyball court. Whether it’s using coconut trees for net posts, communicating through cultural barriers, or playing at the age of 92, as Lori tells Janice, if there’s a will, there’s a hundred ways.

Links mentioned:

For more information go to www.side-out.org.
Follow the side-out organization on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sideoutfndn/
Have suggestions for the podcast? Email Janice: leaveitbetter@side-out.org

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The Leave It Better Podcast

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About your host

Janice Kruger

Janice coached college volleyball for thirty years. She began coaching at the Community College level for one year, then spent nine years at the University of Nebraska at Omaha NCAA Division II level and finished her collegiate coaching career as the head coach of the University of Maryland Terrapins Division I program for 20 years. She led four teams into the NCAA Division II National Championship, won 10 career conference titles, and was recognized 6 times both for Conference and Region Coach of the Year honors. In 2023, Janice was inducted in to the Omaha University (formerly University of Nebraska-Omaha) Athletic Hall of Fame.
Her peers honored her success in coaching by voting her twice as the NCAA Division II American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Coach of the Year (1983 and 1986.)