Free State High coach Amy Hoffsommer makes a point to the Firebirds in their opening match on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015, at FSHS.

After helping Free State’s volleyball team to the Class 6A state tournament for the first time in more than a decade, coach Amy Hoffsommer is headed to Olathe West to start her own program.

Olathe West, which will join the Sunflower League, opens next school year. Hoffsommer announced to her team that she was leaving at the end of last week.

Hoffsommer, the second coach in Free State history, led the Firebirds to a 58-24 record (.707 winning percentage), including the school’s first appearance at state since 2004.

“I spent two very hard-working years here at Free State and it’s hard to leave all of that hard work behind,” Hoffsommer said. “That’s the difficult part but it’s also exciting to think that you’re starting from scratch and building a program.

“I actually talked to (former FSHS coach) Nancy Hopkins about that because she’s done it. She said it’s a really cool thing and she’s very excited for me and has been nothing but positive about the whole thing.”

Hoffsommer said the coaching change was unexpected. She is engaged to Eric Griffin, a teacher in the Olathe school district. She planned to commute to Free State each day, but applied for the Olathe West vacancy.

“I just went ahead and threw my hat in the ring just for the possibility knowing I would be living in Olathe for years to come,” Hoffsommer said. “Then lo and behold, I was offered.”

Before coaching at Free State, Hoffsommer spent four years as an assistant coach at Lawrence High. Prior to her time in Lawrence, she was the head coach at Central Heights and an assistant at Fort Hays State.

“I will just miss this community a lot,” Hoffsommer said of Lawrence. “It’s been very good to me for the last however many years.”

Hoffsommer said the meeting with her team was “not a moment that I want to necessarily re-live.” But she’s excited for the opportunity to stay in the league and watch the Firebirds grow from long distance.

She joked with sophomore all-state selection Rachel Hickman, “Don’t hurt us too much, please.”

“I just was really happy for the past two years,” Hoffsommer said. “My coaching staff, my athletic director and all of the players all just kind of bought into the idea that it just takes hard work. You’re not going to just do things. You have to work for things. The talent was there and the hard work came in with it. I just feel like I had a really great group of people and a great support system.”

Free State athletic director Mike Hill said a search for Hoffsommer’s replacement would begin immediately and the search will likely last for the next few months.

“Amy did a phenomenal job as our coach,” Hill said. “We’re sorry to lose her. Not only was she a terrific coach but also a terrific teacher as well. It’s kind of a double whammy for us, but we’re excited for her and the opportunity that she has.”