Coaching Staff
Erik Welker
Seasonal Skillz League + Competitive Club Coach
As a youngster, Coach Erik spent every spare moment playing competitive volleyball on the beaches of Lake Erie. If Erik went missing, there was nearly a 100% chance you could find him on “Beach 6” on the peninsula of Presque Isle State Park in Erie, PA.
During the peak of his youth volleyball career, Coach Erik was sponsored and traveled throughout 3 different states (Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio) to play in highly competitive indoor and outdoor volleyball tournaments, including indoor sand tournaments. Coach Erik has participated in competitive volleyball matches on grass, sand, asphalt, sport court, and hard court with a wide variety of configurations including club, college, men’s open/AAA, AA and A divisions, co-ed, doubles, 3v3, 4v4, 6v6, and “Mickey/Minnie” style tournaments (guys on the back row and girls on the front row).
Coach Erik later went on to earn the position of team captain as a Freshman at Mercyhurst College, a private Catholic college in Erie, PA. From there, Erik joined the U.S. Navy and eventually had an opportunity to represent the All Navy Volleyball Team. After suffering a military-related back injury, he had to forfeit his position on the All Navy team marking the end of his competitive volleyball days and his military career.
During a nearly 2 decade-long hiatus, Coach Erik went back to college and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Kennesaw State University to learn more about his injuries and how the body works to perform and recover from sports and sports-related injuries. He now pursues his rekindled passion for the game of volleyball as a coach, exercise physiologist, mentor, and Club owner.
Coach Erik spent 2 years with the Etowah Jr. Eagles Volleyball program at E.T. Booth Middle School located in Woodstock, GA during the 2018 and 2019 season. His wife Jessica filled a role as Club Co-Director for the 2019 season as well. Coach Erik then moved on, taking a JV coaching position at North Cobb Christian School for the 2020 school season. NCCS is a private Christian-values-based school located in Acworth, Georgia.
Using his unique web design skills and vast volleyball experience, he continues to build and grow amazing programs and platforms to connect with and make a positive impact in the lives of as many young aspiring volleyball athletes as possible.
His personal mission is to instill strong values and healthy habits, and to provide a positive atmosphere for our kids to grow and learn while helping to overcome the challenges and obstacles they may face as players.
“I am truly blessed during each and every moment that I am on the volleyball court working with our young leaders of tomorrow.“
Coach Erik Welker ~
Leah Brown
Seasonal Skillz League + Competitive Club Coach
Coach Leah began playing club volleyball at age 11, moving from Setter to Defensive Specialist and Libero. During her club experience, she played sand volleyball for several summers. After playing travel indoor volleyball for 6 years, she transitioned to travel sand volleyball her senior year.
In addition, Leah played middle school, and all 4 years of high school volleyball. She received both the leadership award and the coach’s award while in high school.
For the past 6 years, coach Leah has worked alongside the College of Coastal Georgia as their volleyball statistician, and sees the game in a very unique way.
Leah has recently moved back to the North Georgia area, and is extremely excited to be working with Fury Volleyball Club.
Keelyn Williams
Competitive Club Coach
“Coach Kee” started playing volleyball at the age of 11. She is a 5’11″ Pin Hitter who played mainly as a Right-side and Setter. Coach Kee started on a Regional team in South Georgia known as ESJVC. After that, she tried out at JJVA in Jacksonville Florida where she made the one’s national team from the ages of 14 to 17. She then committed to Valdosta State University, a D2 program in Valdosta Georgia at the age of 16.
In-between these time periods, she made an international team for an organization called BIP where she traveled overseas to play in counties like Italy, Spain, Germany, Croatia, and Slovenia as well as a multitude of other counties that made her love for the sport grow. For her 18s season, she played for OTVA’s National program in Jacksonville Florida for their one’s team as well.
Coach Kee played at Camden County high school in St. Mary’s Georgia where she was 1st team All-Region her Freshman through Senior year. While completing her four years at Valdosta State, Coach Kee coached at PSVA, specializing in the 15’s and 16’s National teams.
Rachel Friedman
Seasonal Skillz League + Competitive Club Coach
Coach Rachel’s love for volleyball started in Pennsylvania at the young age of 14. She started her volleyball journey on her JV school team and later decided to venture into Club volleyball after her first school season. After her first season of club, Coach Rachel was asked to play on varsity as a sophomore, where she earned the title of Rookie of the Year. From there she continued to play club volleyball and increase her skills and love for the game every chance she had.
As a junior she started on Varsity and made second team all conference, helping her team make it to the State Championship Tournament. As a senior, Coach Rachel was named Captain as well as All Conference first team, player of the year, and MVP. Shel also spent her summers playing beach volleyball in Point Pleasant, New Jersey.
Coach Rachel went on to attend Towson University in Maryland, where she played and traveled with their club volleyball team. After obtaining her master in Psychology, she decided to transition from the love of playing volleyball, to the love for coaching volleyball. She became the JV Head Coach for a girls high school in Baltimore, Maryland.
