Growing up, the little girls see the celebrations, the fast pace and the success that a program like Fairfield volleyball carries. Madeline Gawthrop was one of those girls, hoping to one day be part of all the pageantry.
As a player, Gawthrop eventually became a force within the program, helping the Lady Falcons to a regional championship as a senior.
Three years later and after a year as an assistant coach, Gawthrop is now piloting the program as the interim head coach. The full circle is surreal.
“I’m so passionate about the program and the community and school,” Gawthrop said just days after being named interim coach. “The name we have across the state, there’s a reason to want to work hard to maintain that. People know who Fairfield volleyball is. To show up and have an impact like that, it’s pertinent to the program. It’s cool to have my name behind that now.”
Gawthrop, who just turned 21 earlier this spring, admits she feels like she grew up with the program and vividly remembers being a kid in summer camp. Just three years removed from that ride, Gawthrop saw out her sister, Morgan, and their class this past fall as a program assistant, a class she played with as a senior when Morgan was a freshman.
In the continuation of the family affair, Madeline’s father, John, is going to serve as her primary assistant.
Surely the sidelines will be eventful.
“Family is huge in this program,” Madeline said, who replaces Courtney Herschberger, Courtney herself from a family lineage of Herschbergers to guide the Fairfield program for parts of the last three decades. “Not only am I getting to coach with my dad, but we continue that line where the Herschbergers were here for a long time and really made this program a powerhouse.
“As a player, this is a family. The coaches have always been there for the players, you could talk to them, if you had things you needed help with in school, recruiting questions. It was always a comfortable environment. I’m excited to be that person now, to help pass on that legacy.”
The effervescent Gawthrop was still piecing together her staff when she guided the summer camp, but had plenty of help from a host of returning players. Her energy was infectious and that plans to remain as the season rapidly approaches.
“There’s a little bit of reconstruction needed with the varsity right now with so many seniors having graduated,” offered Gawthrop. “There are some dynamics and some things that will have to change. We’re going to have to be scrappier on defense and dig a lot deeper than we have in the past. But this group is ready for that. I’m very excited to see what we can do this season.”