Now, Coach Rachel has recently moved to Georgia, where she hopes to continue spreading her love for the sport by coaching for Fury Volleyball Club.
Jonathan Nguyen
Seasonal Skillz League + Competitive Club Coach
Coach Jonathan’s volleyball journey started at North Cobb High school with the first ever men’s volleyball team. After two years of playing at North Cobb, he was announced best defensive player for both years. After winning the Silver Medal from the tournament of the year, coach Jonathan became locked into the competitiveness of the sport.
From there, coach Jonathan moved on to Georgia Stare University, where he began to explore beach and grass volleyball with their own unique characteristics. Soon after, he decided to return to North Cobb High as a coach for the men’s and women’s volleyball teams. He knew his positive impact on young players was what made him fall in love with coaching, and spreading the enjoyment of the game.
Now, with 8 years of experience as a player, and many additional years of coaching, he has joined Fury Volleyball Club as way to continue teaching and spreading his knowledge of the game.
Danae Jones
Seasonal Skillz League + Competitive Club Coach
Danae Jones is a true Georgian, born and raised in Metro-Atlanta, GA. She began her love of volleyball during her first-ever tryouts and made her high school team. She quickly became a valued team member and was consistently in the starting line up on varsity for three years. As a team leader, her high school was two-time Region 8 runner ups. They qualified for the state playoffs for the first time in the school’s short history while she was a sophomore; followed by hosting their first ever playoff game that season.
She also had the humble honor of being nominated by teammates, coaches and voters to the All-Area Region 8 All-Tournament team and received Honorable Mention for the Elite 6 All County Team. She is regularly asked to return to assist her former high school with training and coaching during the volleyball season. During the off season, Coach Danae played club on the 17U power team for NFC Volleyball. She consistently increased her skills and knowledge by enrolling in every college volleyball clinic that she could find and encourages her players to do the same.
After high school coach Danae chose The Air Force versus pursuing possible college volleyball opportunities. While there, she successfully passed the cognitive and psychomotor examinations to obtain her National EMS Certificate at the Emergency Medical Technician level. As well as leading her co-ed team to a winning season.
She was and is known amongst teammates for playing with a high level of intensity and bringing a positive energy to any team she leads with focus and the determination to win. Her goal is to leave it all on the court and encourage the team to embrace the “we, and not me,” attitude.
No matter what team Coach Danae plays on you’ll consistently find her in the role of team captain. Whether high school, club, on some occasions sand volleyball, or on the Air Force co-ed team, she brings her many year of experience and knowledge and will continue to do so, now, as a coach here at Fury Volleyball Club.
Sabrina Warner
Seasonal Skillz League + Competitive Club Coach
Coach Sabrina began her journey of playing volleyball in Grayson, GA at the age of 16. She started as an Outside Hitter on her Junior Varsity team, then eventually transitioned to playing both Right Side and Middle on her Varsity team.
After high school, coach Sabrina moved on to Georgia Gwinnett College where she started the first adult volleyball club team. She later moved to Texas where she played Volleyball at Richland College as a Right Side Hitter. She received the MVP award at the end of the season.
After graduating with her Bachelors in Business Analytics, she continued to develop her skills by training in the sand to learn how to jump higher and become a more well-rounded player. Not too long after, she switched from being a player on the court to coaching her first volleyball team of 13U players in Dallas, TX. Her journey with her team was cut short when she moved back to Georgia, where she now coaches at Fury Volleyball Club.
Marcy Butler
Competitive Club Coach
Growing up in a basketball household, Coach Marcy stumbled upon a passion in volleyball. She played her first season (13s) at what was then Crossfire Volleyball. Known to be a raw athlete, with a basketball-like grit she explored through a few club teams. Playing on top teams with Atlanta Boom, KPVA, Tsunami, and finishing with A5 North… her school team was Sequoyah High School. She was a member of the 2014 State Champion varsity team.
Coach Marcy played undergrad for Howard University in Washington, D.C., where her team was the reigning Division I MEAC Champion in 2017, 2018, and 2019. At Howard, she had the opportunity to travel to South Africa and compete against professional teams.
For graduate school, Coach Marcy is currently attending Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii. Last fall, her team won the Division II Pacific West Championship. She medically retired this spring.
Coach Marcy has court, sand, and grass experience.
Coach Marcy has had the pleasure of coaching, alongside her learning throughout her entire experience.
She is excited for her journey with Fury!
Lauren DeSanctis
Seasonal Skillz League
Coach Lauren has been playing Club volleyball for three years now.
She played 2 years of high school volleyball and was awarded with the Defensive Player of the Year her Freshman year.
Her areas of expertise are Libero, Defensive Specialist, and Setter.
Coach Lauren was chosen by Fury for her amazing ability to connect and work with the younger players on defense and harnessing their techniques.